Page 3 of Elf Shot

"Told him the truth."

Urd poked Arne hard in the chest. "I think you broke him."

"I didn't!"

"Prince, if you don't stop braying like a donkey, I will hit you with my staff," Urd threatened.

"I'm sorry, my ladies, it is a stress response so I don't cry." Arne tried to stop laughing and cleared his throat. "If I don't have my mate fighting by my side, Vili will burn the world. Do I understand that correctly?"

Skuld's eyes narrowed. "That's what I said. What are you having trouble understanding, eaglet?"

"Better prepare for Ragnarök, ladies," Arne said, helplessness threatening to choke him. "Because my mate wants nothing to do with me."

Urd hit him, a sharp rap on the top of his head. "Knock any sense into you? Hmm? If your mate wants nothing to do with you, it's because you fucked up, my boy."

"I didn't mean to." Arne rubbed at the bump on his head. "I don't suppose I can get another bucket of water, and you can tell me what to do to fix it?"

"You don't need more water." Urd grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to stoop to her level. "You stop being a coward. That's how you fix it, Arne Steelsinger. And you better, because if Ragnarök is unleashed because you didn't know how to apologize, I will feed you to Fenris myself."

Arne valued his life, so he only nodded.

"Good! Now, get to it," Urd said, letting him go. Before Arne could stop her, Urd twisted her staff and hit him in the center of the chest. He stumbled and fell backward…and landed hard on the forest floor.

Arne stared dazed at the birch and pine leaves above him. He knew without looking that he was home in Finnmark. He rubbed at his eyes, the journey already going hazy. The message was clear—he needed to win his mate over before Vili made his move.

Arne lay where he was, letting the sounds of the forest settle him, and he tried to think of a plan. He knew without a doubt who his mate was. The problem was Layla wouldn't answer any of his calls so he could apologize or explain himself.

When Arne had asked the fae princes to mediate for him with Layla, all three of them had politely told him to go fuck himself.

Actually, Killian hadn't been polite. He had looked him dead in the eye and told him to go fuck himself. He knew better than to get into a fight with an Ironwood.

Arne needed to petition an authority higher than the princes and only one step down from the gods. He smiled up at the sky as a name formed on his tongue. "Kenna."

* * *

A fortnight later, Arne stood in front of Kenna Ironwood's desk, wondering how a stocky human female could make him feel so intimidated. Her graying red hair was tied back in a braid, and she was wearing her hunting gear, just like always. He had seen her fight the night Morrigan attacked Dublin and knew that the matriarch of the Ironwood clan was more than formidable.

She looked him over slowly before reaching into a drawer and taking out a packet of nicotine gum.

"How do I know I'm going to need at least three pieces to deal with whatever is about to come out of your mouth?" she said, unwrapping the gum and putting them in her mouth. "You going to start talking or just gawk at me, elf? What do you want?"

"Layla. I mean, I want Layla to represent the human and fae alliance at a summit the elves are having in two days," he said, straightening his shoulders.

"So ask her."

"I did. She said no."

"That's surprising because she's obsessed with you lot." Kenna shrugged. "But she said no, so there you have it. Find someone else."

"Thereisno one else!" Arne ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "The elves are highly secretive, and they don't like outsiders. Layla speaks elvish and knows enough of our customs that the queen has agreed to let her attend."

"The queen as in your mom?" Kenna chewed her gum.

"Yes, my mother is Queen Alruna of the Light Elves." Arne was starting to sweat, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.

Kenna popped her gum and pointed to a chair. "Sit your ass down, prince. You're so wound up, you're giving me a headache."

Arne did as he was told. Sitting didn't help his anxiety, but she wasn't kicking him out, so that was a start.

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