Page 25 of Bound to the Elvin Prince

“But you ask, what does this mean for you? That bracelet on your wrist, Lady Calantha, can answer much. You see, Relian has one on his own wrist. Yours is black, his a dark auburn.”

With every eye turned to her now, her stomach dropped and her throat tightened. Even though she had some strong suspicions before the king even began his dialogue, to hear it was another matter.

Talion cast his son a look of expectation. “Would you please show Lady Cal your binding?”

She barely registered that someone elvin had finally called her by her nickname. As he inched up the brocaded silvery-blue sleeve that covered most of his hand, he revealed what she most feared. There, on his wrist, rested a bracelet made of intertwined gold threads and auburn hair. The color of the strands was a precise match to her own.

Cal shook her head, hoping it was all a weird dream but knowing it was not. Then her bleary mind recalled something the king said. Binding? Was her bracelet a binding, then? How did strands of their hair end up on the other’s wrist? An answer shouted out in her mind—the mist.

“W...what is a binding, and is my bracelet one? How did it get there?”

Talion’s face set in solemn lines. A certain amount of underlying sympathy lay in the gray gaze that reminded her so much of Relian’s.

“Yes, what you have on your wrist is a binding. As to what it is, well, it’s simply the first step in the completion of a total bond. A binding signifies that a complete bond can and should take place if both parties are in agreement. It’s rare that a person denies such a gift—not only because of negative consequences, but because, once denied, the individual can never hope to find such a bond again. At least, that is how it is for us elves.” He gave her a sad smile.

Cal drowned in panic. Did he just say what she thought he had? Before she could grab hold of her jumbled thoughts, her words tumbled out with an edge of hysteria.

“I’m supposed to marry, bond, with your son? A prince who is from another world and an elf?”

At her words, rigidity overtook Relian. His features became immovable as if rendered in stone. Cal shrank back at the ire that radiated off him. In her dreams he was passionate. To see his tight control slip so soon, and in anger... Even if she tried, she couldn’t have grabbed a coherent word.

Relian drew himself from his chair. “I’m sorry, my lady, that you find such a bond with me unappealing. I’d also hoped someone of my race would be gifted the binding that matches mine, not a human. Humans have long been separated from the Erian elves, and for good reason!”

His eyes spit fire at her, gluing her to her seat until she feared she’d never move again. Then Talion spoke, breaking the trance.

“Now, children, play nice. Relian, you know the stress Lady Cal is going through, as you went through it not long ago yourself. She just learned of the truth but hasn’t had the time to process it. Lady Cal, so long have we been apart from humans that we find ourselves at a loss on how to handle the situation. We beg for your patience and understanding. We’re as strange to you as you are to us. I think we all need to keep that in mind.”

After throwing Relian a disapproving glance, he looked at Cal. “My lady, does this sound agreeable to you? We must better strive to understand each other. That’s all I ask for now.”

She nodded wordlessly, her shivers dying away slowly.

***

The chastisement from his father’s words washed over Relian. Though tense and struggling for control over his emotions, he’d have to be the first one to make a placatory gesture.

Cal looked down, not seeming to want to raise her head any time in the near future. His temper had slipped unreasonably during her last remarks. He’d not acted any differently than Cal when discovering the truth for the first time. Still, she didn’t have to act as if it were a death sentence. The true indignity was that he’d all but agreed to a bond with a human.

But in ages past—before the veil had closed—elf and human had united through marriage and even complete bonding. It’d been relatively uncommon but not unheard of. He sighed. An apology was in order. Throwing a measured look at his father and Kenhel, he warned them not to interrupt. Both elves signified their acceptance with a slight nod.

Going to kneel before Cal, he moderated his voice. “I always seem to be offering an apology during our meetings. As this is only our second one, I’m afraid I’m not leaving you a very favorable impression of me.”

She still wouldn’t glance up, so he took her chin in his hand. Her eyes looked misty, and she stared ahead steadily. Guilt tugged at him. “Come, let us go farther into the gardens for some privacy. I believe it might be better to finish the rest of this talk by ourselves. Kenhel will see to Lady Maggie until your return, so do not worry for her comfort or safety.” He sent a questioning glance to Kenhel to make sure his friend could fulfill his wishes.

Kenhel gave the two women a charming smile. “I’d be very happy to entertain Lady Maggie until you return.” Turning to her, he raised his brows. “What would you like to do, my pretty lady, in the meantime?”

Maggie snorted at this flattery. “You’re a silver-tongued devil, I think.” She caught Cal’s gaze, who gave her a weak smile and agreed to Relian’s proposition.

As everyone said his or her farewells, a mischievous smile flitted over Maggie’s face and she glanced at Cal again. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

Cal gave a half-hearted roll of her eyes. “Yeah, guess it means I can do about anything I want, then.”

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