A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic Book 1)

by Elise Kova

  I scoot away until my back hits one of the dingy walls of the buildings. “Hook,” I call weakly. The beast has become nothing but rage and teeth. Hook rips one of the man’s wings clean off. “Hook, stop!” I push myself onto my feet.

  He attacked me. He tried to kidnap me. And yet, just like with Luke, I can’t bring myself to see him maimed by Hook’s vicious attacks.

  “Hook—”

  “There!” Rinni’s voice echoes over mine. She’s at the entrance of the alley. Soldiers pour in around her, rushing toward us. The man has been brought to the ground. Hook’s jaw is clamped over his knee and the wolf refuses to let go.

  Still, he raises his hands, laces his fingers, and brings them down on Hook’s head.

  “Stop it!” I shout. The knights can’t reach us fast enough. He continues beating Hook until the wolf releases him, and even then, the horned man doesn’t relent. “I said stop!”

  He reaches for me as I rush to catch his arms. The man draws a blade from his sleeve and yanks me close. The cool silver is underneath my jaw; the wicked, sharp edge bites into my chin.

  “Don’t come any closer! Come closer and I’ll kill her.”

  “Kill her and you doom us all, you fool.” Eldas’s voice comes from behind us and it is malice incarnate. It slithers across the ground, rising to fill the air. The shadows seem to lengthen. The air drops in temperature.

  The horned man goes stiff. He goes to turn but he can’t. His arms unravel around me and I watch as his body slams limply against the wall opposite. Shivering, I look at his bloodied form, contorting and popping.

  A hand hooks around my elbow. Eldas pulls me to him. His arm slips around my waist and my side is flush with his.

  Protected. Safe. The Elf King looks out at the world with rage and writhing power. Yet I am the antithesis to it all. He clutches me firmly but gently.

  “Eldas…” I whisper. “Don’t.” My eyes dart from the man to Hook. The wolf whines softly. Just the sight of my attacker beating him over the head nearly makes me want to take back my words.

  “Luella, this is not your world,” he reminds me. I hear between his words, this man is not Luke. “This fae scum sought to harm you, and he will die for it.”

  “If you—if you had given us our land…this wouldn’t have happened,” my would-be kidnapper wheezes. “Midscape is dying under elf rule. We won’t stop until we get what is ours and are free to control our own destiny.”

  “He should be brought to justice—taken captive for trial.” I look up at Eldas, pleading with the statue of a man that has rage simmering behind his eyes—hotter than any emotion I’ve ever seen from him.

  “This is justice. My justice.”

  I avert my eyes, pressing my face into Eldas’s chest as a horrible ripping and tearing sound fills my ears. I may have let out a shout. Eldas’s arm tightens further around me and the world goes dark as he pulls me through the Fade with him.

  Chapter 20

  Eldas delivers me to my room. Wordlessly, he summons a fire from nothing to crackle over the andirons in the hearth. I sit before it on the bare floor. A blanket is placed gently over my trembling shoulders. He murmurs that I will be safe.

  He disappears and returns once more, this time with Hook cradled in his arms. Eldas lays the wolf at my feet. Hook whimpers and his usually bright eyes are distant and glassy. But he responds with a soft huff as I reach for his head.

  I look back to thank Eldas for bringing me Hook, for ensuring my wolf’s safety, but he is gone. And I am alone with the wretched sound of a body twisting too far echoing in my ears.

  Eldas. Civil, brutal, cold, hot, capable of kindness, but all too easily can reach for cruelty. He had called Midscape a harsh place when I overheard him with Rinni. I didn’t fully grasp it then.

  This…this isn’t my world, I remind myself time and again. The rules I’ve always known don’t apply here. I was foolish to think those rules were just related to magic and the people who wielded it.

  But it’s not just magic. Everything is different.

  How could I possibly ever fit in here?

  The sun has tracked farther across the sky when the Elf King returns. He doesn’t Fadewalk into my room. This time, he uses the door.

