it might not matter. They would wonder how Melantha had broken that chain, and they might have been close enough to sense Farrendel’s use of magic to break it.
King Charvod glared first at Melantha, then focused on his brother. “Why have you allowed her to stay here?”
“A small compassion for a captive, nothing more.” Prince Rharreth’s face remained blank, but his gaze flicked to the broken chain dangling from Melantha’s ankle. He would know he had left Melantha more secured than she was now.
King Charvod rounded on his brother. His hand lifted, almost as if he planned to strike his brother, but he halted and instead jabbed Prince Rharreth in the chest. “Thanks to your compassion, some of his magic was used during the fighting on the front lines.”
Prince Rharreth started, his gaze flicking to Farrendel, before his jaw hardened. “How is that possible? No one can use their magic in a place without being there in person. Are you sure it was his magic? Magic like his is rare, only appearing every few generations, but perhaps the elves discovered another who can wield a similar magic.”
Farrendel gritted his teeth, noticing Prince Rharreth did not say it was impossible for Farrendel to use his magic at the moment. With the broken chain, Prince Rharreth had to suspect.
“It was his. I recognized the taint of it.” King Charvod’s mouth curled. “If there is a way to launch such an attack from a distance, I’m sure this murdering elf could discover it.”
Farrendel glared, hardening his expression to his most dangerous mien. He had to keep the trolls’ focus on himself. They must not, under any circumstances, guess he had wielded his power through Essie.
Next to him, Melantha tucked herself closer to his side and gripped his hand. The way she positioned herself, it was almost as if she wished to shield him from the trolls. But surely that was not the case. She had been helping him, but would that extend to placing herself in danger for him?
“Then I have failed you.” Prince Rharreth bowed his head.
King Charvod scowled and stomped closer to Farrendel and Melantha. He grabbed Melantha by her hair. She cried out as King Charvod lifted her to her knees. “What did you do? It must have been something you did. He would have done something before now if he could have.”
Farrendel clenched his fists hard enough to hurt. He must not react. He must not.
“What did you do?” King Charvod shook Melantha harder by her hair. “I shall have you punished for this.”
She cried out, eyes squeezed shut, her feet scrambling to try to gain her balance.
Farrendel could not sit by and watch this. Besides, they already knew he could use his magic. There was no reason to hold back.
He gripped his magic and shoved. Blue bolts of power surrounded him, snapping through the restraints around his wrists. He raised an arm and blasted power toward King Charvod.
A shield of troll magic sprang up before King Charvod, but a few sparks of Farrendel’s magic glanced off the troll king’s hand.
He released Melantha, and she slumped to the floor.
Farrendel gritted his teeth, a headache pounding at his temples even through Melantha’s lingering magic inside him. “Do not touch my sister.”
Troll magic surged through the stones around him. Tendrils of the stone floor reached up, trying to grasp his arms and pin him once again. The stone around his legs, waist, and chest tightened.
He pushed back with his magic, holding the stone back. The floor trembled beneath him, shaking with the force of so much magic hurled about in such a tiny space.
Melantha lifted her head and met Farrendel’s gaze. Slowly, she shook her head and mouthed, “The plan.”
This was not the plan. He could fight. Perhaps he could keep them from pinning him down for a time. But they would win, as this was their home and he was weakened. Fighting now would just deplete the magic he had saved for when the time came to escape.
If he wanted to live and return to Essie, then he could not fight now. He had to save his magic and pretend he was still weaker than he was. If the trolls suspected his true strength, they would kill him here and now.
Melantha shook her head again, her eyes wide and pained.
Farrendel released his magic and slumped to the floor, as if the effort of holding back the stone and troll magic had used the last of his strength.
The stone surged around