Page 64 of Upon Buried Embers
I frown, rubbing my chin. It didn’t hurt, but my skin tingles.
“What do you want in return?” He asks. “I can take you back to the Elven lands.”
I blink in surprise. I didn’t even think of that.
I could find my family.
“You would do that?” I tentatively ask, my hands rubbing my arms, feeling oddly vulnerable.
He shrugs. “At some point, if you uphold your part.”
It almost seems too good to be true, but…
“Effy.”
He blinks. “What?”
“Effy. She’s my… friend. I would like for you to get her away from Master for me, if I were to do this for you.”
He raises a brow. “I could easily make you do this for me, you know that, right? I’m offering you something in return because I’m honorable.”
“I realize you can make me,” I say slowly. “But this way you know I won’t lie because this is something I want.”
He looks me over, contemplating my words. “Where is this… Effy?”
“With Master,” I mumble.
He growls. “You have no Master anymore, Elf.” My eyes rise to his and he looks at the collar around my throat, lip curling. “What is his name?”
His name… I think of the times people came over, of what they called him in the underground.
“Em…” I swallow, nausea rising. “Emerish. That’s what some would call him, I think.”
He looks away, jaw clenching. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
He eyes me. “Be sure, Elf.”
“I’m sure. Others would call him that in the underground.”
“And how long have you been with him?”
“I was sold to him when I was young, and I’ve been with him since.”
His eyes sharpen. “And how old are you?”
My brows furrow. “I can’t be sure, but I think around twenty-three.”
He curses before he takes a deep breath, then nods.
“I will get you your friend, after you have learned to speak with the dragons.” Learned, not tried. “The timeline is on my terms and it needs to be quick. I will not be fooled so do not pretend you can if you cannot.” I nod, understanding.
“And if I can’t do it?”
“Then I will find someone else who can, and take you back to your Master.” A pause. “Or you die.”
Nausea rises once more.
