Page 69 of Wilds of Wonder
Driscoll’s mouth dropped open, and he worked to close it. “The star court? You’re from here? You have star magic?”
El’s jaw locked, and she glared at Aron. It seemed like she hadn’t wanted us to know this information, but it was important.
“Everyone assumes that all the star elementals are dead. But there’s one of you left. Are there others?” I asked.
“None that are still elementals,” Aron said, and I understood his meaning.
They’d transformed into one of these cursed creatures, no longer their former selves.
El looked to be a bit younger than me, maybe in her mid-twenties at the most.
“If you were born shortly after the curse,” Driscoll said slowly like he was thinking along the same lines as me, “then why have you not aged? I mean, shouldn’t you be like at least fifty?”
“We assume that’s part of living here.” Aron spread his arms wide. “She’s aged, just very slowly. The rest of us haven’t aged at all, not without our shadows.”
El’s gaze went watery, and suddenly, I felt a tenderness in my heart. It couldn’t be easy reliving all of this for complete strangers.
I reached across our circle and lay my hand over hers. “I’m sorry. You won’t be forgotten about any longer. Not if we escape this place.”
She stared at me for a long moment before she slipped her hand from mine and nodded.
“Who is the queen of hearts?” Maverick asked abruptly. “Is she welcoming of strangers like us?”
I hadn’t heard of this queen of hearts, and I wondered where that question came from. Driscoll frowned like he was wondering the same thing.
“The queen of hearts,” Aron repeated.
Driscoll sighed. “Why is there a woman called the queen of hearts? Let me guess, she rips people’s hearts from their chests and eats them?”
El signed, eyes dancing. “Oh yes,” Aron translated. “She doesn’t just eat them. Makes the hearts into pulp. Drains her enemies of their blood and uses it in pies, tarts, bastes, soups. Can’t get enough of it.”
We all stared, horrified, until El’s lips twitched, the closest thing I’d seen to a smile on her face.
“Apologies,” Aron said. “She can be mischievous.”
“So you’re joking?” Driscoll asked El. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“She’s called the queen of hearts because she has been known to rip out a few hearts,” Aron admitted. “But it was to protect those she’s taken in. She also has a big heart of her own. She’s selfless, fearless, and you’re sitting in her presence.”
I stared at El, dumbfounded.
“You’re the queen of hearts?” Maverick asked. “So you’re in charge here?”
“As in charge as anyone can be of a place like the Wilds,” Aron said.
El glowered at us.
“Um.” I bowed my head, not knowing the proper way to greet her. “Your Majesty.”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
“She prefers El,” Aron said.
“Okay, El,” I said, looking at her, then Aron. “Can you two help us get out of here?”
All the amusement disappeared from her face. Aron cleared his throat. “That’s going to be difficult since we’ve been trying to escape for the better part of fifty years.”
Maverick leaned forward, gaze pinned on Aron. “But you did escape.”
