Page 137 of Troll Queen

Rharreth turned, then strode toward Farrendel and went down onto one knee facing him. “Andthatis why I chose peace over more war. But I promise all of you now—humans, elves, and my own people—that I will use all of my strength to build bridges of peace between Kostaria and Tarenhiel so that we might again know a semblance of the ancient kinship that once existed between us.”

With that, Rharreth pressed his hand to the ground. Icy white magic swirled from his fingers and flowed into the stone beneath Farrendel, turning it cold once again.

This close, Farrendel could see the way Rharreth’s jaw worked, his mouth twisting with a grimace. With the rock so seared with Farrendel’s magic, it was clearly an effort for Rharreth to work with the stone, though he was the only troll who had the power to do so.

A rumble vibrated through the ground beneath Farrendel and filled the gorge. Farrendel glanced over his shoulder, gasping at the pain caused by the twisting motion.

A section of the rocky point was shifting, flowing, until it jutted farther and farther, reaching for the Tarenhieli side.

Then, Melantha was there, resting a hand on Rharreth’s. Her green magic flowed into him, and green started to coat the icy magic. The grimace faded, and he met Farrendel’s gaze. “Pour more magic into the stone.”

Farrendel was not entirely sure what Rharreth hoped to accomplish, but he reached for the remnants of his magic anyway. When he pushed the crackling bolts into the stone, his fingers burned, but not as much as he had expected. Melantha’s healing magic was coating Rharreth’s so that his and Farrendel’s power slid side by side into the stone without clashing.

The stone bridge reaching for the far side now glittered blue with Farrendel’s magic along with the white of Rharreth’s.

Weylind appeared at Farrendel’s side and pressed his hand to the stone. His darker green magic joined the roil of magics surging through the ground, and roots burst out of the side of the ledge. They coiled outward, forming a railing, wide girders, and decorative arches soaring above the arching stone of the bridge. Where Weylind’s roots met Rharreth’s stone, Melantha’s magic curled around them so that they meshed together instead of burning each other.

Farrendel pushed his magic up and over Weylind’s roots as well. Normally, his magic would have incinerated them, but Melantha’s soothing magic kept his magic in check as it coated the beams and decorative features.

The stone stretched and grew, arching over the rushing Gulmorth River far below, until Rharreth’s magically grown stone crashed and melded with the far bank. Weylind’s roots anchored themselves in the far side as towering pines grew on either side of the end of the bridge.

On the Kostarian side, tall pillars of stone shot from the ground, guarding that end of the bridge the way the two pine trees guarded the far side.

Rharreth pulled his hand from the ground, cutting off his magic. Weylind and Melantha followed suit, and all three of them stood.

Farrendel gratefully ceased the flow of his magic. It was getting harder and harder to crouch like that, putting pressure on his stabbing side. He shoved to his feet and tried not to grimace at the pain. His head buzzed with dizziness, and he was not sure if it was from blood loss or from expending so much magic.

None of the armies had moved, silently gaping at the new bridge that now spanned the Gulmorth Gorge.

Rharreth gestured with his good hand at the bridge behind him. “There stands the symbol of the peace established this day between Kostaria and Tarenhiel, a bridge that only I can dismantle and only Laesornysh can destroy.”

Perhaps it was the show of Rharreth’s power in working with stone laced with Farrendel’s magic. Maybe the awe-inspiring sight of elf and troll magic working together finally convinced the trolls of the strength of this alliance.

As one, the troll warriors in the rebel army stomped their feet and shouted, “Rharreth, our king!”

The trolls who had supported Rharreth joined in the howling cheer, raising their weapons toward the sky. They did not stop cheering even as Rharreth wrapped his working arm around Melantha and kissed her.

Shaking his head, Farrendel finally let himself relax. This was over. He stared down at his sword on the ground. He could not remember when he dropped it. Blood ran down his side and soaked his trousers from the wound in his stomach.

“Farrendel!”

He barely had time to glance up before Essie slammed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing kisses to his cheek and mouth.

Pain flared through his side as he awkwardly hugged her. “Gently, Essie. Gently.”

“Oh, sorry.” Essie stepped back, her forehead wrinkling as her gaze swept over him. “That mace probably jellied a few of your internal organs. Melantha?”

Melantha pushed away from Rharreth, her gaze dropping to Farrendel’s side. “Right.” She held up a hand, her fingertips glowing green. “Who would like to go first?”

Rharreth gestured toward Farrendel. “You should see to your brother. He fought valiantly to secure my throne.”

Farrendel tried to hide how much he was leaning on Essie as he hunched over his wound. But, even a few feet away, he could see the way the blood was pooling beneath the ice Rharreth had coated over his wound. He clearly needed Melantha’s help far more than Farrendel did. “No, help your husband first. He is about to lose that arm.”

“Males.” Melantha shook her head with a huff, pushing away from Rharreth so that she stood within arms reach of both of them. Green magic glowed around both of her hands. She pressed a hand to each of their shoulders at nearly the same time.

Farrendel sucked in a breath as her magic flooded into him, easing the pain inside his middle.

Melantha pulled her hand away from him, though her other hand remained on Rharreth’s shoulder. “That should hold until you can get another elf healer to finish healing you. You were right. Rharreth’s arm needs more immediate attention.” She turned her narrowed gaze on Rharreth. “Now hold still. I am going to do my best to heal this arm so that you can properly wield your sword again, but we will need to put it in a sling while my magic finishes the healing process.”

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