Page 84 of Rogue Elves of Ardani

“Maybe. You can start by explaining who you are and what you’re really doing here.”

“My name is Crow. Lovely to meet you.”

“Nero.” He stepped closer, bending over her. “This is my tavern. Welcome to Akaia’s Haven.”

Crow deflated a little. Of course she had managed to get on the bad side of the bar’s owner, on top of everything else.

She explained everything that had happened, starting with when she’d met Vaara in the prison. Even after cutting out a lot of the more sensitive information, it took a long time to tell it all.

Eventually, Aruna got off her and stood with his back against the wall, his sword still in hand. He and the half-Varai still watched her very carefully.

There was a long silence after she finished. She waited, her fingers tightly gripping her knees.

Aruna spoke, and Nero translated. “They’re taking him back to that prison?”

She nodded to Aruna. He glanced up at Nero, his expression grave.

“You and that woman—you carry weapons,” Crow said. “You’re sellswords, aren’t you? Let me hire you.”

Aruna frowned at her. “You want him back so he can be your slave once more,” Nero translated for him.

Her chest clenched with emotion—half defensiveness and half guilt. “I want him back because he doesn’t deserve to go back there.”No one deserves Alexei, she remembered Vaara saying once. “It’s my fault he was taken.”

She waited while Nero translated for her. Aruna just stared at her. After a while, the judgement in his gaze was overshadowed by concern. He was worried about Vaara, too.

“My companion is not available,” Nero translated, in answer to her earlier question.

“And the mage?”

Aruna talked for a long time. Nero raised an eyebrow, and summarized, “She’s also unavailable.”

Crow held back a groan. “Just you and I, then?” she said to Aruna, giving a wan smile.

Aruna spoke again, looking at her unhappily. “He’s probably long gone. We’ll never catch them before they reach the prison unless you have a way to find them.”

“I can find him if we hurry.” She climbed to her feet and went to pet the dog. Aruna stiffened, watching her closely.

A part of her wondered if there had been some kind of miscommunication. Was he really going to help her? He still didn’t like her—that much was clear.

She turned to Nero. “He’s not going to stab me as soon as we get outside, is he? Because that would complicate things.”

Nero shrugged.

“Oh. Good.”

Aruna spoke again.

“He says he’ll only come if you agree not to touch him,” Nero said.

Of course. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“He’s going to get ready. It’ll take a few minutes.”

She nodded, looking at Aruna again. “Thank you,” she said earnestly.

Frowning at her, he sheathed his sword and retreated into his room.

Chapter 23

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