Page 13 of Dark Elf's Good Girl

“You didn’t answer my question.” My voice is soft. I don’t want it to seem as though I am being demanding of Calix.

That is the first and easiest way to get punched in the face.

Dark elves do not like being questioned.

“I haven’t bought you for the night.” Calix shakes his head vehemently. His crooked smile widens. Some of his falls out of his bun.

So why am I leaving with you, you creep!

“I bought you for life.” He announces proudly, triumphantly.

The gasp does not come from me.

I turn, my body weak, to see Allie standing in the doorway behind me.

Her eyes are wide, and her mouth is hanging open. It would almost be comical if not for the circumstances.

There is a loud clattering noise.

When I look down, the bag has fallen from my hands and crashed to the floor.

“Yes,” Calix says again. He bends down to me slightly and caresses my face with his hand. His hand is cold. “I have bought you for life.”

5

AIKEN

“This place is a mess.”

I opened the door to my office five minutes ago, and I am still standing in the doorframe.

I keep my office neat and tidy at all times.

I only let two zagfers inside it to clean it. One of them is Lorien, and the other one is her daughter. They’re the only zagfers I trust to keep it clean, and not touch anything. I know that I am pedantic, but I cannot stand having anything out of order.

It is clear that someone has rifled through my desk and has also pulled several books off the bookshelf.

Calix.

I grind my teeth as I walk towards my desk and start sorting through my papers. After I sort through everything and carefully reshelve the books in alphabetical order, I sit down at my desk.

I’m going to wring his neck when he gets home.

Calix might have been trained to take over our family’s trade, but I do most of the work. Most of my work is in building connections and alliances and broadening our family’s network. Calix isn’t entirely useless, but I know that he secretly hates that I have more power than he does.

Maybe he’d be better at this if he wasn’t such an ass to everyone he meets, I think moodily to myself as I look through my diary. I have several meetings scheduled for next week. I know that he has been in my office, and just looked through things to fuck with me.

Calm down. He is just being spiteful. Killing him won’t help anything at all.

I spend some time writing letters that have to be sent out in the morning. The sun has set but the air is warm and smooth.

Maybe taking a walk will calm you down.

I seal each envelope carefully and then put the letters in the safe – the one place that Calix can’t get to, only because he can’t guess the password. I am very close to the front doorway into the manor when I see the carriage roll up.

The driveway up to the house is wide and lined with large, perfectly pruned tiphe trees. The carriage is Calix’s, and it looks exactly like he does at all times – overdressed and slightly gaudy.

I really don’t want to speak to him tonight. I’m pissed off enough as it is.

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