Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) - Shannon Messenger Page 0,229

less useful and therefore much less valuable.”

Which sounded like a strange choice as a material for the king’s battle adornment—but… his other crown was made from a giant sand crab’s exoskeleton, so clearly the dwarves had very different taste from elves.

“I’ve never heard of ethertine,” Councillor Noland said, his voice booming even from his post on the opposite side of the room.

“I have,” The Councillor That Sophie Wished Wasn’t There informed them—from a spot much closer to Sophie than Sophie wanted. “I believe it’s formed when lightning somehow connects with starlight, isn’t it?”

“Something like that,” King Enki hedged.

“Ethertine,” Sophie repeated, letting the word roll around in her head. “What does it do?”

“I wonder what makes you all think you have the right to ask me so many questions?” King Enki snapped. “Am I not a king? I may not be on my throne at the moment, but that does not lessen my authority! And is it not enough that I’ve given so many of your kind free rein in my city—and provided my guards to protect you? I’ve even allowed you to fill my halls with the stench of ogre sweat and goblin breath and gnomish feet!”

“Okay, whoa,” Ro said, stepping into the flickering light near the doorway, brandishing two of her daggers.

The metallic hiss of an unsheathing sword rang through the air on the other side of the room, and Sophie followed the sound to a massive shape that had to be Sandor.

“Save your weapons for the enemy,” Nubiti commanded. “In here you will only find allies.”

“Will they now?” King Enki countered, stalking toward Nubiti as two more dwarven guards popped out of the ground to flank him. “I don’t remember giving you permission to speak for me.”

Even in the dim light, Sophie could see Nubiti grit her teeth. But she dropped obediently into a deep bow and told King Enki, “I’m sorry, my king. I did not mean to offend.”

“I should hope not,” he told her, angling his head to sneer at her prostrated posture before turning back to pace.

Nubiti continued bowing until King Enki had completed five full circuits around the room. And she kept her chin tucked when she told him, “We may be grateful for their presence before this day is done.”

“I find that highly unlikely,” King Enki huffed, pausing to survey the silhouettes around him—which he could likely see clearly. “But if this is what it takes to protect my city… so be it.”

“It will be over soon enough,” Nubiti told him, slowly rising to her furry feet.

King Enki resumed pacing. “Let’s hope that’s the case.”

Sophie couldn’t have agreed more.

She’d lost track of how long they’d been waiting in that shivery, shadowy room, but her legs were growing wobbly and her arms were feeling twitchy and she was ready for something to happen.

“Is your king always this cuddly?” Ro asked Nubiti—louder than she should have.

King Enki laughed. “Oh, I assure you, I am far from cuddly.”

He stomped his foot, and a low rumble reverberated through the room, followed by the sound of crumbling earth.

It was too dark to see the crack heading for Ro until the ground beneath her feet had already fallen away—but somehow the ogre princess managed to leap to safety, tumbling into the shadows and stopping with a painful grunt, followed by a lot of spitting and coughing.

“Anyone else have anything they want to say?” King Enki challenged.

Councillor Liora stepped toward him, and her glowing clasp illuminated enough of her face to show the tension in her expression as she dipped her head in a bow and told the dwarven king, “Only if you’ll allow me to fully express our gratitude for your hospitality.”

King Enki inclined his head for a long second, and Sophie found herself holding her breath until he said, “You may.”

Liora dipped her chin again and launched into a list of such exaggeratingly magnanimous praise that Sophie wondered how Liora managed to say it all with a straight face.

“I’m sorry,” Nubiti whispered, suddenly at Sophie’s side. The tiny dwarf’s voice was barely audible when she added, “My king is in a very strange mood today. I suspect his crown is affecting his temper.”

“Ethertine can do that?” Sophie asked, careful to keep her voice hushed.

Nubiti nodded. “It’s been known to heighten emotion and dull inhibition—at least for those in my species. Something about the way the light affects our eyes… It’s why some choose to adorn themselves with it in battle—though I’ve never seen my king with that headpiece