  Eldas hovers just inside, waiting for something. I can’t even look at him. I don’t know what I’ll see. Will it be a killer? Will it be the man whose caress lights my flesh?

  My hands are buried in Hook’s fur for strength. I press my eyes closed and take a shuddering breath. All I see is the face of a man—a fae—who was killed…killed by Eldas…

  I stare at the fire, trying to burn the memories away. I don’t want to face this truth. I can’t handle things becoming any more complicated. The weight of Eldas suddenly appearing next to me jostles me from my trance. It isn’t until his arm timidly wraps around me that I even realize I’m still shivering. I lean into him despite myself. Part of me thinks I should fear him. The other part needs him and every bit of stability he can offer.

  As if sensing this need, Hook warily raises his head, resting it heavily on my knee.

  “I wanted to protect you,” he says quietly, finally. I jump at the sudden break in the silence I’ve been smothered in all afternoon. “That was why I told you to stay in the castle.” I can hear his voice wavering, as if he’s fighting with his own temper. But, for the first time since I’ve known him, he fights and wins. “Regardless of why it happened, I am sorry you had to endure that.”

  “You’re right,” I whisper, continuing to stare at the fire. “I should have listened. I should have stayed in the castle. I just wanted to have a moment of freedom, something that was my own. But if I had done what you asked, then that man would still be alive. Because of me—”

  “No,” Eldas says firmly, not allowing me to finish the thought. His touch is gentle in contrast to the word as his free hand rests on my chin—his soft caress replacing the memory of the blade held to my throat as he guides my face to look at him. “This was not your fault. I understand, Luella. Even if I wish you had heeded my warnings and not left. I understand wanting to escape this place.” I see desire and longing shining in the waters of a deep sorrow in his eyes. “That man died because he tried to attack the Human Queen.”

  “Why, though? Why would he attack me?” I grab Eldas’s shirt gently, as if clinging to an answer that’s likely not there. “I don’t want to hurt people. I brought spring!”

  “Not everyone loves the Human Queen,” Eldas says solemnly.

  “But—”

  “Some see her—you—as an out-of-date notion. Some wish to be rejoined with the Natural World and conquer humanity.” I shiver and Eldas pulls me closer. I allow him to. Killer and protector, the two words circle in my head as my side is pressed flush against his. The motion seems to have been subconscious, because, for a moment, he’s as startled as I am by it. Clearing his throat, Eldas regains his focus. “Others have already sensed the line of Human Queens is fading. Each queen is weaker than the last.”

  “My power really is weaker?” It always felt quite strong to me. Despite myself, Luke’s words about the Keepers even knowing the power of the queen was fading returns to me.

  “You might find it hard to believe,” he admits, as if reading my mind, “but it is. Think of how the throne ravaged you the first time you sat on it. Moreover, nature in Midscape is not as stable as it once was and that is creating hardships as food becomes scarcer, and viable land is more prized than ever.”

  I duck my head. “And they blame the Human Queen for the land’s plight.”

  “They don’t understand the queen does all she can.”

  I shake my head. “We must find a way to break the cycle.”

  “I know.” Eldas shifts. He now wears a hardened but not closed off expression. He’s resolute, everything I would expect of a king. His eyes are heavy as he stares into the flames. I wonder what he sees in the dancing light. “We must for our world, and for future kings and queens. I fear you
might be the last queen. But even if none of that were true, no one should have to endure what you have…what you will continue to endure. And no other king should—” He stops himself short.

  “Should what?”

  “Should have to see their queen with a knife to her throat.” His gaze turns to me. It’s filled with an emotion I don’t dare name—an expression trapped hopelessly between desperation and desire.

  My breath catches in my throat. “Were you…worried about me?”

  He laughs airily. Our faces are close enough that his amused huffs wash over my cheeks and tease my hair.

  “Of course I was worried about you. It’s my duty to protect you.” Eldas reaches up and tucks a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. The tender movement is in contrast with his utilitarian words.

