Page 110 of Dark Elves of Ardani

Aruna was slower to reveal himself than Novikke was. He was undoubtedly accustomed to negative, even violent reactions from humans who realized what he was. Zara watched him survey the room before cautiously pushing back his hood. He looked around until his eyes landed on Zara. He wasn’t smiling.

Her heart sped up when he approached her and handed her a sealed envelope. It had been well cared for in its long journey from Kuda Varai. It was perfectly dry and only slightly bent.

She looked at it while Aruna and Nero watched her, waiting. She’d been awaiting this letter for months, and now she was afraid to open it.

Perhaps with Kashava gone, Avan would realize how little Zara mattered compared to Kashava. Perhaps Zara would be faced with the reality that she had never truly been a part of their family. Perhaps now Avan and Zara would both realize what she’d always feared—that she would always be an outsider, a charity case, and nothing more.

Would she see disapproval in Avan’s writing? Or worse, indifference? Would she find that Avan was succumbing to despair and grief?

Aruna was Avan’s brother. Zara had met him and Novikke once in Kuda Varai, a long time ago. Looking at him now made Zara’s heart ache a little, because she could see Avan’s face in his. “How is she?” she asked.

He took a long breath, looking uncertain. But his voice was sincere when he nodded and said in his thick accent, “She is all right. She does not want you to worry.”

Zara nodded, but didn’t move to open the letter. After a moment, Nero took the envelope from her and slid his knife neatly through the top, then handed her the pages within. Zara saw Avan’s clean handwriting.

The letter was long. There were six pages folded into the envelope. Zara skimmed through it at first, eager for information, then reread it more slowly. She found herself alternately frowning and smiling at various points in the letter. She even came close to laughing once.

When she’d finished, she lowered the pages to her lap. Her eyes were watering a little with both sadness and relief. She wiped her eyes. Nero reached for her hand, and she took it, clinging to him beneath the table.

“Is she going to come for me for taking her daughter?” Nero asked.

Zara smiled. “She said I should not trust any man, especially not one with human blood.”

Nero looked resigned. “What a surprise.”

“She also said that she trusts my judgement, and that she wishes us well. And she thanks you for protecting me.”

Nero glanced up at her skeptically.

“I told you, she is a good person,” Zara said. “And open-minded. She is the one who rescued me when she saw me being abused by others.”

“I know. I didn’t doubt you,” he said pensively. Zara suspected he was not used to other Varai approving of him. As far as Zara was concerned, he deserved everyone’s approval. She squeezed his hand.

When Zara had first met Novikke and Aruna years ago, she’d found their relationship both alarming and intriguing. Before then, it had not occurred to her that a human and a Varai could be together. She’d imagined what it would be like to meet a Varai man who wouldn’t look down on her, wouldn’t see her as something to be used. She’d imagined what it would be like to have someone look at her the way Aruna looked at Novikke.

It had made her wonder whether, maybe, she wasn’t too different to love after all. Maybe there was even someone out there who was as much an outsider as she was, who might need her, too.

She took out some of the coins Tahir had just given her and held them out to Aruna. He shook his head.

“My sister paid us. Believe me, she can afford it. In fact—” He seemed to remember something else, and he produced another package from his pocket. “She sent this for you.”

Zara opened the package. There was a large number of coins inside. More than she’d seen in months. She looked up at Aruna in shock. He shrugged.

“She is First Priestess of the Temple of Ravi now,” he explained.

“She was promoted?”

“Chosen by the other priestesses.” He sat down beside them. “Killed any Paladins lately?” he asked Nero.

Nero slowly shook his head. “There are none to be found.”

“I doubt that,” Vaara put in from across the table.

“Zara and I have been patrolling the mountains for months. We’ve not seen them once.”

“We could find some if we had a mind to,” Vaara said.

Nero paused, then said, “I think I’ve lost my taste for hunting Paladins.”

---