“It’s been in my possession for many years.” The witch smiled, waving a hand in the air. The tome turned on the table, pushing itself nearer to the Light Elf halfling. Kysha grasped the book, running her finger tenderly over the page. “The same Fortune Elf who told me to watch for Xander left this grimoire in my keeping. He said I would know what to do with it when the time came.Thisis that time.”
The witch tilted her head, and her eyes reflected the wisdom of her years as she spoke. “Remain on the path of life, young ones. Keep in mind that magic is not the only powerful thing in this world. Watch your words, and remember, you are stronger than you think.”
A quest.
I had known when we put the map together something like this might happen. Now, here we were.
A heavy weight settled on my shoulders, and I sighed.
Xander squeezed my leg.You should tell them who you are,he urged silently.The time is right, we should lay all our cards on the table.
He was right.
“There’s something Xander and I haven’t told you yet.” My voice was barely audible over the beating of my heart, but I kept going. “When we were gone, I Matured.”
Daegal nodded. “I noticed the longer ears, and the elongated canines.” He glanced at Xander, who growled. The Fortune Elf hurriedly added, “Noticed in a non-sexual, completely platonic way, of course.”
The dragon shifter beside me relaxed.
“There’s something else.” Drawing in a deep breath, I looked at Xander for strength. He gave me an encouraging smile, and I continued. “I am the High Lady of Life.”
Silence blanketed the room. If I thought my heart was loud before, now it was thundering.
Pulling up my sleeves, I laid my arms flat on the table. Alongside the swirling marks of my mating bond were the new, green tattoos of my Maturation. The swirls and whirls moved of their own volition, writhing beneath my skin, much like the magic within my veins.
Ryllae placed a tentative hand on my arm. “You… you have markings.” Her voice took on a strange tone, and she tilted her head, sending her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder. “All over your body?”
I turned, meeting her blue eyes. That strange tone was a stark reminder that this princess sometimes walked on the edge of sanity.
“Yes,” I replied.
The Death Elf stared at me for a long moment before turning and meeting Daegal’s eyes. The two of them communicated silently before Ryllae nodded. She pushed herself to her feet; the chair wobbling in her haste, and she yanked down the collar of her dress, revealing the swell of her breasts. Xander made a sound, averting his eyes, but I couldn’t pull my gaze away from her.
I stood, walking toward the Death Elf.
Red swirls and whorls, nearly the perfect match to mine except for the color, covered Ryllae’s chest before disappearing beneath her dress.
“I am the High Lady of Life,” I repeated my previous words in a murmur, reaching out to run my finger over Ryllae’s chest, tracing the red line of one of her tattoos. “And you are…”
We’ll Figure This Out Together
RYLLAE
Aileana’s voice trailed off, and she raised her green eyes, staring at me as she waited for an answer. Behind her, the dragon shifter looked at me as if I was a creature from another planet. Maybe I was?
Everyone else here knew who they were. They were strong in their identities. But me? I had no idea. Apart from the witch, I was the oldest of the group, and yet in moments like these, I felt as though I was a young outsider who had no business being here.
The Earth Elf stared at me, waiting for an answer I did not have. My stomach twisted, and I trembled. Why was everything so hard? Why couldn’t anything be easy?
You don’t deserve easy. The voice in the back of my mind taunted me, sounding far too much like my father for my liking.You should have stayed in prison; it was where you belonged.
I shook my head, trying to clear the negative thoughts.
“I don’t know,” I whispered, the tremor in my voice betraying the nerves and unease running through me.
I thought I knew who I was. What I was. Former princess. Death Elf. Forgotten One. Cursed Daughter.
But now, there was something else. Something new. The day I Matured, I woke up with red swirls and whorls that covered my entire body. They ran from my collarbone to my toes, marking me for… something.