  A weight sinks in me. “Am I nothing more than your duty?” I don’t know what I want him to say. I regret asking instantly.

  “You are…” His eyes narrow slightly, as if trying to see me better.

  The pause is terrible. My brain can fill in a thousand words trapped behind his enigmatic eyes. I imagine him saying yes. I can hear him saying no. I straighten, trying to distance myself from him and the question.

  “It’s all right,” I say hastily. “You don’t have to answer. I understand the weight of duty.” And my duty has me searching for a way to end this cycle. Ending it would be the ultimate help to Capton, wouldn’t it? And then I could go back and escape this land of wild magic.

  Eldas eases the tension by changing the topic. “Hook seems all right.” He reaches to scratch behind the wolf’s ears. Hook allows it, though doesn’t move from his spot.

  “Thank the Forgotten Gods.”

  “You really care for the creature.”

  “I care for all my friends.” I glance his way. I hope he hears what I’m implying—be my friend and I’ll care for you too. Eldas holds my eyes intently, as if he’s expecting me to say more. But my throat is too gummy. I look for an alternative, instead. “May I ask you something else?”

  “You may ask me anything.” His sincerity startles me.

  I quickly move past it. Talk of politics will cool the heat rising in my cheeks. “The creature was a fae, right?”

  He nods.

  “Do they all look like that? Deer horns and dragonfly wings?”

  “Many do, yes. Though their features will vary. However, oftentimes they’ll glamour themselves to look like something else.”

  I shudder at the thought that those creatures might be lurking anywhere. For the first time, I’m grateful the castle is so empty. I press forward. Talking is helping to erase the sight and sound of that man’s death.

  “So they could be anyone?” I whisper.

  “Fresh water washes away fae glamour,” Eldas says reassuringly. “The border with the fae is blocked by a wall and water. The only bridges are heavily guarded. Fae don’t get into our lands without us knowing.”

  “But the fae delegation—”

  “I sent them away,” he says curtly. “I could not bear to look one second longer at them. And if they had anything to do with this plot I would not want them in my territory. No one else will come in or out until your coronation or until…until you’re back in the Natural World. Rinni will see to their removal personally.”

  I barely resist asking him not to be too harsh. But then that horrible sound fills my ears and I’m fighting trembles. This is not my world, or my justice.

  “How did they steal you away from Rinni?” Eldas asks.

  “I lagged behind her, for a moment…it all happened so fast,” I murmur. As much as I don’t want to think about it, something else surfaces from those crimson-stained memories. “Aria was there,” I whisper.

  “What?” Eldas scowls. “With the kidnappers?” he asks quickly.

  “No, no… I saw her speaking with the horned man just before.”

  “Are you certain it was the same man? Are you certain it was her?” Eldas shifts to look me straight in the eyes. “You must be absolutely certain.”

  I try and sort through my memories, but after spending the day pushing them away and blacking them out… I shake my head. “I think so? No. It must’ve been her. Maybe that was how they identified me, since Harrow allowed Aria, Jalic, and Sirro to see me before the coronation.”

  Eldas is silent, staring into the fire. He sees something I cannot.

  “Do you think she was involved?” I dare to ask. I don’t like the thought of someone who could possibly have been involved in a kidnapping attempt being allowed in and out of the castle. After a minute of more silence, I press, “Eldas?”

  “No,” he says, finally. “I doubt she is…”

  “But how do you—”

  “Aria is the niece of the current Fae King.”

  “She’s fae?” I blink, startled.

  “Only half. And her elf side is far more dominant. The current Fae King’s brother was her father, though he died when she was young. Aria was raised in Quinnar with her mother.” Eldas shook his head. “The benefits to diplomacy for not a great deal of risk on our part are part of why I permit Harrow’s friendship with her. We vetted her thoroughly when they first became friends years ago. She’s trouble, yes…” He sighs. “But the sort of trouble Aria can be is beneath kidnapping the Human Queen. Her trouble manifests in misguiding my somewhat impressionable brother to stay out too late or drink too much.”

