twin. I have no idea when he got there, but I’m just glad to see him. Glancing around, I try to look for Vaeril. Where is he? His friend is threatening me, shouldn’t he be here? Except I can’t see him anywhere. My stomach sinks.
“You’re dancing with him now. Us elves not good enough for you?” he sneers, still gripping my shoulders, but his face isn’t as angry now as he seems to realise he’s causing a scene. He might be calming down, but it’s my turn to be angry.
“How dare you?” I pull away, my sudden burst of strength catching him by surprise. I can feel eyes on me, and I know when I look back at this, I will marvel over how I managed to break his hold. “Tor is my friend, and even if he wasn’t, I can dance with whomever I want!” I snarl at him, taking a step closer, much to his surprise, if the widening of his eyes is anything to go by. Except it doesn’t take him long to get over his surprise as he glowers back at me, opening his mouth to snarl at me.
“Eldrin!” Naril shouts, his voice harsher now.
“Is there a problem here?” The queen’s serene voice floats over us, and the onlookers seem to vanish as if just being in our presence will cause them to be punished too.
Oh great, I scoff to myself. She chooses now to show up? I’m so angry that when I take a step back, I make sure to keep my mouth shut, knowing that I could get into serious trouble if I snarl at the queen in front of her people. Trying to calm myself, I look up at Tor, who is standing close to the queen, his face a blank mask.
“Not at all, Your Majesty, just a misunderstanding,” Naril interjects from Eldrin’s side, his face set into a pleasant smile.
“I see,” she muses. I finally meet her gaze, feeling more under control now, and I’m glad I waited until I calmed down. She looks at me as if she’s just smelled something bad, her nose wrinkled delicately as she watches me with distaste. “There seem to be a lot of misunderstandings where the human is involved.” Finally, she turns back to Eldrin, and I feel like I can breathe again, not realising I’d been holding my breath. “I’m surprised to see you here, Eldrin.” It’s easy to hear the anger in her voice now as she steps closer to the scarred twin. The change in him is visible. His head droops as he stares at the ground, and his body seems to have shrunk into itself.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I was just leaving.” I’ve never heard his voice so dejected before, and I know I shouldn’t rub salt into his wounds, but I can’t help myself—he brings out a dark side of me that I wish would remain hidden.
“Don’t leave on my account,” I spit, drawing a light tinkling laugh from the queen.
“Oh yes, listen to the human, Eldrin, why don’t you stay?” she suggests lightly, enjoying the tension between me and the dishonoured elf.
“With regret, Your Majesty, I must leave. I’m needed on the border patrol.” He keeps his head hanging low, but I don’t miss his flinch as she laughs again.
“Go.” She dismisses him with a flick of her wrist and turns back to me. Eldrin straightens, and just before he skulks away, our eyes meet. I’d been expecting to see anger, but I am shocked to see a melancholy look that makes my heart hurt.
“You’re quite the troublemaker, Clarissa,” the queen remarks, the emphasis on my name pulling my attention back to her. I’m still angry, but not at Eldrin anymore, at the queen. How could she treat one of her subjects like that? I can understand her treating me badly, in fact I expect it now, but not one of her own.
“The fault was mine, Your Majesty,” Tor interjects, laying a gentle hand on her arm. Her eyes light up as she looks between the two of us, sensing my jealousy at the touch. My anger flares, growing for each second that he doesn’t remove his hand, and it’s like my whole vision narrows down to where he touches her skin. I don’t own Tor, I have no right to be angry if he wants to touch her, and the queen loves that.
“I see. Why don’t you come and explain everything to me?” she purrs, placing her hand on