cold as the ice of this kingdom.
Almost, Melantha wanted to be back in that dungeon. There, she could pretend that her family would still love her once they were rescued and things were as simple as surviving.
She forced herself not to quail beneath Weylind’s gaze. “How is Farrendel? Is he all right?”
Weylind’s jaw tightened, and for a long moment, it seemed he would not answer.
Melantha’s stomach clenched. No. Surely Farrendel had not died. He was too strong for that, and he had wanted to return to his human princess far too much to die when rescue was so close.
“He is resting.” Weylind’s jaw worked, as if that much was more than he had wanted to tell her. As if he did not believe she deserved to know.
Melantha let out a long breath. This had been her goal. Return Farrendel to their family.
Yet, why did it all feel so hollow?
“How could you do this, Melantha? Betray Tarenhiel. Betray Farrendel.” Weylind paced, his hands clasped behind his back, his face drawn.
“It was wrong. I am sorry.” She did not have any defense for her actions. It was not as if she had not meant for this to happen. She had. She merely had not meant to get caught in it herself or have to witness Farrendel’s torture. “But I helped him. Has he told you that? I kept him alive. Convinced Prince Rharreth to let him have a blanket. Healed him enough that he could use his magic. I broke my own feet to escape my cell and fought six trolls to stop them from killing him.”
Weylind whirled on her, eyes still hard. “And did you do that for his sake? Or for yours?”
“What?” Melantha reeled back, gaping at her brother. “I...”
Had she truly done all of that for Farrendel? Or had she done it because of what she could get out of it? Earning redemption and forgiveness. Proving that she had changed.
But if those were her motives, had she changed? Or was she still manipulating Farrendel to try to get what she wanted?
Perhaps she was still selfish enough to try to earn redemption by helping him. But that had not been her only reason. She had genuinely wanted to make sure Farrendel lived. Maybe she was not as saccharinely good as Princess Elspeth who did things purely unselfishly, but she had managed to be a mix of selfish and unselfish. It was good enough, right? As much as could be expected?
But Weylind’s gaze had gone from hard to such a depth of pained disappointment, Melantha had to look away. She and Weylind had always been close. They had done everything together when they were growing up. Then they had weathered all of their family’s storms as adults.
But all that lay shattered between them, thanks to what she had done.
“I helped him for his sake and for mine.” She stared at her hands in her lap. “Please, Weylind, can I see him?”
She needed to see for herself that he was all right. None of the healers knew how to work alongside troll magic the way she did after all the practice she had. She could still help him.
More than that, she needed to know how she stood with Farrendel. They had forged something of a new bond in that dungeon cell, but would it last now that they were rescued? He had needed her because she was the only one there. But now that he had the entire family caring for him, would he still be as forgiving toward her?
Weylind faced her, back rigid. “No, you are not allowed anywhere near him. I will protect Farrendel from you. If he ever wants to see you again, it will be up to him, not you.”
She flinched, hunching under the pain. After her betrayal, what else had she expected? Even if Farrendel forgave her, that did not mean he had to restore the brother-sister relationship. She had given up all rights to that relationship the moment she had tried to use the trolls to murder him.
“I understand.” Melantha swallowed and stared at the floor by Weylind’s feet. If Weylind was this angry, what was he planning to do to her? She was a traitor. By elven law, he could order her execution in the forsaken wood.
Surely Weylind would not order that for her.
Yet, his only other option for punishment would be banishment. Where would she go? Escarland would not take her. The other human kingdoms were not accepting of elves. Perhaps there was another