“We won,” I murmured as I stared at the clearing. “I can’t believe it. We won.”
Daegal turned to me, his sword falling on the ground as he tilted his head. “You’re an Earth Elf,” he breathed. “Kydona have mercy on us. I thought the king had destroyed the entire House of Corellon.”
Xander lifted his golden eyes to mine. “Is that true? Are you an Earth Elf?”
I shook my head, stumbling back a step. “I-I don’t know…”
No one had ever spoken of my heritage. Who I was. What I was. All that I’d ever been told was that I was aspecialelf. That I was kept alive so I could marry Remington.Breed.
But this…
Could this be the answer to all my questions?
The wind swirled around me, whispering in my ear.
Protectress of the Woods. We are here to serve you.
“Protectress of the Woods,” I echoed the wind’s whispers.
Xander’s mouth tilted up slightly as he studied me. “Aileana of the House of Corellon. Last female of her kind. Earth Elf. Protectress of the Woods. You have to admit, it has a nice ring to it.”
Reaching his good hand behind him, Xander pushed himself to his feet. He was only able to take one trembling step before he pitched forward with a cry.
I rushed towards him, my hands grabbing his shoulders as he tumbled to the ground. Blood gushed from the wound on his shoulder and he groaned.
“I’m fine, Aileana,” he muttered. “Don’t worry about it.”
I raised a brow, pointing to the pool of blood gathering on his tunic. “This doesn’t look like ‘fine’ to me.”
He continued to protest, but I put my hand on his good shoulder. “Listen to me, you big-headed fool. You are hurt and I’m going to help you. Now lay still and let me help you.”
“Fine,” he sighed. “But let it be known that I am cooperating under protest.”
I scoffed. “Noted.”
Xander laid down on the ground, and I knelt beside him, hiking up my skirts. I turned my head to Daegal, speaking quickly. “We’ll have to leave. I am certain there will be more soldiers where those ones came from.”
The Fortune Elf nodded, his expression grim as he turned. “I will get the horses ready.”
Xander turned his gaze to me, wincing as he jostled his shoulder. “You give orders well.”
I smirked, lifting my overdress and taking hold of the petticoat closest to my body. It was still white and barely bore any traces of dirt. It was as clean as we would be able to get out here in the forest. For once, I was grateful for the ridiculous feminine fashions required by Ithenmyrian standards.
Grabbing my dagger, I stabbed it into the fabric, running it down in one smooth motion. The petticoat tore easily as a ripping sound filled the air. “Well, let’s just say I know some bossy people.”
He grinned, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Xander shifted on the ground, flinching as the movement caused a fresh flow of blood to come from his wound.
“This isn’t exactly how I imagined you taking your clothes off for me again,” he said in a weak voice.
Rolling my eyes, I huffed as I cut another strip from my petticoats. “Be quiet, you insufferable male.”
Once I had three long strips of fabric, I knelt and wound them around Xander’s shoulder. Red blood seeped through the white fabric, but color began to come back to his face as I worked. After I tied a knot in the makeshift bandage, I sat back and studied him.
He had been stabbed before and healed. I knew that. But a dagger was a lot smaller than a sword, and he looked so pale…
“Are you going to be able to ride?” I asked him quietly.
He narrowed his eyes, grimacing as he pushed himself to his feet. This time, he was able to remain upright.