Dria stopped in front of the trunk she’d placed only a half mark or so before, though it felt more like years. Decades. Even knowing how abruptly life could change, she wasn’t certain how to process this shift. A soulbonded. It wasn’t supposed to happen now. Ralan had sworn he’d had a vision of introducing them, but that hadn’t occurred at all.
Had the future strands changed so much over the centuries? She’d assumed her chance was lost once her brother had fled, vowing never to return. She’d believed many opportunities gone with each broken promise. I told you I’d find your bonded, Dree. I’ll even introduce you, Ralan had vowed. I’ll see you with the most ideal teacher. The most favorable assignments for your skills. And I’ll protect you from the court intrigue you hate so much. You won’t have to worry about the future with me around.
Instead, his departure had dropped her straight into misery. Three years of torment at court and decades of cold loneliness at the Citadel.
Now there was her potential soulbonded. Prince Vek of the Unseelie. No wonder his name had sounded familiar. He’d visited their court a couple of times, but she’d been too young to meet him on his last trip. She’d heard plenty from Ralan, though. Her brother hadn’t trusted Vek from their first meeting. Was it because he’d seen that Vek was a terrible soulbonded?
He definitely wasn’t someone she could imagine her brother introducing her to. Had it all been a lie? Or had Ralan foreseen something else about her and Vek? Perhaps a dire future awaited them. After all, her brother hadn’t said what would happen after the introduction. What if she had more than one soulbonded and Vek wasn’t who he’d Seen at all? It was rare to have more than one chance but not impossible.
Sighing, Dria lifted the lid of the trunk and carefully shifted aside the formal overrobe folded on top. She’d created indentions in the stone to stack her belongings, but she wasn’t enough of an artisan to make a hanging rack for the elaborately embroidered robe. Perhaps someone with that talent would be included on her team. Or she could ask the person who’d created these rooms in the first place. They clearly had skill and power aplenty.
She grabbed several of her simple working robes from the trunk and deposited the bundle on the nearest shelf. But as she turned back toward her trunk, her stomach rumbled. Oh, clechtan. Food. She’d used enough energy fixing the gap in the cavern’s shielding to accelerate her hunger. Too bad she’d forgotten something so basic as nourishment. The group bringing the provisions wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow, and her useless brother hadn’t seen fit to remind her of that fact.
She would ask the guards beside the portal if they had extra food. If not, she would have to return to Moranaia. What a ridiculous situation. Ralan would mock her once she returned to Braelyn, and Lord Lyr would surely find her rude and indecisive. But it couldn’t be helped.
Dria was almost to the bottom of the circular stairs when her cursed brother appeared. She stopped an arm’s length away and glared. “Something you forgot to tell me?”
Ralan lifted a shoulder. “Quite a few things, I imagine. Come on. Surely you can bear my company long enough to have dinner at Braelyn?”
“Don’t you already know my answer?” she demanded.
“I would if I bothered to Look.” His expression took on a somber cast. “I’ve learned not to examine every detail, Dria. I try to stick to the major threads, and dinner isn’t one of them.”
She smiled sweetly. “I hope Father doesn’t rely on you to plan formal feasts anymore, then.”
Ralan made a rude face at her, but his eyes twinkled with humor. “Not as yet.”
Her breath caught at the bit of banter, so reminiscent of earlier times. Happier ones. She marched down the remaining stairs and pushed past him, heading for the portal. His footsteps echoed behind her, but she forced herself to ignore him—if only for a moment. She couldn’t fall back into their friendship, not after what he’d done.
Ralan loved Kenaren so much that he left his dear sister behind. Guess you’re no better than the rest of us, after all.
You must be a freak like Kien. No wonder Prince Ralan ran away.
Everyone knows the king loves Ralan the most. Now he’s stuck with a whiny, useless daughter. And Teyark, but he’s too honorable to hate.
I hope your teacher isn’t showing you any blood magic. Oh, maybe Ralan Saw you turning your fire on him. Kien liked to torture with his magic, so perhaps the royal mages all bear that flaw.
What’s the matter, Dria? Your big brother not here to stand guard anymore?
Dria shook her head to clear her mind of the voices. Yes, she’d borne far too many years of mockery on her brothers’ behalf.
