Page 89 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

Thirty-One

KIERAN’S INCESSANT CHATTERcaused Elijah’s head to throb.

“Gods, does he ever shut up?” Elijah whispered to Aiden.

An hour had passed, and the party had died down. Still, Kieran had insisted the two dine together one time before Liam and the Zemiran army arrived at the front gates by dusk the next day.

Aiden sipped the full-bodied wine served at dinner, attempting to stifle a laugh with his glass. “Never ends, I’m afraid.” He leaned into Elijah’s ear. “He doesn’t think like us. Not like Zemirans. His plan to kill the Shadow Creature is reckless at best.”

Elijah narrowed his eyes at his friend, hoping that the dark magic Kieran cursed him with hadn’t wholly consumed him.

“Like us?” Elijah asked, raising a brow. “Do we still fight together, my friend?”

Aiden gave him a small smile. “I fight for Kieran now, so it depends on you, Elijah. Which side are you on?”

Not Kieran’s, Elijah thought. I plan to kill him before tomorrow night is over.

“Right,” Elijah said.“I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter if I’m the only one trying to protect your sister.”

He waited for Aiden’s response but was only met with a shrug. Clearly, he felt obligated to serve Kieran, who gave him that power. The lustful kind of magic someone would crave more than the people they used to love.

“Ah, she made her choice,” Aiden said, taking a bite of his food.

Elijah gripped the sides of the chair he sat upon, feeling his knuckles crack under strain.

Aiden was being consumed by darkness, and Elijah had no way of saving his friend from it. Elves were born with light magic, which meant the power flowing through Aiden’s body would alter and eventually change him forever, pushing his light out until there was nothing left.

Elijah tried to reach Aiden at that moment, but his mind was constantly pulled back to Janelle.

He had to watch her be taken from him, forced to muster every bit of control to not unleash his wrath upon that room. He could’ve done it—could’ve slaughtered them all with one controlled, swift surge of his power. However, that creature was still out there. As much as Elijah didn’t want to admit it, he needed the sorcerer’s magic to help.

Fuck, he cursed. Elijah realized then that though he had a plan since he left his palace, nothing would ever be that easy.

Elijah cocked his head to the right, kept his gaze steady, and narrowed his eyes on Kieran, filling his wine glass again before sipping slowly.

“So, Aiden, are you really Kieran’s puppet now?” Elijah added quietly. He pinched the hem of the tablecloth between his fingertips and rubbed it absently. The coarse feeling of the fabric helped Elijah ground himself, keeping his mind rooted to the reality of the situation, despite the surreal events around him.

Aiden let out a chuckle. “Puppet?” he whispered. “Elijah, I’m surprised you don’t boast more about this power of ours. The moment the darkness touched my inner core, I—”

“Craved it like sex?” Elijah finished. “You wanted it more than the people you once cared about? It drives your every thought and urges?”

Aiden nodded. “Yes,” he said coolly. “And now I can lead the warriors with more power and strength. You’ll be grateful for what he’s done for me, dear friend.”

Dear friend? Had that really changed? Elijah wondered.

Elijah sat back and shook his head. “What a shame,” he said. “To think, once upon a time, I believed you to be one of the good ones. The brave and powerful Aiden Patrov, son of the great Hagmar, Defender of the Elven folk. Now you dine with the same man who, before that blood oath I made with him, had planned to rape your sister and make her a broodmare.” Aiden’s lips twitched. “Think about that for a moment.” Elijah leaned closer to his ear. “You kill him, and you’ll still have the dark power and your warriors, but that bastard will be dead.”

Aiden seemed to ponder what Elijah had said, his brows pulling together, narrowing his eyes. He wondered if his words were enough or if that darkness would control what Elven nature his friend had left.

“What was that?” Kieran said, leaning back in his chair.

Elijah turned from Aiden to look at him. Kieran was so far down the ridiculously long table that it surprised him he heard them at all.

“Have you not been listening to me this last hour?” Kieran asked, taking a bite of his roasted meat. “I was just discussing our plan and everyone’s role in taking down the Shadow Creature. My plan will work, Elijah.”

Elijah smirked. “No, Kieran. I’ve completely shut off my ears from your blabbering tongue. Your plan is still to sacrifice your hybrids. So, until it includes fighting like men—”

Kora cleared her throat. He hadn’t even noticed her standing behind him at the door.

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