Page 98 of Elven Prince

With a deep breath, Rebecca turned fully around to address them all. The second she moved, all the wary comments and the refusal and the shouted barbs aimed at Rowan settled into a hushed silence.

“You heard him,” she said. “Stand down. Donotengage. This won’t take long.”

Rowan burst into a crazed round of cackling at that, slapping the side of his helm as he doubled over.

Everyone’s attention ripped away from the Blackmoon Elf when a sharp crack and dazzling zigzag of light came from the bridge.

The lieutenant who’d thrown that spear now drew his hands apart to reveal a growing wall of shimmering purple-white light spreading between them. Then, one by one, a dozen other elves in the battalion in a dozen different places did the same.

Their brilliant spells spread across the would-be battlefield for Shade and the graveyard of two Chicago crime lords. The light crackled and grew, forming an intricate dome high above the bridge’s highest beam and penning the Shade teams in with the elven battalion.

A final crack echoed around them with a warble of light across the dome when all glowing spells converged up top at the very center.

“No, no, no…”

“What the fuck are we supposed to do aboutthat?”

“Shit, we are here forever? Can we even get out?”

Rebecca craned her neck to view the top of the shimmering dome, but her attention was torn away again at the sickening sound of Rowan once again addressing both parties, though this time, his words seemed far more for Shade’s benefit.

“In case there was any confusion, you’re not prisoners. Not yet. Think of it as more of a kiddie playpen, if that’s easier. In effect, no one goes out, and more importantly, no one comes in. I find it highly effective against unwanted interruptions.” With another slap against the side of his helm, he spun toward the bridge and thrust a hand in the air. “Thank you, Lieutenant!”

Atop the bridge, none of the soldiers responded. None of them moved. Rebecca wouldn’t have been able to find the lieutenant at all if she hadn’t seen him catch his own spear earlier.

Rowan laughed it all off and shrugged, oozing with fake embarrassment. “That’s Lieutenant Grak for you. Always on duty, even when he’s not. Not too unlikeyourpet here.”

Though he spoke to Rebecca, he jerked his head toward Maxwell.

“I’ve never wanted to disembowel someone more,” Maxwell snarled.

“Huh.” Rowan raised an eyebrow and leaned toward Rebecca as if they were trading childhood secrets. “Thoughyoursis a little on the cranky side, isn’t he? Have you considered a muzzle?”

Rebecca’s hatred for him already made her eyes burn, though she refused to look away. “Stop fucking around so we can get this over with.”

“As you wish.” His smile flickered, then he stepped back, dipped into a flourishing bow, then turned and gestured toward the woods where he’d first appeared. “Let’s step into my office.”

Before Rebecca could say a thing, Maxwell’s next snarl erupted beside her, his teeth bared and his silver eyes flashing like a lightning storm.

She could feel him doing everything to avoid shifting, and she silently thanked him for it.

The smile disappeared from Rowan’s face before he fixed the shifter with a deadpan stare and pointed at him. “Sit.”

“I stay with her.”

Rowan barked out a laugh and rolled his eyes.

Rebecca didn’t want any more violence to break out, especially between these too. Rowan and Maxwell at each other’s throats as Shade members was one thing.

This was an entirely different situation with a much higher likelihood of ending in blood and instant slaughter.

She had to be more careful now that she’d been in centuries.

“He stays with me,” she echoed, her voice dropping into a stern command of its own.

Once she said it, she realized how much shedidwant Maxwell at her side for this, no matter what he might see or hear during this little chat with the Blackmoon traitor who’d stabbed them all in the back.

Rowan blinked at her in surprise, then shrugged, still without giving Maxwell a second more of his attention. “If you say so. But if he pisses on the furniture, I’ll have to put him outside.”

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