Only for a Knight by Michelle Miles

Author:Michelle Miles
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc.
Published: 2013-10-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

And so the price was set.

Elyne mind-spoke to Aura to return as Ainthas escorted Elyne out of the palace back to the footbridge where they had met. No words had passed between them since leaving the king behind. Elyne had no more words to give the Elves. She had no idea how she would handle this with her mother.

“You can leave me here,” Elyne said, pausing on the footbridge and looking out over the treetops. Her hands gripped the rope, her fingers tightening around the roughened handhold.

“You can call your dragon from here?” he asked.

“I have already called her. She will come and take me back to our encampment. Will you send word when the men have been dispatched to the Stone of Destiny?”

“I will see to it personally.” He paused. Though she didn’t look at him, she could feel his hesitation and saw him drag his bottom lip through his teeth, as though he were choosing his words carefully. “I didn’t know how your father was killed, princess,” he said, his voice soft in her ear. “I am truly sorry for your loss.”

The distant memory came crashing back to her. “It was a very long time ago.” She turned to him then. “I didn’t know my mother blamed the Elves for his death. I thought she blamed me.”

“Why you?”

“I was with my father when Kieran killed him. The Dark Elf let me live, though I don’t know why. I thought my mother held that against me all this time.”

“Mayhap she was looking for someone other than Kieran to blame,” he suggested. “Grief will do that to someone. I’m sure she never blamed you, though.”

But she blamed the Elves.

Her mother’s grief was something she had never considered. Elyne had never seen her cry, not once, since the death of her father. Though, in retrospect, the queen had the Otherworld to rule. She had no time for her grief. She had to remain strong in his absence. A small piece of Elyne could forgive her and remove the longstanding grudge between them. She understood so much more now.

“Thank you, Prince Ainthas, for your help.”

He took her hand, kissed her knuckles. “Thank you, princess, for agreeing to abolish the Treaty of Separation.”

The dagger of fear stabbed her heart again and she immediately shoved that aside. She would deal with that much later.

“I gave King Urdithane my word,” she said, sounding more confident than she felt.

Her mother would not like this new agreement. So be it.

The whomp-whomp of wings in the distance hinted that Aura had returned. As Elyne looked into the distance, she could see the giant dragon headed for them.

“May the gods speed your way,” the prince said.

She nodded thanks as he stepped back. Aura crashed through the trees, disturbing leaves and limbs. She hovered by the footbridge as close as she could. Elyne noticed the dragon had a saddle and reins, which was definitely something new.

“I see your dragon has made friends with the Elves,” Ainthas said, nodding toward the harness and reins.

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