Page 44 of The Night Prince 3
He hadn’t been. But he supposed if it shook some sense into the idiot then maybe he should let the impression lay there. Yet no. Already his manhandling of the whelp would cause Vesslan to come after him if he was ever in the Aravae’s presence again. Threatening to kill Darcassan was a step too far. Especially considering what he was going to confess in just moments.
But before he could dispel that idea, Elasha cried, “Rhalyf, Darcassan, you both acted wrongfully! Please don’t compound it by being awful to each other now.”
She was right in some ways, but wrong in others. Such seemed to be Elasha’s lot in life. But her words caused him to reign in his temper. Darcassan was not worth it. It was his state of mind that was causing him to behave like a snapping turtle.
“Your brother nearly started a war with the Kindreth Empire, Elasha. All I did was dent his ego. I don’t think the two are at all the same,” Rhalyf answered bluntly.
“That may be true, but he didn’t know and you shouldn’t have hurt him! You should both apologize to one another!” She insisted and he almost expected her to stamp her foot.
Darcassan sniffed.
Rhalyf studied his fingernails.
She tipped back her head and let out a strangled sound. “You’re both such idiots! We’re going into the Under Dark–maybe to face Vex–and you two are fighting amongst yourselves? Don’t you see how foolish that is? Uncle needs us! He needs all of us focused and on his side!”
That was true.
Very true.
It was almost as true as when she’d realized that Declan wasn’t human before others did.
Darcassan grimaced. His eyes darted to Rhalyf. He didn’t want to make the first move. His ego wouldn’t allow it. As the best friend of his uncle, Rhalyf should apologize. In part.
“I… apologize for… for reacting as I did, but not for why I did it,” Rhalyf gritted out.
Darcassan sniffed and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “If I had known that Finley was a special friend of yours–and that you would bring him here–I would have spoken… more… cautiously about his worth.”
“See? Was that so hard?” Elasha asked, glancing between both of them.
Neither of their apologies was full, complete or truly as heart-felt as it should have been. But they were out there. That had to be enough.
“Please after you. I would say age before beauty, but I have both of those things on my side.” He bowed. Darcassan–who was never a wizard of words at the best of times nor of reading people–stalked through the rift with his head held high. Just as Elasha was about to hurry after her twin, Rhalyf called out to her, “Elasha, don’t let him touch anything.”
“I… he won’t!” she protested, but didn’t sound positive about that. Then she was through the rift.
He turned towards Helgrom, Snaglak and Glom. “Please, go before me. I will happily bring up the rear.”
“Don’t want to go home?” Snaglak asked as he leaned his bloodied club against his massive shoulder.
“I… I never had the pleasure of residing in Illithor. Born far too late for that,” Rhalyf admitted.
Helgrom grasped his right forearm. “You have to tell Aquilan about who you are, lad. You should have done it a while ago.”
Rhalyf grimaced at the chastisement that he, himself, believed very warranted. But to hear it out of Helgrom’s lips meant that it was doubly true. “So you knew, too? The whole time? Or just–”
“Snaglak’s not the only one with a nose for Under Dark folk.” Helgrom touched the side of his bulbous one. “But in all seriousness, anyone who has ever seen a Vex fight would know who you are. Who you have to be related to.”
Rhalyf’s mouth went dry. So Helgrom not only knew he was a Night Elf, but a Vex. Good grief, had he ever been truly hidden? Either one of them could have told Aquilan–especially Helgrom–at any time and the jig would have been up. But they hadn’t.
“Was this Under Dark species unite instincts or… what?” he asked.
Helgrom chuckled. “We do have to stick together. If you meant the Sun King harm, I most definitely would have taken care of you myself.”
He tipped his hammer towards Rhalyf. Normally such an action by a dwarf would have amused him. But Helgrom was a Draesiwen and a king. The Kindreth did not pick their allies lightly. The Draesiwen were known for their fighting prowess among other things.
“I would have expected nothing less.” Rhalyf bowed his head. “But I have never meant Aquilan any harm. And I never will.”
“What if Vex wants?” Snaglak asked as he scratched his ass as if this question were something so insignificant that an ass scratch had to accompany it!
