Death Wind (Elven Alliance #3) - Tara Grayce Page 0,20

bite into it. Torture was probably coming. How likely was he to end up vomiting up this meal from the pain?

But he needed food if he was to survive, and he would not feel like eating later.

He tore a bite off with his teeth, the crust hard even with the broth soaking it. He refused to think about the humiliation of lying here, being fed bite by bite. The trolls did not dare loosen his bonds even for him to feed himself.

Concentrate on the things he could do. Right now, he needed to gather information.

As Prince Rharreth’s magic was strong, he was the logical choice to check Farrendel’s bindings. Yet feeding a prisoner was something that could have been delegated to someone else while Prince Rharreth stood by and watched in case Farrendel caused trouble. But it seemed that the troll prince took his duty to guard Farrendel so seriously that he did not trust anyone else, even to see to Farrendel’s basic care.

As Farrendel chewed another bite of the crust, he remembered the way Essie had chatted with their captors, trying to learn as much information as she could.

Farrendel could not manage her effortless chatter, but perhaps he could ask enough questions to gain vital intelligence. Talking to this troll was not as intimidating as talking when Farrendel actually cared about what the other person thought of him.

As the troll dipped the last bite of bread into the bowl, swiping it along the sides to soak up the last of the watery broth, Farrendel took a deep breath and forced himself to speak. “Where am I?”

Prince Rharreth’s dark blue eyes flicked to him, searching his face as if contemplating the repercussions of answering. “The fortress of Gror Grar.”

Farrendel refused to let that shake him, even though it sent a punch to his gut. Last time he had been captured, he had been held in a cave in the camp of the troll army not far from the border. Even though it had cost his father his life, that raid was a simple matter compared to a rescue from Gror Grar.

He would not be rescued until the war was over. He had known rescue would take time, but marching across Kostaria and taking Gror Grar could take weeks. Maybe months, if the trolls fought Weylind to a stalemate.

His breathing caught, his chest constricting.

No, he refused to give in to the panic. Weylind would not be fighting alone. He would have Averett, Julien, and Edmund and, if Essie’s determination could be believed, the might of the Escarlish army. Rescue would come.

He must not have been as successful at hiding his thoughts as he had hoped. Prince Rharreth held the last bite of bread out to him. “Don’t hope for rescue. This fortress has stood for a thousand years and never been breached.”

Farrendel took the bite and chewed. No, this fortress had never been breached. But the trolls had never faced humans armed with the weapons Escarland now had in their possession. The humans were known for building fortresses, only to have another army come in and bombard that fortress to rubble.

Essie’s brothers would figure out a way inside, if anyone could.

Besides, what Prince Rharreth said was only partially true. This fortress had never been breached by an army. But Farrendel, by himself, had slipped inside and killed the late troll king.

The defenses had probably been strengthened since then. But it proved that a small group could slip inside, if that was the route Weylind and Essie’s brothers decided to go.

Yet, getting in was one thing. Leaving after rescuing Farrendel would be a different matter.

Farrendel swallowed the bite. Now that he had eaten, his stomach grumbled, hungry for more. He ignored it. That was all the troll was likely to give him for the day.

How should he respond to Prince Rharreth? Had the trolls realized yet that Escarland and Tarenhiel would ally to fight Kostaria?

Nothing had been official before Farrendel’s capture, and neither the Escarlish traitors nor the elven traitors would have known to report a deepening alliance. If anything, the elven traitors’ hatred for humans and the human traitors’ hatred for elves would have made them believe Escarland and Tarenhiel would never become allies, and that was what they would have reported to the trolls.

But Essie had promised that she would make sure their brothers worked together to free him. That promise was enough for Farrendel. Escarland and Tarenhiel would fight alongside each other in this war. He was betting his