“Dria?”
She smoothed her expression before she glanced back at her brother. “Yes?”
“You never said if you are joining me and the others for dinner.”
Dria nodded, hiding her clenched fists in the folds of her robe. She rarely allowed herself to think of the past, but being around her brother dredged it up. “So long as the Myern doesn’t mind. I would not wish to impose upon him after my refusal.”
Ralan surprised her by chuckling. “Trust me when I say that a slight change in dinner plans is one of the least odd things Lyr has had to deal with lately. And be warned. You may end up dining with a dragon.”
She blinked. Then the mental image of a dragon crammed into an average dining room popped into her mind, and she laughed. “You’re jesting.”
He shook his head. “Believe it or not, no. No joke here. Her name is Kezari, and from all I’ve heard, she is the one largely responsible for reforming this cavern. But she will shift into elven form if she joins us.”
Well. That explained Ralan’s comment about strange happenings at the Myern’s estate. If Lord Lyrnis had a dragon as guest, Dria’s presence would be of little note. What was it about this day? First an Unseelie prince and now a dragon.
“Fine,” she said. “Let’s go.”
The Myern’s dining room was smaller than Dria had expected, but she hadn’t visited many estates in this region. Instead of the larger stone structures of the palace or the Citadel, this building had been constructed around and between the massive trees. As such, the oval dining room with its walls full of windows was more intimate than she was accustomed to. Only a single long table filled the center.
Most of the chairs were taken already. Since dinner was about to be served, Ralan made quick work of introducing her to Lady Meli, the Myern’s bonded, and his daughter, Arlyn. Beside Arlyn was her bonded, Kai, and then the mage teacher Selia and her husband, Aris. Dria had already met Cora and Eri, but there was also a boy named Iren next to Eri. The mage’s son? She barely had time to make note before Ralan introduced Lord Lyr’s mother, Lady Lynia, and the dragon, Kezari.
As she took her seat between Meli and Ralan, Dria tried not to stare at the dragon in the guise of an elf. Dark golden-blond hair streamed around the woman’s thinly clad body, and she tilted her head at an odd, almost birdlike angle as she studied Dria in return. Even after Dria had shifted her attention to her empty plate, she could still sense Kezari’s gaze pinning her from the far end of the table.
Hopefully, the dragon wasn’t considering her for a snack.
Ralan leaned close. “Relax,” he whispered.
His words had the opposite effect, but she refused to show it. Though tension coiled in her stomach until her hunger evaporated, she relaxed her hands in her lap and loosened her hunched shoulders. Instead of answering Ralan, she turned to the Myern’s bonded as several members of the household streamed in with platters.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Meli,” Dria said. “I appreciate your warm welcome on such short notice. I do hope my eagerness to get started on my work was not interpreted as a slight on your hospitality.”
“Not at all,” the lady answered with a smile. “I more than understand wishing to complete an errand with all speed. And please, call me Meli, Princess. That is correct since your rank is higher, is it not? I’m still learning about your hierarchy.”
Meli wasn’t from Moranaia? Dria almost scanned the other woman to read her energy signature, but she resisted. It would be quite rude under these circumstances. “Technically, yes. But I would rather be called Dria.”
“Very well,” Meli said.
The Myern passed a platter to Meli, who stared down at the contents with a slight frown. Once she grabbed a piece and passed it down, Dria saw why. The oblong, golden brown lump looked like bread, but it smelled savory, like meat and spice. Curious. Meat pies were typically served in a dish, not in a loaf. Despite her confusion, Dria placed one on her plate anyway.
She passed the platter on to Ralan and received the next one from Meli. This one held…toasted nesel cuttings? She’d never had these any way except mashed and sweetened. Had cuisine shifted so much in this region? The plains elves had a few dishes that varied from those she’d had at court, but nothing quite this different. Who in the world would think to toast nesel?
But Dria dutifully took a serving and gave the plate to her brother. Never let it be said that she, unlike Ralan, had forgotten her manners. She might not want to be a princess, but she would act like one. No rude comments, even if the food was unusual—and some of her table companions even more so.
A princess could certainly dine with a dragon with aplomb.
As the others served themselves, the Myern caught Dria’s gaze. “You will find that we are far less formal at our meal than you may be used to. I hope it does not cause you alarm.”
