Page 4 of The Elven Spymaster's Thief

“That is a myth, you know.” He turned his attention to the glowing edged document. “Iron only gives us a stomachache.”

I snorted. “Maybe I will just make it so you wish to die.”

A soft sigh of air whispered through the room, and suddenly there was a third presence. The shadow elf from earlier materialized next to Whispier. What had Whispier called him—Casimir? He no longer appeared to be a solid black shadow. Like Whispier, he was tall, lean, and dangerous. Unlike the spymaster, his skin was a dusky brown. His pale green eyes, almost precisely the same shade as Whispier’s, flicked from side to side, assessing the two of us.

“Are you quite finished?” he asked the spymaster.

“Almost.” With a flick of his slender fingers, Whispier flipped the document to face me. “Our agreement. Your friendship in exchange for your brother’s freedom from my service. Your every need will be provided for—food, clothing, housing—in exchange, you will attend me here in my study or other public rooms in the palace.”

“And do what?” I demanded. It sounded too good to be true.

He shrugged. “Talk, eat, ignore me, whatever you wish.”

“Annoy you?”

He waved the paper impatiently. “Should you wish. Do we have a deal?”

“And Solon is free?”

“The moment you sign this.” He offered the glowing pen.

“What about my current master? It isn’t as though I am a free woman.”

“What is your master’s name?”

“Grimore.”

His eyes flared silver and he tilted his head to the side. “Interesting. And the nature of your contract is?”

“Thievery in exchange for room, board, and protection.”

“Protection from what?” His impassive features tightened. “Do you have a price on your head?”

“Not that I know of. He keeps me safe from those who would prey on a lone woman.”

“I can provide that.”

I snorted softly. “And who will protect me from you?”

“The agreement will. I bound it into the clauses that I cannot touch you with the intent to hurt or take advantage. The spell will hold me to it.”

I had heard of spells reading the intents of a person’s actions so that made sense. Food, shelter, protection, and all I had to do in exchange was keep a man company. It sounded almost too good to be true. But then—

I took the paper and read the terms. Solon would be free. I signed the document in glimmering silver ink that appeared to absorb into the paper as I wrote. With the last stroke of my name, I felt the bond take hold with a tingling jolt of magic. The paper disappeared as abruptly as it appeared. Whispier muttered something in Elvish. The shadow elf rolled his eyes and disappeared in a soundless rush of displaced air.

What had I done?

∞∞∞

Chapter Two

Illeron

“Happy?” I asked my brother as I bent over the morning reports.

Casimir eyed me across the table in the center of my study. “You have to be jesting.”

My new companion hadn’t arrived yet, but her movements since waking had been reported to me. She had slept fitfully, awakened early, and ate well. Not that any of that mattered. The critical fact was that she was here, and she had promised to stay. Casimir would get off my back about being an ornery hermit.

---