“Who are you?” he asked. Softer now, his voice a gentle tenor.
“I am Ali, daughter of Volundar.” I decided it was best not to mention that I was a trained assassin.
“A Night Elf? With a lich?”
“Yes.”
“Is it true you were found on the high plains?”
“Yes.” I wasn’t sure how much information to offer.
“What brings you to our kingdom?”
“The wind blew us here.”
For an instant, confusion flickered over the Emperor’s features, and he frowned slightly. “From where was that?”
“Yggdrasill.”
The Emperor’s frown deepened. It was obvious that he wanted to question us, but also clear that he didn’t want to give up his position of passive authority. “Your kind does not travel along the roots of the Great Tree.”
I cast a quick glance at Marroc, but he didn’t look worried. “Not often.”
The Emperor stared at me. His green eyes roamed over my body, and I tried not to imagine how I must look covered in a thick layer of bone dust and squirrel fur.
Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, his gaze flicked to Marroc. “Who is the lich?”
Marroc met the Emperor’s eyes, which were beginning to glow in the dim light of the temple. The lich looked annoyed, and I thought he probably didn’t like how he was being addressed.
“His name is Marroc,” I said.
The Emperor’s gaze flicked back to me. “Is he your lover?” he asked smoothly.
Chapter 27
Marroc
I’d been growing increasingly irritated with the Emperor, but this question delighted me, particularly since Ali’s cheeks were flushing.
“No,” she said, clearly caught completely off guard. “He’s not my lover. We just came here by accident, really. And we are trying to get back to Yggdrasill.”
My fingers twitched as I realized the Emperor was still staring at Ali with an expression that I understood perfectly. Even covered in grime, with her silver hair snarled and matted with dirt, her beauty shone through. Anyone could see that. And based on how the Emperor’s eyes moved over her body, he could see as well as anyone.
Already, I sensed that he wanted to keep her here, which made me consider ripping his throat out and sucking his soul out from his body.
Though that might cause political problems, so I’d avoid it if possible.
And I needed his help to get out of here.
What I needed was leverage—a weakness to exploit—and I tried to remember what I knew of the Vanir. They were a race of warriors. Thousands of years before my birth, they’d fought the High Elves to a draw before retreating into their kingdom. Since then, nothing had been heard from them. They were also said to be followers of Freya, wife of Odin, goddess of love and witchcraft.
The Emperor was staring at Ali now with an intensity that made my muscles tense.
“It is my pleasure to have you here,” he continued. “It is not often that our kingdom gets visitors. Tonight, we must host a feast.”
Ali rubbed her forehead. “We really just want to get back to the tree.”
His eyes flicked to his guards, imparting some information I did not understand, before he turned back to Ali. “Is there anything that you require for your stay here?”
“The way out?”
He smiled placidly. “We’ll get to that in time. But for now, let me offer you full use of my chambers. You appear to have had a long journey.”
The Emperor’s chambers were sumptuous, spread out with golden carpets, ottomans, and daybeds. A warm breeze whispered in through large windows that overlooked a city of sandstone. Bamboo canary cages and pedestals holding bowls of fruit stood around the room. Ali seemed delighted by the fruit, and was exploring the place with a half-eaten apple in her hand.
It reminded me of the splendor I’d grown accustomed to when I was young. And yet none of this was getting me to Loki’s wand any faster.
Apparently, we were supposed to wait here and “refresh ourselves” until dinner. I didn’t know what the Emperor’s game was, but I suspected he had designs to keep Ali here. I wouldn’t let him get anywhere close to her.
“Marroc!”
I turned to see Ali standing by the entrance to a large balcony, as she finished the last bite of her apple. As I approached, I saw what she was looking at: a marble-lined pool below, filled with clear water. The late-afternoon wind gently rippled its surface.
She turned to me, smiling. “Do you think it’s for swimming?”
I nodded, my chest warming at the look of delight in her eyes.