Bound by the Mist (Mists of Eria)

by Kumar, Lisa

  As none of the elves looked mortified, she must’ve acted with enough decorum not to look foolish. Avrin continued to smile, and Sardon kept on his non-expressive face—not hostile but certainly not welcoming by any stretch, either. Cianve disconcerted her most of all. The elvin woman’s measured gaze seemed to assess her, as if stacking her up against some invisible foe.

  Avrin inclined his head. “We’re pleased to speak with you again. You infrequently attend meals in the great hall, so we’ve had little opportunity to reacquaint ourselves and see how you and Lady Maggie are familiarizing yourselves with Eria and its people.”

  Surprise flickered through her because she understood most of what he said. “We’re taking our days as they come and learning slowly.” Her Elvish was only somewhat fluent and probably riddled with mistakes. And forget about giving a longer answer. It was all she could do to form that short one.

  To her relief, Avrin beamed at her use of the language. And was that a spark of approval in Sardon’s eyes, though his face remained as implacable as before? Cianve, however, still watched her as if filing away all her measurements. Why the intense stare?

  “We could ask for no more, my lady. It will come.”

  Avrin made their farewells, and she sent him a smile of thanks. She’d given up on Sardon saying anything at all, but he offered up a short parting. The lady left with a regal nod of the head.

  She watched them move off, dazed. That went better than expected. Even Sardon, whose frigid manner had convinced her he was a lost cause, hadn’t snubbed her. Maybe.... Maybe she wouldn’t feel such an outcast if she did stay here. Still, there was so much undecided, and even unspoken, between her and Relian. The notion of staying shouldn’t be taken too far.

  Now what had she been about to do? Oh yes, find Maggie.

  “Imagine seeing you here.”

  Cal whirled around at the voice. Her heart sank. Eamon stood before her. So much for the goal of meeting nice elves today.

  “Many greetings, My…lady.” He smirked. “Lost all your companions?”

  Ice encased her veins at his smile and the taunting note in his voice. Since he was talking in a slow, indolent manner, she couldn’t pretend to misunderstand him. He creeped her out. The fact that he resembled Relian didn’t comfort her. In fact, it upped the creepiness factor. “No.”

  “What? They left you all alone?” He prowled closer, and she stumbled back. “How did you like meeting one of Prince Relian’s ladies?”

  Cal’s heart plummeted, and her stomach lurched. So that was what all Cianve’s staring had been about? She’d been Relian’s lover? But then, with his age, why wouldn’t he have lovers littering the palace?

  As if he sensed her turmoil, Eamon leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Lady Cianve is such a beautiful elvin female, wouldn’t you say?”

  She shivered, the breath against her ear causing all the wrong kind of chills. He sought to goad her but wouldn’t get a response. His game was all too apparent.

  “Hmm, no answer for me? Well, I might have to see what I can do about that.” He drew his fingers down her neck, scraping the tender skin.

  Cal recoiled and knocked his hand away. She touched the slight sting his fingers left. Eamon was well past creepy now. “Get away from me. I know there’re sentries around.” Concern exploded when he didn’t look a bit scared and paid no heed to his surroundings. But he moved no nearer.

  “Are you so sure, my dear? I think they may be conversing with your companions. They’ve forgotten their duty. Humans are such fragile things, after all.” He fingered a dagger on his belt. “Be careful. We wouldn’t want your heart broken, now would we?”

  Electricity flooded her synapses. It was time to flee or scream. She couldn’t decide which. Her gaze flickered around, while her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. An escape route…she needed one. Now.

  Eamon’s hand shot out. “Now, where are you trying to flee to, my pretty little human? The fun’s just beginning. You can’t leave yet.”

  Cal ignored the fright that flowed through her body. Gritting her teeth, she stared down at where he grasped her arm. “Release me. Now.”

  He gave a low laugh. “I’ll release you, as you wish. I hope the arms of death are as comforting as Prince Relian’s.”

  His arms snaked around her, forcing her against his chest. Cal struggled, but his arms remained like steel bands around her. She couldn’t even get her arms free.

