Page 28 of The Elven Spymaster's Thief

“You don’t have to flirt with her.”

“I hope to do more than that.”

Casimir glared at me in silence. “You would risk all we have built for a human woman, a potential weakness in our defenses.”

I turned away, fingering the dagger in my hands. “I am considering it.”

“Light elves don’t have fated mates.”

“That is true. We aren’t usually ones for instant connections or quick decisions concerning our mates, but we still marry for life. Like shadow elves, we commit for the entirety of our time on earth.”

“Which is all the more reason for you not to choose a human.” Worry, pain, and irritation warred in my brother’s usually stoic features. “I don’t want you to experience what Father suffered through. He was half of himself after Mother’s death. You would be half of yourself for even longer since you will be far younger than him when she dies. And she will age far faster than you. What will you do when you are still a young man in the way of our species, and she is eighty?”

“I said I was considering it.” He had a good point. I would need to make the aging disparity clear to Avril should I ever decide to commit to her that way. “Some elves have married humans without bonding.”

He huffed softly. “I can’t see you going only halfway.” Affection softened his features.

“You have a point.” I crossed to the table and set down the dagger before turning back to face him. “Consider for a moment that I might want to spend the rest of her days with her or a different human woman and with all the benefits available to our species.”

“Even if her death means you live a half-life for the remaining centuries of your life?”

I met his assessing gaze.

“If I ask her or another, I will do so in full knowledge of that tradeoff. We light elves love no less deeply than shadow elves.”

He nodded as his gaze narrowed. “I am well aware of that. I just don’t want you to throw this connection on someone unworthy.”

I fully understood a slight against Avril and humans, in general, was not meant with malice. “And if I deem her worthy and she accepts my offer?”

He flinched. “I will accept her as your wife and my sister.”

“That is all I ask.”

“It would be asking more than you realize.” With that, he was gone.

I threw myself on the chaise lounge and buried my head in my hands.

“Are you well?” Ergon asked.

I lifted my head to find him standing over me, concern marring his features. “Avril is resting. Perhaps you should as well. It has been a trying few days.”

Rubbing my face, I realized I was tempted to take his advice. “Too much to do,” I protested. “I have to finish listening to reports and then summarize them for King Emrys. I am due in his presence at the end of the week. He requires I have a plan of action on how we can proceed with this new threat.” I closed my eyes. A war between the humans and the woodwose could devastate the north, not to mention the potential for the disconnect to spread. At best, we needed to stop the conflict before it began. In the worst-case situation, we needed to plan to contain the war's effects on the rest of the continent. I groaned.

“That bad?” Ergon asked as he began clearing away the meal.

“Worse. Unless I come up with a plan, we might end up with war waging along the border between the woodwose and the northern most warlords.” Odon would return in a few days with accurate news. Until then, I could only maintain vigilance as usual.

Pushing to my feet, I signaled the next shadow elf. She whispered through the shadows and presented herself before me. I struggled to focus on her words as she spoke about Eldarlan’s eastern borders. All was well by the sound of it.

The next messenger addressed the successful tracking of one of the senior magus lamias who had just been evicted from the borders of the Magus Conglomerate. He had traveled to the north, apparently intent on establishing himself amidst the warlord-controlled regions. It made sense. Where constant conflict brewed, it would be easy for him to put down roots and gather power, especially if he could convince a warlord to support his efforts.

My stomach twisted. Warlords, in general, were willing to do anything for a price.

After five more verbal reports, I was finally able to retreat to the gymnasium for a training session. I strode into the large light-filled room to find that I wasn’t the only one thinking to burn off my frustrations and clear my mind. Casimir and Maury were mid-bout with great swords, my brother’s weapon of choice. The two blades repeatedly clashed as Casimir sought to find a weakness in Maury’s defenses. The lack of shadows in the sundrenched room made it impossible for Casimir to use his wraithwalking abilities, but it made him no less formidable.

Unwilling to interrupt them, I set to limbering up, stretching my major muscle groups and watching my brother.

“What is bothering you?” Maury demanded after a particularly aggressive move on Casimir’s part.

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