Page 11 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
“I believe he slept with half of the lords and ladies in court.”
Oh.
“You will make an enemy of them all if you harm a single hair on his head,” Aelfric says, shifting his gaze to me. “Name me as your champion, Rhianelle.”
Of course, both of my noble knights would offer their life to me.
“Gerailt has won the Tavas tournament seventeen years in a row. Unbeaten and undisputed,” I say, taking in a deep breath. Idon’t want Aelfric to fight to the death with the best swordsman in all of Aelfheim.
“I won that title too as you recall—”
“That was years ago.”
“Had I bothered competing in Tavas these recent years, I would have won. I swear I can defeat all the contenders with one eye closed.”
I can hardly smile at his jest.
“Rainer will want you to choose Damnation. But just look at that…”
I follow his gaze to the members of House Clayborne. Gerailt tosses his head back, laughing deeply over something his little nieces and nephews said.
“They have so many children in their household…” Aelfric swallows his words, the depth in his voice near painful. His remaining blue eye clashes with mine, and I hold that gaze. The knight has always been by my side after Aerin’s death. He even earned a nickname from Lady Deirdre;
The Queen’s shadow.
My friend is no one’s shadow.
“I can’t lose you, Aelfric.” I shake my head desperately.
“You won’t,” he promises solemnly. “Have faith in me, Rhianelle.”
“May I have this dance?” A smooth voice accosts us.
I turn around to find Gerailt Clayborne, the challenger to my throne offering his hand to me.
Aelfric’s back stiffens at his sudden appearance. Energy crackles in the air as the two warriors stare one another down.
“Come now. I’m not going to harm her,” Gerailt coaxes gently. “My father would never allow me to desecrate Merafall. I swear on my honor as a Commander of the Valorian and a servant of Kvatosh.”
My knight remains unmoving, his expression turning lethal.
The golden-haired Valorian merely shrugs. “I’m going to steal her from you no matter how much you seethe. Let’s not make a spectacle here, Aelf.”
A vein pulses in Aelfric’s jaw over his new nickname, the only sign of his displeasure.
“It’s just a dance,” I finally say quietly.
The knight steps aside, nodding politely. He gives me a quick smile that doesn’t reach his eye. I see the warning in his face.
Careful.
“Shall we?” Gerailt bridges the distance between us in a smooth step, and I take his hand.
“Commander Gerailt,” I begin as we reach the center of the dance floor.
A wicked gleam flashes in his emerald eyes.” My friends call me Garrett.”
“But we are not friends, are we?” I arch a brow.