  “Can you be certain?” I can’t help but ask.

  “If she was involved in a plot to kidnap you, she would be acting against her family and her own self-interest. If the Fae King was involved, then any standing he hopes to have with the elves is lost. And, Aria looks after herself. Trying to hurt you would severely limit her prospects,” Eldas explains. I consider this. It makes sense, I suppose. And what do I know of Midscape’s politics? Precious little. I’ve been so focused on learning my magic and looking for a way to break the cycle that I haven’t had the chance to dive too deeply into everything.

  “If you’re sure,” I murmur.

  “If she was involved, I will see to her myself,” Eldas swears to me.

  I quickly change the topic, not wanting to think of Aria being torn limb from limb. “The man said something about wanting his land—giving it back. What did he mean?”

  Eldas runs a hand through his hair. I watch as the silky curtain falls effortlessly back into place. “When the fae began their infighting, it was years of bloody squabble that spilled over into the surrounding area. There were attacks made on elf settlements when the borders of our land were blurrier than they are now. Most were unprovoked—the fae looting for resources or simply catching our people in the crossfire. That prompted swift retaliation.”

  “Retaliation by your father?” I wonder where Eldas inherited his brutal streak from.

  “No, well before him.” Eldas stares into the fire. “Eventually, the elves erected a wall—the one lined with fresh water for its entire length.” I remember what Harrow had said about their brother, Drestin, receiving some honorable position on a wall somewhere. “The wall was an effort to keep the fighting out. But when the dust began to settle and the clans grew weary of their wars, it was discovered that the wall had encroached upon a large swath of formerly fae territory.”

  “And now they want it back?”

  “They have for centuries. But by the time they made their claim clear, our people had long since settled on the land. Even if we gave it back to them, it’s uncertain who would take it and who would rule. The fae delegation that was here arrived to discuss absolving the tithing to enter elf territory for the fae—they feel that if their ancestral land couldn’t be returned, they should at least be able to enter it freely. But after today, I doubt I’m going to ever—”

  “Don’t let today change things,” I say quickly. “That man paid for his crimes. Unless he was acting on behalf of the Fae King…don’t let all of the fae people suffer because of his choices.”

  Eldas studies me so int
ently that I shift and pull the blanket tighter around me, as though I might guard myself from his probing stare. “You would have me not turn them away?”

  “I would have you rule fairly, with strength, and with honor.”

  A tired smile curls the corners of his lips. “You remind me of her, sometimes.”

  “Who?” I imagine some lover he gave up before I entered the castle.

  “Alice.” Certainly not who I was expecting.

  I clutch the blanket tighter. “You must’ve known her well, didn’t you?”

  A shadow crosses his face and Eldas shakes his head, as though he regrets saying anything. I can feel him retreating mentally well before he retreats physically. I watch as he stands, fighting the strange urge to pull him back before the fire with me.

  “You should get some rest,” he says softly but firmly.

  “Eldas—”

  “I’ll see you in the morning to practice your magic.”

  “But—” I don’t get to finish. He’s out the door, retreating with a haste I’ve never seen from him before. I look to Hook, who gives a low whine and tilts his head at me in response. “I don’t understand him either.”

  The wolf stands, stretches, and then comes to sit where Eldas just was. I lean against him for support and the beast gives a soft huff. But he doesn’t move. Hook stays even as I fall asleep on his furry shoulder.

  Chapter 21

  The next morning, Rinni arrives as usual. She says nothing of finding me sleeping on the floor. In fact, she’s eerily quiet.

  Hook still seems drowsy from yesterday and I tell him to stay in my rooms. He doesn’t put up a fight and I’m already thinking of what I can make him later in the laboratory with Willow that might make my companion feel better.

  “Rinni, about yesterday…” I start as we walk to the throne room. She doesn’t so much as turn my way. “I want to apologize to you.”

  Silence.