Page 43 of Eluvonia
I lean toward Kaida, keeping my voice low. “What’s with the Fae here? Why are they working with the Dragons?”
Kaida glances at Declan, who merely shrugs. Kaida groans, clearly irritated. “They’re slaves. They don’t workwiththeDragons—they workforthem.”
I straighten, my jaw tightening. My fingers curl into fists beneath the table. “I knew the Dragons took prisoners during raids sometimes—I just never really thought about what happened to them after…”
Declan clears his throat and motions for one of them to approach. A slender male with dull eyes and pale skin steps forward, his movements stiff, mechanical—like a puppet with fraying strings.
“What can I get you, sir?” the Fae asks in a monotone voice.
Declan orders something called mead, along with stews and bread. The Fae glances at me, his expression unreadable.
“And some stale bread and water for the Fae, sir?”
Something inside mesnaps.
I meet Kaida’s gaze, fury simmering beneath my skin. I dare him to laugh, to say something smug, to remind me of the power he and his kind wield.
Instead, he surprises me. “No,” he says, his voice firm. “Get her the same as us.”
The Fae’s eyes widen in disbelief before he quickly nods and scurries away.
I’m still watching Kaida when he turns to me, expression unreadable. “Don’t get used to it,” he says dryly. “I just can’t have you dying of starvation. I don’t feel like losing half my soul because I didn’t feed you.”
I roll my eyes, but the words barely register. My mind is too tangled in the sight of my people shackled, serving their oppressors with quiet resignation. This—this—is what they think of us. Obedient. Defeated.Lesser.
Hatred burns through my veins, hot and consuming.
I need to get out of here. Not just this tavern, not just fromunder Kaida’s shadow, butall of it. I need to find my people, the ones still free.
I need to fight—but not yet. Not until I understand my magic. It’s the key to everything—I know it.
Before I can help the Fae, I need to help myself. Is what Kaida said about the Líðr bond true? Is there a way to break it? I need to figure it out. And who spread the news of the bonding? Why? What does that person gain from alienating me from my people? If the Fae see me as a threat, I’ll never get close enough to save them.
Once I have my answers, I’ll return to my people—even if being away fromhimshreds what’s left of me. But I have to endure. Because if there’s even the slightest chance my magic can turn the tides, can end this war, then I have to take it.
Even if it means playing along.
Even if it means biding my time.
Because one day, these shackles won’t just be broken. They’ll be wrapped around Dragon throats.
We sit in silence at the wooden table, the bustling tavern hum muffled by the low ceiling and thick wooden walls. The dim lanterns above flicker softly, casting dancing shadows across the room.
Kaida stares down at the table his brow furrowed deep in thought. The silence between us stretches, and after a while, he finally breaks it. “Once we’re done eating, we’ll head back to the castle,” he says quietly, his voice rough, “I imagine Father’s already tearing apart the kingdom looking for us.”
I glance at him, my lips pressing into a thin line. The thought of returning to the suffocating walls of the castle sends a chill down my spine, but there’s little choice in the matter. “I figured as much,” I murmur between clenchedteeth.
A moment later, a soft sound draws my attention, and the small Fae approaches the table. A metal shackle glints around their wrist as they place a tray down in front of me, and a faint scent of spices wafts into the air.
I take a tentative bite of the stew, the flavors exploding on my tongue— a perfect balance of earthiness and warmth. It’s rich and savory, the broth thick and fragrant with herbs. The bread is crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, warm from the fire. The mead is sweet, the honeyed notes dancing on my tongue as I take a sip.
Kaida doesn’t wait to savor the meal. He digs into his food with fervor, his appetite unbridled. I watch him for a moment, then slowly take another bite.
As I chew, a loud rumble sounds outside, shaking the floor beneath us. Kaida freezes mid-bite, his eyes narrowing as the sound echoes through the tavern. His hand slams down onto the table, rattling the wooden surface.
“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” he mutters, his voice grim, his frustration clear. His jaw tightens as he leans back in his chair, a heavy breath escaping him.
A bright flash streaks across the window, illuminating the inn briefly in silver light. Kaida growls under his breath, and the room grows darker around us, though I’m not sure if it’s from Kaida’s shadows or the incoming storm.