  The bite of a dagger against her cheek froze the breath in her lungs. This elf was seriously unbalanced. As he slid the blade down her face and neck, a fiery trail sprang up. A tell-tale warmth seeped out of the thin line. He pressed the dagger right above her heart. She was afraid to breathe, fearing the action might send the blade plunging into her chest.

  She closed her eyes against the tears. He was going to kill her no matter what she did. She had to act now. Just as she opened her mouth to scream and bring her heel down on his foot, a voice shouted, “Stop!” Eamon startled behind her. The blade slipped and dug painfully into her breast.

  Relian stood about fifteen feet away on the garden path, sword drawn. Good lord, how would this end? Someone was in for a whole lot of hurt. Please, not me or Relian. The dagger pieced deeper. Agony exploded around the injured area as a wet feeling slicked her skin. Eamon removed the knife, but the throbbing in her chest didn’t disappear with it.

  “Let her go, Eamon.” Relian’s command was gentle, yet threaded with metal. “You have nothing to gain from this.” His face gave nothing away, but his gaze flickered over her more than once.

  Even though Cal couldn’t see Eamon, the sneer laced his voice. “I’m ensuring human blood stays out of the royal line.”

  “That’s not for you to decide. Stop this folly now, and you may escape with banishment only.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. It is you who will see the folly of his ways. But I do admit she’s sweet. She would make a satisfactory plaything if only you would see reason.” He bent down and slithered his tongue up the side of her neck.

  Disgust filled her every pore, temporarily dulling the pain. “What, your plaything? Eww.”

  “Do you never muzzle your toy, Relian? She actually has the audacity to talk back to me.”

  Relian growled, and his eyes flashed angrily. “She’ll never be anyone’s plaything, least of all yours. Let her go.”

  “Well, if you feel that way, I have no choice.” Eamon drew the dagger up before accelerating it down toward her heart.

  Now or never. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Her elbow went back into his ribs, and her heel slammed into the top of his instep. The air huffed out of his lungs, and the dagger stopped. But the arm around her tightened, and the blade made its descent again. Just as she prepared herself to wage another attack on him, a whizzing sound buzzed by her ear. Eamon’s body flinched, and he grunted.

  Pushing her away, he sent her sprawling to the ground. The hard press of the path’s stones against her side comforted her. Anything to be away from that madman. She glanced up through the curtain of her hair. Archers and other soldiers climbed from trees and emerged around hedges. They surrounded Eamon. He lay on the ground, clutching his arm.

  A bubble of relief rose up through the pain and terror. Relian had brought reinforcements.

  “Cal.” Relian abandoned his normally measured stride and ran the few remaining yards toward her. He dropped down beside her, pulled her into his lap, and ran insistent, yet shaking hands over her body. His implacable façade melted and left his face pale under his light tan.

  After apparently finding no broken bones, he reached for something one of the archers handed to him and pressed it against her chest wound. She hissed. It stung and elicited the same reaction when he dabbed at her neck and cheek.

  Relian’s eyes gleamed with suspicious moisture. “I’m sorry. Until we get you to a medic, this will stem the bleeding and help with the healing.” He finished his ministrations by placing a strip of material ov
er the chest wound just above her low neckline and applying pressure.

  She nodded as her mind struggled to understand Relian’s words. The events hardly seemed real, but shock was catching up with a vengeance.

  He used gentle fingers to touch the thin line left behind on her cheek by Eamon’s dagger. “Curse him.”

  Cal attempted to give him a smile. She failed miserably. “What took you so long? I was beginning to worry I’d have to rescue myself.”

  He smoothed back the hair from her eyes and spoke in the slow tone he’d adopted when talking with her. “I happened upon Lady Cianve. She’d come back to ask you to walk with her but saw Eamon approach. After witnessing how he addressed you, she grew worried and sought out help. She was looking for a guard when I found her.”

  She pursed her lips. “I bet she was.”