Alarm? No. But it was disconcerting to be unceremonious with so many strangers. Still, Dria shook her head politely. “Of course not.”
“We are quite blended here,” Lyr continued. “My daughter is part human and only arrived a few months ago. Meli traveled from Alfheim not long after, Cora is from Galare, and of course Kezari is from the Isle of Dragons. Not to mention Ralan’s long sojourn on Earth. But we manage to find a ready peace.”
A part human woman, a Galaren, and one of the rare Ljósálfar, all at one table? Dria fought for composure at that revelation. “I will endeavor to keep that in mind.”
Once the last of the food was served, Dria glanced around, trying to determine what she was supposed to eat first, but everyone else appeared equally confused. Finally, the Myern’s daughter lifted a strip of nesel and took a bite. Her expression shifted from curious to exasperated, but at least she didn’t look disgusted.
A strange, uncertain silence fell as the others followed Arlyn’s lead. The toasted nesel wasn’t horrible, exactly, but it was bland. And the meat bread might be edible, but the inside wasn’t nearly as juicy as a pie. At least the flavor was good, if less spicy than she was accustomed to.
After a few bites, Arlyn set her bread down, her shoulders slumping. “It was a good attempt, but it isn’t quite the same.”
Her bonded, Kai, groaned. “That’s it. I’m going through the portal.”
“You can’t bring Earth food back here,” Lyr said calmly, though his expression was pained. “The time shift in the Veil does strange things to it, and there’s a risk of contamination.”
“We can use the new portal.”
Dria’s eyebrows lifted at that. He wanted to use the portal in the outpost to fetch food, of all things? “That is not advisable,” she found herself saying.
Kai’s nostrils flared. “Forgive me, Princess Dria, but—”
“I placed her in charge,” Ralan interrupted. “If you haven’t yet heard.”
“And she’s right,” Arlyn said, giving Kai a sharp glance. “Pregnancy cravings are awful, but they don’t justify the risk of exposing the outpost. I do appreciate your attempt to get me a hamburger and fries, though.”
Comprehension flooded Dria. The woman was pregnant, and they’d tried to create Earth food for her. She found herself smiling at the sweetness of the gesture. “I’m sorry,” Dria said.
“It’s okay,” the other woman answered. “It’s not like you have the same ingredients to work with here.”
On Ralan’s other side, Cora murmured, “A burger would have been nice.”
Ralan chuckled, and his bonded elbowed him in the side. “Sorry, love,” he said, though he didn’t sound particularly repentant.
Did he ever?
Finally, as the plates were being cleared, the dragon spoke to Dria. “You will want my aid in fortifying the outpost, yes?”
Despite the inquiry, Dria had the feeling it wasn’t a question. “I am more than capable of building defenses against attack. I am a trained battle mage, and that includes a significant knowledge of shielding.”
“I do not speak of that.” Kezari tapped her fingers against the table. “There is more than magic needed. I am rested now. I would like to refine my work.”
Her work. Of course. The dragon must have carved out the rooms in the cavern. “If you are volunteering to make the rooms more comfortable, I would be more than happy to accept.”
Kezari inclined her head. “Yes. My skizik and his wife will aid also.”
Dria blinked, uncertain what a skizik was or who they might be married to. On the other side of the table, Lady Selia chuckled. “She means my husband. The word refers to a dragon’s rider or helper.”
“I see,” Dria answered. Even though she didn’t. “It would be an honor to have a mage and teacher of your skill present.”
Selia smiled gently. “I was there when the portal was created, so I might be able to provide insight. And my husband is a life mage. He helped Kezari construct the outpost.”
A life mage? The ability to sense and manipulate the essence of life was a rare thing indeed.
“Oh!” a small voice called from the end of the table, and Dria peeked around Ralan and Cora to see young Eri dancing in her seat. “I helped make the portal. Can I go, too?”
“No,” Ralan said, his tone somehow hard, exasperated, and affectionate at the same time. A curious blend. “You are fortunate enough to be allowed at this dinner. Do not test your luck.”
“It was a small strand, anyway,” the girl muttered, returning her attention to her food.
