How can this be happening? They are hailing him as a returning hero, we’re going to his homecoming celebration—how is it that he’s going on trial?
“I created elven weaponry for our enemies to use against us in battle,” he responds, his jaw tight. “I broke the law.”
This takes a few seconds for me to process before my icy rage surges to the surface. “You were forced to do it. You were a prisoner of war,” I point out, my voice cool and eyes narrowed, not quite believing what I’m hearing.
“Yes, and the queen plans to grant me a pardon,” he explains. “But there are people who believe I’m receiving favourable treatment, hence the trial.” I can tell exactly what he thinks of these people from the tone of his voice, and I get the impression he’s had problems with them before.
“What people?”
He frowns at the force of my anger, but he answers my question. “A group of some of the younger lords.” Shaking his head, he laughs humourlessly. “I think they enjoyed the benefits of me being away, and don’t like that I’ve returned and taken them back.”
Footsteps sound in the hall, making him pull away and offer his arm to me again. Curiously, I glance around the hallway, knowing that elves are quiet enough that I wouldn’t hear their footsteps unless they were walking loudly on purpose, and I see Naril walking towards us.
“Come, we’re expected. We can’t keep the queen waiting any longer.” He doesn’t wait for us, just simply speaks over his shoulder as he passes. Vaeril nods in agreement, and we follow behind him.
“What are you doing here? I expected that you’d already be down there flirting with all the lady elves,” I tease, smiling as I wait for his witty response.
Except that retort doesn’t come. Frowning, I watch as he shares a pointed look with Vaeril. “I was just dealing with some pests,” he replies, finally looking at me, his expression changing from serious to sly. “Just what were you two doing in a quiet alcove, all alone?” Wiggling his eyebrows, he laughs as my cheeks flush red at what he’s implying despite my innocence. Spluttering, I try to come up with a response, but thankfully, Vaeril takes over with a gentle squeeze of my hand.
“We’ve been discussing your trip to see the sea elves.”
He raises his eyebrows. It’s obvious he knows we’re lying, but thankfully, he doesn’t comment on it. “Yes, I think Clarissa was a bit underwhelmed by their caves.”
“No, I loved them!” I correct, frowning at the back of his head as he continues to walk ahead of us. “I was just surprised at the difference between the palace and their homes.” I remember how I felt this morning when we visited the edges of the palace and saw where some of the wood elves lived, and how uncomfortable I felt at how different their accommodations were. Not at their choice to live with nature, but how unfairly the obvious wealth of the high elves was spread out.
We enter the grand entrance hall and descend down the large spiral staircases to the ground floor, which is filled with more elves than I have ever seen in one place before. My chest tightens with a flash of fear at being surrounded by so many of my enemies, but then I remember that they aren’t my enemies—the King of Arhaven is. The elves, barring the queen, have been welcoming if not a little afraid of me, but those I’ve been getting to know are warming up to me.
The hall seems to amplify their voices, so a hum of lilting laughs and their musical language echoes all around me. Although, as we walk through the hall, the voices start to fade, until the only sound I can hear are my footsteps on the marble floor. As I feel their eyes on me, the old frightened part of me wants to hide. Attention was never a good thing as a slave, but I try to push those feelings aside. That’s not who I am anymore. Naril seems to be lapping up the attention as he strolls in front of us, a wide grin fixed firmly in place as he winks at a couple of elves who are looking at us.
“They’re all staring at us,” I whisper out the corner of my mouth, my palms sweating under the weight of their attention.
“No,” he disagrees lightly. “They’re all looking at you.” I’m about to bite out that his