  He removed his hand from the compress over her wound. His gaze questioned her as he lifted her in his arms. Cal wanted to protest, but her limbs quaked like a bowl of jelly. Walking was out of the question. She rested her head against his shoulder. “Yes, Eamon told me all about Cianve.”

  Relian’s lips tightened. “Did he?” He leaned down to place his lips near her ear, and his breath sent all the right kind of shivers up and down her back. “Did he also mention we were nothing more than youths—teenagers, I believe you call them—at the time?”

  Her throat felt raw and stiff. The waspish mood that gripped her heart lifted. “No.”

  “There hasn’t been another in my life for many centuries. But even if there were, it wouldn’t matter. You’re the only one who will fulfill that role now.”

  Heat blazed from her face down to her toes. Whoa, girl. Did she want that role? She didn’t know but sure as hell didn’t want to relinquish that position to someone else.

  “Prince,” a voice called out.

  Relian halted without turning around. “Yes, Sardon?”

  “What should we do with Lord Eamon?”

  “Take him away. He’s lucky to have only an arrow through the wrist. If I deal with him, he won’t live to regret what he’s done.” Relian’s arms tightened. “Punishment will be meted out later.”

  A shiver crawled up her spine. When would this nightmare be over?

  Chapter 23

  Cal suppressed a sigh when Relian laid her down on the bed. His arms had felt so good. But all fairytale moments must come to an end. Now was the time to face what had happened. The thought of it made her quiver. She wasn’t used to the idea of almost dying. Thank heavens the pain wasn’t bad. Was that due to the adrenaline or the stuff he’d put on her cheek, neck, and chest?

  Relian removed her slippers, pulled the counterpane up to her waist, and made a show of fluffing up her pillows. He couldn’t seem to settle down. Were his hands shaking?

  He continued fussing around her. As he leaned over, hair fell over his shoulder and tickled her face. She’d had enough. They needed to talk. She yanked on a strand. “Relian, stop. You’re making me nervous.”

  He stood up straight. “My lady.”

  She rolled her eyes at the stiffness of that title. “I think you can call me Cal.”

  Relian ignored her comment. “A medic will be here soon to treat your wounds.”

  “I’m not hurt that badly, am I?”

  He grimaced. The bed dipped as he sat on the edge. “Any scratch that touches your skin is too much. Though not deadly, the wound on your chest is fairly deep and will be painful. We’ll give you a medicinal tincture to dull the pain and impede infection. This will also ensure we don’t chance any scars.”

  “You have a way of ensuring no scar tissue forms?” Surprise laced her voice. Though such marvels were becoming commonplace back on Earth, she hadn’t thought of equivalent knowledge being available here. Her mind screeched to a halt. Earth? Since when had she called home Earth?

  “For shallow wounds that are treated promptly, yes.” He bent over her, examining her cheek and neck. His gaze slid to the compress and lingered a bit too long on her chest for pure medical purposes.

  She nearly giggled. Men were the same everywhere.

  He finally ripped his gaze away. “Those scratches on your cheek and neck are shallow enough to heal quickly. The injury on your chest will take a little extra care but should be fine.”

  “That’s good.”

  He nodded. The silence stretched between them and left her alone with her thoughts—something she didn’t welcome.

  “Wouldn’t an arrow to the wrist be a fatal wound?”

  Relian reached out and picked up the hand that rested at her side. “Yes, if not treated quickly with the proper techniques.”

  Again, like so many times before, electricity shot up and down her arm. She ignored it. Flights of fancy would have to wait. “So what will happen to him?”

  “He’ll live or die.” Unconcern for the ultimate fate of Eamon tinged his voice.

  “Relian!”

  He arched an arrogant brow at her. “What? You wish the best for your would-be killer?”

  In a daze she shook her head. “No, he should be held accountable for his crime, but….”

  “And to that end, my cousin will either live or die. It matters not to me.”

  Cal reared up against the pillows and attempted to tear her hand from his grasp. Relian held on tight.

  “Cousin? He’s your cousin?” If so, this changed everything. She couldn’t come between family and sure didn’t want to belong to one where certain members wished her dead.

