I groan and put my head on the table. “Is it? The elves haven’t said anything to us in three decades, and suddenly they are coming to our caves with a monster infestation.” Pushing back, I sit in my chair.
“What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with this visit? You want the promise of allies?” She lifts her eyebrows and tilts her head to the side. “Or, are you going to test if the elves can mate with humans, too?
I pause. “Believe it or not, I hadn’t thought of that.” When I look at the wise woman, she smiles down at me. Pushing to my feet, I take her hand and kiss it. “You are a genius.I’ve been trying to find answers without much luck.“
She laughs. “This enthusiasm is contagious.”
I look at her sideways. “Arlet hasn’t been mated yet, right?”
A strange look crosses her face as she shakes her head. “No.”
I nod. “Good. Get her a dress made. We’ll introduce her to Arion on the first night. And then…” My mind races. “Then we’ll tell them that we need to go against the giants and free the humans.”
The wise woman smiles. “Then you will be able to bring Estela’s brother back?”
I purse my lips. “I think I may need to do that first. I mentioned him to the Second Prince when I talked about slaves, but I may have lied and told him that she was dead.”
Liana nods her head. “Then, all that’s left to do is solve the monsters in the mists.”
I look back at her. “Any idea?”
She tilts her head to the side, her expression falling. “I believe the monster in the caves are the same species that attacked Estela on the mountain. They are magical, but something we haven’t seen before. I’ve watched enough of them feeding on animals to know they are some sort of succubus, but little else. If you send a couple of hunters, I believe they’ll be able to clear everything out quickly.”
I put a cork in the ink pot that I’ve been draining for the last day and sit back in my chair. “That is good. I’ll send Vann in the morning. He’ll fill in while Lothar is gone.”
Liana hesitates. “I have considered having Estela touch the Fuegorra to see if she can get a clearer image of the monsters, since she’s already had an experience with them.”
Her name brings a wave of bitterness and excitement. “How has her training been going?”
She shakes her head. “A part of me fears what will happen if I do. I don’t know how to train her without draining her health.” Tapping her fingers to her mouth, she looks back at me. “Actually, perhaps there is something else I could show her. You were the last to take aglacialmarafor a ride, yes?
I raise and eyebrow. “You’re not taking her to see the crystal wraiths.”
She smiles. “What if I took her to meetdrathorinna?”
I sit up. “Absolutely not.Drathorinnais off-limits to all except you.”
Her head tilts back and she lets out a deep laugh. “You are so protective. Did you forget that your bride is also a Fuegorra reader? She’ll be fine.”
My grip tightens on one of the scrolls. “You just told me you were afraid to finish training her because she’s weak.”
Liana shoots me an unimpressed look. “And here I thought that you would be in a good mood because of the elves.”
“I am glad about the elves. I just…” I think about the giants and their obsession with diamonds. I still don’t know why.
“You have just convinced me to let her finally have her first lesson,” the woman says, biting her mouth piercing.
I growl. “Be careful.”
Liana smirks, and absentmindedly picks up one of the scrolls. “Did you know that her brother is half-giant?”
My specs are crooked on my nose, and I take them off to rub my eyes. “Estela’s brother?”
She nods. I think back to the smell of Giant blood on her, it could have been his. “Vann sent a scout to get information. Many thought he was her actual child, but he is only nine years less than her.”
Liana slides off of the table. “Was she raped by one of the princes?”
I take a sharp breath. “I don’t know. The princes were commanded to never touch her, but Rholker said he had.”