Page 15 of The Elven Spymaster's Thief

“And elves?”

He shook his head. “We have been spared so far, but the brownies, woodwose, and other weaker species with natural magic have been targeted since the beginning. At first, it was individuals, the outliers of the population. But for the past two decades, families have disappeared.” He grimaced as he considered the empty tabletop between us. “Consider yourself lucky you have not known such loss.”

But I had. Well, at least to a smaller degree, I had. Whispier had leaked the information that led to my parents’ death and then taken my brother from me, the two events that had left me desperate and alone. Because of those losses, I had been desperate, turning to Warlord Grimore and his offer of training in exchange for shelter and protection. At least, Solon still lived and was now free.

Whispier was already refocused on his work. Hands splayed, head bent, and shoulders hunched in concentration, he didn’t respond. I didn’t bother to attempt gaining his attention again and perused the shelves in search of distraction from the memories crowding my head.

I picked up the book on elven history I had spotted the day before and hid behind it. This time I didn’t make a show of reading. I mulled over how I could’ve missed something so significant going on around me. True, magus lamias were a blight on the land, causing trouble for the warlords, harassing the kings in the north and south. But I hadn’t heard of them draining fae creatures of their magic.

∞∞∞

Illeron

“The unrest among the Unseelie is growing. They are demanding the right to rampage over the fields of the human farms bordering their land.” Casimir stood in the middle of the library as he gave his report.

Two weeks had passed since Avril had arrived. She lounged in my favorite spot with her legs flung over one arm of the chair.

“What do you think?” I asked her, interrupting Casimir mid-recitation.

My brother halted mid word, but my companion didn’t even lift her head.

“Avril?”

“Hmm…?” She blinked her dark brown eyes as she regarded me almost sleepily.

“Are we boring you?” I asked.

“No, but this book is.” She shut it with a snap and slid it onto the table. “What was your first question?”

Casimir’s irritation manifested on the edges of my senses. As his shadow magic flared, the shadows grew opaquer, and a few whips of darkness crept across the floor.

Arvil spotted one as it emerged from a shadow and began a meandering journey toward my brother’s feet. She straightened and leaned to the side to keep it in sight.

“I was wondering what your opinion was regarding the Unseelie’s demands that they have a right to rampage across the human farms near their borders.” I watched with amusement as she suddenly perched on seat of the chair as the black whisp of shadow magic reached Casimir’s foot and melted into him.

“Did that become part of you, or did you call it to you?” She asked Casimir as she unfolded from her chair and stalked around the table to study the floor between the shadow and Casimir.

My brother glared at her. “It is a manifestation of my magic.”

“He is annoyed.” I explained. “Whisps of darkness are attracted to him when he emotes strongly.”

“I am not emoting,” Casimir responded.

At the same moment, Avril asked, “Why?”

My brother’s frown deepened as he sighed softly. “Illeron, why are you delaying my report?”

“I am asking her opinion,” I pointed out.

“Whatever for?”

“She is human.”

“And that gives her a right to comment on everything to do with humans?” His dark brows rose dramatically. “It isn’t as though she has a vested interest in all humanity.”

“I thought she might have an opinion I should consider before I act.”

Casimir groaned. “I should’ve never—” Then he bit off his statement.

---