  Relian shrugged. “Yes, you couldn’t guess? We do look somewhat alike.”

  “I thought that might be coincidence. You’re all more similar than not, at least at first glance.”

  His mouth curled. “Meaning we all look alike? One elf is as good as another?”

  She shot him a wary glance. Was he joking? If not, she didn’t want to dig herself in deeper. Better start talking. “Not exactly, but you all have an inhuman quality you share.”

  “The same could be said for you and Maggie in your humanity. It makes you more alike than different.”

  “Exactly. What am I doing here?” She gestured from her to him. “This, us, it’s insane. And apparently, humans aren’t regarded that highly here. I don’t wish to stay where I’m not wanted.”

  “You’re wanted. You’re very much wanted.” He leaned closer, the gleam in his eye leaving no doubt of her welcome right now.

  “Relian, the med—” His mouth cut her off. The rasp of his tongue against her lips sent tingles ricocheting through her body. She moaned, half in pleasure and half in despair. How could he make her lose control like that?

  His hands came up to cup her face. “You’re an enchantress,” he murmured against her lips. Then he deepened the kiss until time and space narrowed down to him. Nothing else existed.

  “Ahem.”

  She and Relian broke from their embrace. His father stood in the doorway, Maggie and a medic behind him. Heat swept across her cheeks. Great, they had an audience.

  Talion pretended to peek around the hand he’d raised to shield his eyes. “Everyone clothed?”

  Relian sent a cool stare toward his father, though a streak of red highlighted his high cheekbones. “Everything is and was in its place, Father.”

  Maggie smirked and pushed Talion aside. “Except your lips.”

  Cal closed her eyes. This was degenerating faster than anticipated.

  Talion snaked out a hand, stopping Maggie in her tracks. He ignored her objections, keeping her next to him, and considered the couple on the bed. “You two have that flush of health. Come, Mirdir, let’s make sure the lady retains her glow.”

  As the medic treated and bandaged up her cuts and scrapes, they talked about what awaited Eamon. “Banishment.” Talion’s proclamation rang in Cal’s ears.

  She tightened her fingers on Relian’s. “So he’ll be banished if he survives?”

  He caressed the back of her hand. “Yes, and only renegades will take one such as Eamon in. No king
dom will have him.”

  Cal frowned. That seemed a dangerous decision. What would stop Eamon from seeking revenge at some further time? She also filed away the new knowledge of other kingdoms for later. She really did learn something new every day. “But how can you trust he won’t come back and do more harm?”

  Relian answered the question. “More than likely, he won’t survive long. There are worse things roaming the land than renegades.”

  The room went quiet until Maggie’s voice broke the silence. “Animals?”

  A wry smile covered Relian’s lips. “You could say that. But unfortunately for Eamon, even the darkindred no longer favor traitors, as it doesn’t bode well for their armies. They like to corrupt the pure of heart.”

  Cal seized onto this information. “Darkindred?” Her mind went back to the creature in the courtyard. “The creature in the cour—”

  Relian laid a finger over her lips. “Our traditional enemies. Nothing for you to be concerned about.”

  Talion walked to Relian and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I think this knowledge will do little harm.” He turned to the medic. “You are done?” After Mirdir nodded, the king took a protesting Maggie by the elbow and ushered her out. The medic followed behind.

  After the door closed, Relian surprised her by lifting her sideways into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. “You haven’t studied much of our history yet, have you?” At her shake, a dark smile played over his lips. “The darkindred are patterned closely after elvinkind.”

  She tilted her head so she could shoot him an inquiring look. “How so?”

  “They were once elves but no longer. The darkindred are converted creatures. Using dark means, they change others into what they’ve become.”

  “So they can change anybody?” Her voice quavered. She couldn’t imagine fighting such beings, but she couldn’t imagine fighting elves, either. When the two clashed, it was sure to be a hell of a fight.

  Relian ran his hands through her hair. “Yes, but it’s a secret process known only to them. They can’t convert us through simple bites or slashes on the battlefield, or we would all be darkindred by now.”