Wordlessly they ran, Noc and Arabella kicking up the rocky soil. If the Darkness was merciful, they’d make it far enough to find another path into the Altobelli Mountains.
Dhuro checked behind them, hoping against all odds that his squad had defeated the light-elves.
The light glowed at their position—
And sped right here. Faster and faster, picking up speed.
Mounts. They had to have mounts.
“Noc,” he said breathlessly, “we need to lose them—”
I know. Both Noc and Arabella raced at a full gallop, but trees crowded the path ahead. It was dark. And even Noc wasn’t always surefooted, let alone a new unicorn.
The light gained on them, closing the distance.
Shit.
He needed to negotiate with Gwydion, but there would be no negotiation without Arabella’s safe arrival. She needed to survive, at all costs.
And someone else could negotiate.
“Take Arabella to Gwydion, Noc. And send word to my mother when you get there,” he said grimly. “I’ll stay here and slow them down, give you two as much time as I can.”
Wait, Arabella began, please—
“Don’t slow down for anything,” he shouted to her. Then, to Noc, “Let me off.”
I’ll protect her, Dhuro, Noc replied as he came to a stop.
Dhuro leaped off, drawing his blades as he faced the nearing light.
A few yards away, Arabella had stopped too, lingering and hesitating.
“Go! Now!” he roared, jerking his head to her. Noc ran to her and urged her onward, but she shuffled on her hooves.
Dhuro, it’s tiny! She spoke in his mind with a rising hopeful pitch.
The size of their light-elf crystal, or—?
He was about to shout for her to run when the light closed the gap.
Chapter 7
Dhuro, it’s Tiny! Bella thought to him, but he didn’t waver until the pixie flew just out of range of his blades. Her name was Shrelia, but all the dark-elves and Princess Alessandra knew her as Tiny.
Dhuro’s shoulders went slack, and he tilted his head, squinting past their new arrival. “A pixie?”
I told you, she said gently, approaching with Noc by her side. It’s Tiny, the pixie who helped us against the Brotherhood. If Tiny was here, then this wasn’t an attack.
Dhuro’s face snapped toward her, his mouth falling open. She nearly laughed. At least no words were coming out.
Chiming angrily, Shrelia landed on the flat of one of Dhuro’s blades, pointing a finger at him. Silly dark-elf! I’m trying to help you! Which is difficult when you’re running away!
Despite being a tiny, winged, pink-haired woman the size of a butterfly, there seemed to be good odds Shrelia could verbally sting like a wasp. And Dhuro would be getting the entirety of that stinger.
Bella snorted, and Shrelia flitted up to her.
And you, unicorn! You should’ve heard my hails from far, far away! Shrelia planted her minuscule hands on her hips and glowered at Noc. Haven’t you been teaching her anything, oldster? Or is she that terrible a pupil?
Noc eyed Bella dubiously. I am exiting this conversation. With a toss of his tail, he trotted past a dumbfounded Dhuro and back toward the squad.
Thank you for the vote of confidence! Bella called after him with an inward sigh. She hadn’t eluded being stung after all.
Shrelia zipped back to Dhuro, flying right near his nose. He staggered a step backward, waving a hand in front of his face.
Tell this silly dark-elf I’m not a bee! Shrelia demanded, flailing her arms. And that his brother is here!
His brother? Bella blinked. Which brother would that be? Veron, or…?
Just tell him! Shrelia flew up to her nose and prodded it with a tiny finger.
Dhuro, Bella began, and he turned to face her, an eyebrow raised, she says your brother is here.
A frown tightened his features. As scary as the situation had been, it was almost worth it to see him so dumbfounded and confused.
“Veron or Zoran?” he asked.
What, does he think Prince Veron and I rode a dragon to get here first from Nozva Rozkveta? Shrelia yelled, exasperated. Obviously Prince-Consort Zoran!
“What did she say?” With a hand on his hip, Dhuro waited. To him, Shrelia’s words probably only sounded like chimes and ringing.
Zoran, she answered, but he approached her and leaned in, again with that skeptical eyebrow quirked.
“All that to say ‘Zoran’?” He huffed doubtfully. “What else did she say? Out with it.”
That scent of his, fresh water and mountain stone, wrapped her up, traced a shiver down her spine with an invisible fingertip. On his breath was some delicious union of pepper, ginger, cloves, and some spice she couldn’t identify, fiery, sharp, and unlike most of the dark-elf fare she’d smelled. She wanted to breathe it in, imagine what faraway places those flavors had come from, and ask him what he knew about them.
“Well?” he prompted, and she had to shake off the feeling of what she swore were goosebumps.
I… um… She peered into the distance where Noc had departed, and huffed a half-laugh. I… am exiting this conversation.
As Dhuro scoffed, she trotted off on Noc’s trail.
Shrelia flew next to her. You should’ve just told him, she teased, making a show of dusting off her leaf-dress.
I’m sure the myriad of messengers who’ve been shot don’t want me among their number. She ambled, with a little bounce in her gait. That infirmary is too crowded to add a unicorn, don’t you think?
Shrelia snickered, her cheeks rosy and her eyes glittering with glee. He’s just so grumpy to my Aless that I can’t help but tease him.
Dhuro had made no secret of his distrust of humans. It had been one of the few things she’d known about him before this trip. At least his default open hostility toward them faded to mere surliness when it came to Princess Alessandra. Despite the princess’s devotion to his brother, perhaps he still didn’t trust her.
And perhaps being a unicorn for the dark-elf equivalent of five minutes didn’t automatically make her a non-human, or trustworthy. She sighed.
Don’t let him get to you, Shrelia encouraged, gliding nearer. Once you’re with the unicorns, you’ll never have to deal with his grouchy self ever again.
True enough. Once the unicorns helped her control her powers, she’d return to Roccalano and continue her work as Renato. That would make crossing paths with dark-elf warriors like Dhuro unlikely.
And after he deals with his best friend, Shrelia added, he can go back to brooding in his hunting blind, alone.
Bella blinked sluggishly. His best friend?
The squad came into view, where a strapping dark-elf man with long, flowing hair greeted Noc with wide arms and a big smile.
Oh, yes. That’s why I’m here, Shrelia replied. Queen Zara wants me to return with the news as soon as Dhuro kills Dakkar.
Bella’s eyes watered, and she took a step back. Queen Zara had sent Dhuro to assassinate his best friend? The notion was so horrible it was unthinkable. Why would the queen order that?
The light-elf and griffin attack resurfaced in her mind. Had they somehow been connected to this Dakkar? Was that why Dhuro had been sent, instead of a squad of all kuvari?
Queen Zara had sent Dhuro for a reason… If he and this Dakkar were best friends, then he could get close enough to kill him, couldn’t he?