Page 63 of Callista and the Elf

“But I’ve been waiting for you.”

My heart rate doubled at that simple statement. I cleared another lock of hair away from her face. Something had changed in the air around us. I wasn’t sure when or how, but a current of energy filled the space between us, and I wanted nothing more than to close it. Would she let me touch her face?

In this moment—while her breath recovered from running, and she held my arm, and our eyes locked onto each other—I could believe she would welcome a gentle touch on her cheek, maybe a soft caress on her jaw…

But the library’s large double doors swished open and shredded the moment.

I turned, torn between flaying whoever had decided now was a good time to read and cursing myself for opening the library to the public thirteen years ago. And then I saw our intruder… and cursed myself again.

One of the cleaning staff from the dining hall carried a tray with soup, bread, meat, cheese, and several other items I didn’t care to inventory. The interruption was completely my fault. I reached for the tray. “I’ll take that.”

Her eyes widened as she let go of her burden and dropped into a curtsy. “Yes, Your Majesty.” It didn’t take a mistek bond to know she was anxious. Were servants always this way around me, and I just hadn’t noticed?

“Thank you,” I added, trying to remove the irritation I felt at being interrupted.

She dipped her head and kept her gaze on her shoes.

Callista swept up next to me. “We really appreciate you bringing this up here,” she said, drawing the servant’s eyes up from the floor. “I know it’s not part of your normal work. I’m Callista.” What a silly thing to say. Everyone knew who she was.

The servant, though, tipped her head in a polite greeting. “I’m Salor. It’s nice to meet you.” When Callista smiled at her again, Salor said, “I’ve been hoping to see you in the Dining Hall, but I’m not too surprised you haven’t eaten there yet. The elves in there can be a little intimidating.”

The servant had visibly relaxed as she spoke. Perhaps Callista’s introduction was not so silly after all.

But I could not introduce myself every time I wanted to help anxious servants relax. That would come across as… quite ridiculous. Maybe I should ask about something else she mentioned.

“Salor,” I started, “are you intimidated by the other elves in the Dining Hall?”

Her face blushed. “Only sometimes, Your Majesty. Most of them are fairly polite.”

“Most of them?”

She glanced at Callista, who stepped forward and took her hand. “His Majesty is not angry at you at all,” she said,throwing me a warning look with those intense blue eyes. “He tends to be very protective of his people, and I’m guessing he’s upset by the possibility that some of them might have mistreated you in his Dining Hall.”

Both ladies turned to me, Callista’s eyes still bright with warning while Salor’s were anxious and worried. I quieted the growl that wanted to escape and said only, “Callista is correct.”

“I…” Salor’s eyes darted from me to Callista, and then back to me. She dropped another curtsy. “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, Your Majesty, but there are times when some people are a little harsh and demanding.” She turned back to Callista. “I’d rather not say anything more.”

“Of course.” Callista patted her hand again. “Nobody wants you to be uncomfortable—” She gave me another pointed look. “Right, Your Majesty?”

“Correct,” I agreed. “But.” I waited for Salor to look at me again. “If there is a situation I can help resolve, bring it to my attention. Or to Mylo’s. He will not ignore it either.”

She smiled—she wasn’t quite relaxed, but she was not as nervous as when I’d first taken the tray. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

I nodded. “Thank you, Salor, for bringing the food.”

Her nerves lessened a little more as she bobbed her head and muttered, “Of course.”

As she slipped out the door, Callista rolled her eyes and patted my arm again. “Do you make everyone so nervous? Or only cleaning girls?”

“I—” I had never considered the question before. I intimidated Koan and Jolter deliberatelyoften enough, but… others? “I’m not sure.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “You probably do. How else would theCursed High King of Hemlitkeep the masses under control?”

The question did not sound like one she expected an answer to, so instead I asked one of my own. “Why is it that you do not find theHonorable Monsteras terrifying as everyone else?”

“Oh, I did,” she said as I balanced the tray in one hand and pressed my other up to the stone flame. “It’s just that there were other things that terrified me more.”

I waved her through the hidden entrance. “Like what?”

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