Dria snapped her mouth closed before anyone noticed her gaping. Her niece was a seer like Ralan…and the child had helped establish a portal between dimensions. Good gods. Well, it explained the odd reaction Dria had received when she’d claimed that children were never a distraction. If Eri took after Ralan, she no doubt left a swath of trouble in her wake.
“We will go in the morning,” the dragon said.
“I will return to the cavern after dinner,” Dria answered. “There was already one incursion, and—”
“Vek will not return until tomorrow.” Ralan waved his hand. “And I See no hint of any other trouble. You should rest here.”
Dria ground her teeth together. If anyone else had suggested it, she might have cooperated. But she couldn’t give him the satisfaction. “No. Your Sight is not infallible, and I have work to do at my assigned post.”
Was it her imagination, or did he wince? But he merely nodded. “Very well. We’ll go in waves. You tonight, Kezari, Selia, and Aris along with a few helpers in the morning, and then the guards and mages later in the day.”
His capitulation was a small victory, but somehow, she didn’t feel like she’d won.
Vek slumped onto the couch. Dread pervaded his senses, but he wasn’t sure if it heralded doom or was a sign of his turmoil. Fen plopped down on the other section of the L-shaped couch, but he appeared more quizzical than upset.
“What in the hell is going on?” Fen asked.
“A great deal, unfortunately.” Vek hated having to explain this. “My father demanded more than I take you on as a student when I spoke to him.”
The room grew quiet as Vek tried to formulate the best explanation. Finally, Fen’s brow quirked. “I don’t suppose you’re going to, you know, tell me? Sometime this millennium? You’re likely to die of old age before I am, but I don’t want to push it.”
“Shut up,” Vek said, glaring for good measure. Not that his nephew would care. “You aren’t going to like this, but I suppose I should explain quickly. I’m supposed to infiltrate the new Moranaian enclave, kill the leader, and wrest the power they’ve gathered away from them.”
“What?” Fen shook his head and then rubbed at his face. “That doesn’t… Why?”
Vek’s brow furrowed. “I…”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Fen said. “Why would the king of the Unseelie want to antagonize the Moranaians? There would be a war for sure. Damn, I can’t believe you’re even considering it. They saved my ass twice at least. Is that why you didn’t want to tell me? Because I’d try to stop you?”
“Fen.” Vek lifted his hands, palms outward. “Calm down. I know you wouldn’t cooperate. And I can’t…there are many reasons I can’t complete this mission. If the Moranaians have done what I think with that energy and created a portal, there’s no power to take, and the woman in charge of the colony…she’s my mate.”
That shut Fen up. Alas, though, not for long. “Unseelie mate? You mean like the Moranaian soulbonds? No one told me that was a thing. Not that any of you bastards, no offense, cared to teach me much of anything about our people.”
“It hardly seemed relevant, considering your age,” Vek said. Dammit, he’d hoped to put this discussion off for even longer. “Haven’t you ever felt an inexplicable pull toward another? A strong connection, mind you, not mere interest.”
“I…” Fen’s voice trailed off, and his skin went pale. “You knew.”
Vek smiled. “That Maddy and Anna could be mates to you? Yes. Snobbery wasn’t the reason I wouldn’t let you take Maddy’s blood. Do not do so unless you are certain you wish to bind yourself to her. Or both of them. Whatever you choose.”
“Shit.”
“Pretty much all around,” Vek agreed. “But you can worry about your love life later. I have to figure out how to tell my father that I can’t complete this task without doom befalling my mother’s family. You did ask a valuable question, Fen. Why does he want this? I knew he would be furious about the wall being destroyed, but it isn’t cause for such a drastic move.”
Fen snorted. “Yet you were going to do it until you realized the leader was your mate.”
“I wasn’t.” Suddenly weary, Vek rubbed at his temples. “I didn’t go there tonight with the intent to harm. It was reconnaissance only.”
“If you say so.”
Vek stood, unwilling to debate the matter. “I have much to think about. Tomorrow, we will meet with Princess Dria as planned, and then we will consider what to do next. For now, we should rest.”
Before Fen could argue, Vek spun away and left the room, heading for the sanctuary of his sleeping chamber. It would be hours before he slept, but he did need to think. Something was going on, and he needed to figure out what.
Sooner rather than later.