ground. It briefly flashes through the back of my mind that this is too easy, that I must have caught him off guard to have been able to throw an elf to the mountainside, but my instincts are in control right now. I pin him to the ground, kneeling on his wrists. Realistically, I shouldn’t be able to keep him here. I’m lighter than him, and he has centuries of training over me, but my wrist is glowing purple and the air shimmers with the tang of magic, a strange magic unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
Naril struggles against me, but I don’t move an inch. Tor’s laughter echoes around the mountains, making me smile. It’s a feral, vicious kind of smile, and it makes Naril look nervous. Good. He turns his head and looks over at Vaeril for help.
“Don’t look at me,” Vaeril replies, and his tone catches my attention. When I glance over, I see that he’s walking towards us, running his eyes over me with a possessive smile. “My strong mate,” he purrs, sparking desire within me and pushing some of that rage down, giving me more control over my actions once again.
“I did warn you,” Tor calls, and it’s obvious he’s finding this whole thing amusing.
“Look at me,” I growl, shaking the elf beneath me. He winces, but I’m sure it’s just because I’m embarrassing him. I couldn’t have actually hurt him, I’m not strong enough. Am I? Pushing that thought away, I lower my face so I’m almost nose to nose with Naril. “Why are you here?” Each word is said through clenched teeth.
Confusion crosses his face. “What do you mean?”
I don’t blame him, we’ve had this conversation before, but apparently, we need to have it again. “Why?” I demand, but I’m losing my anger now as hurt takes its place. Trying to grab hold of that rage, I focus on every foul thing he’s ever said to me because it’s easier to get through this if I’m angry. If I let my emotions take control, then I’ll fall apart. “Why did you promise to follow me if you’re going to berate me at every step?”
“Because I’m jealous,” he shouts, making me sit back in surprise, my anger suddenly vanishing. Naril sits up and shuffles back a bit, watching me with a sheepish expression. It’s not a look I’ve ever seen on his face before, and it’s enough to take me aback. “I’m sorry, Clarissa.” If I wasn’t already sitting down, these words would have knocked me on my backside. I assumed he was worried about Eldrin and that was why he’d been getting progressively snappier, and perhaps that had contributed to it, but jealousy… That’s when it hits me. Vaeril was missing for over a hundred years, then when Naril finally gets him back, I come along as his mate.
“Vaeril will always be your friend, I will never take him from you,” I promise sincerely, as I press my palms to my chest.
Naril smiles half-heartedly and waves a hand at me. “Not him, you can have him.”
Thoroughly confused, I glance over at Vaeril to see if he has any idea what his friend is talking about, but he appears just as perplexed as I do. Tor is just watching with an amused expression. “Then who?” Naril stares at me like he thinks I’m the stupidest person alive. A couple of seconds pass until a thought flashes into my mind. No. That can’t be right, I chide myself, but the slight nod from Naril tells me I’m right. “Grayson?” I shout. Vaeril splutters something in elvish behind me, and Tor starts bellowing in laughter again. Ignoring them both, I lean forward so I can hear him better. “You’re jealous of the magician? But you hate magicians!”
“I know!” He throws his hands up in the air in a ‘what can you do’ gesture. “It’s a confusing dilemma.” I notice that he avoids looking at Vaeril as he speaks, and I know he’s feeling a certain amount of shame at having feelings for someone he’s supposed to hate. That I can understand. I guess there really is a fine line between love and hate. “Something about having all that power between your thighs…it’s making me cranky.” He tries to lighten the mood, and I smile at his attempt.
“If it makes you feel any better, I know several magicians I can introduce you to,” I start, his eyes lighting up, but I pause as I remember the war