plush grass, her back resting against a tree trunk.
The Shadow Elves still looked like Dragnor but with thin green eyes like a cat, and that fact alone made her overly cautious. Still, she couldn’t sit there and watch them get murdered—or used like slaves or whores.
Their faces were interesting to her. The white tattoos across their eyes and cheekbones were intricate and beautiful. Her own tattoos disturbed her, and she wished she had more clothing to cover them.
“I am Oksana,” the older woman said, breaking the silence. “This is my father, Vadim. What is your name?”
“You can call me Lilae.”
Oksana sat back on her heels. “Again, we are grateful for your assistance. If there is any way that we can repay you for your kindness, let us know.”
“I’ll never let injustice happen before my eyes,” Lilae said.
“As my daughter has said,” Vadim began, his steady gaze focused on Lilae. “We owe you our lives and will repay you for your aid.”
“That’s not necessary,” Lilae said. She heard rustling behind them and glanced over her shoulder.
Delia led the way, her lips pursed as she lifted the bottom of her gray dress to keep it from dragging in the mud.
The Elder still wore her clothes from Avia’Torena as well. The rich fabric did nothing but remind Lilae of Emperor Kavien.
Lilae climbed to her feet when she heard Rowe, Liam, and Delia approach. Her brows lifted when she saw Rowe and Liam covered in blood.
Traces of human guts still clung to Rowe’s ax.
“What happened?”
“What do you think happened, Lilae?” Delia stood before her, her hands on her hips, her brows furrowed. “You started a war in that town, and Liam and Rowe had to finish it.”
Lilae pursed her lips, glancing at Liam. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you all behind with the soldiers. I thought you’d sneak out somehow.”
“It’s fine. We took care of things,” Rowe said, wiping the blade clean with his hands and rubbed his hands onto his pants.
“You killed the soldiers?”
Rowe nodded at Lilae. “Every single one.”
Delia shook her head, her eyes landing on the two Shadow Elves. “We need to keep moving.”
“Wait,” Oksana said, standing. “We are going back home to Gollush. The human world is brutal, but we knew the danger when we signed up to be messengers. Come with us. We are closer to Gollush than any other villages for days of travel. We can help you with supplies, armor, weapons, and whatever you need.”
Lilae looked from Delia to Oksana. “Go to Nostfar?”
“Yes,” Vadim said. “We were heading to a holy man. An Elder. He has been visiting our village for many months now, convincing Shadow Elves to join the resistance against Wexcyn. My family and I have been passing information along between the goblin city and Gollush.”
“This was the first time we’ve gotten caught,” Oksana said.
To Lilae’s surprise, Delia nodded. “The resistance does need us. A quick stop to Gollush to organize the Shadow Elf resistance could be a good thing.”
Lilae pulled in a breath.
Liam stood beside her. “I wasn’t aware that Shadow Elves were divided. How long have you all been organizing?”
“For almost a year now,” Oksana said. “Vaugner warned us that The Barrier would be destroyed and that war would begin. But, the people of Gollush do not accept the terms presented. Nostfar will stand strong against tyranny.”
“Very well,” Delia said. “We will escort you home.”
Lilae hadn’t heard that name before. “Who is Vaugner, Delia?”
“The first Gatekeeper of the Underworld. I trust him with my life. He was my teacher.”
Vadim lifted a small translucent cube from his side pouch. “If you do not mind, I will summon a trio to help with the journey over the lava lakes.”
“A trio?” Warnings came to Lilae, making her feel ill.
“Yes, just guards from Gollush,” Vadim said as the cube glowed in the dim light of the jungle.
Liam looked suspicious.
The Shadow Elves still looked like Dragnor but with thin green eyes like a cat, and that fact alone made her overly cautious. Still, she couldn’t sit there and watch them get murdered—or used like slaves or whores.
Their faces were interesting to her. The white tattoos across their eyes and cheekbones were intricate and beautiful. Her own tattoos disturbed her, and she wished she had more clothing to cover them.
“I am Oksana,” the older woman said, breaking the silence. “This is my father, Vadim. What is your name?”
“You can call me Lilae.”
Oksana sat back on her heels. “Again, we are grateful for your assistance. If there is any way that we can repay you for your kindness, let us know.”
“I’ll never let injustice happen before my eyes,” Lilae said.
“As my daughter has said,” Vadim began, his steady gaze focused on Lilae. “We owe you our lives and will repay you for your aid.”
“That’s not necessary,” Lilae said. She heard rustling behind them and glanced over her shoulder.
Delia led the way, her lips pursed as she lifted the bottom of her gray dress to keep it from dragging in the mud.
The Elder still wore her clothes from Avia’Torena as well. The rich fabric did nothing but remind Lilae of Emperor Kavien.
Lilae climbed to her feet when she heard Rowe, Liam, and Delia approach. Her brows lifted when she saw Rowe and Liam covered in blood.
Traces of human guts still clung to Rowe’s ax.
“What happened?”
“What do you think happened, Lilae?” Delia stood before her, her hands on her hips, her brows furrowed. “You started a war in that town, and Liam and Rowe had to finish it.”
Lilae pursed her lips, glancing at Liam. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you all behind with the soldiers. I thought you’d sneak out somehow.”
“It’s fine. We took care of things,” Rowe said, wiping the blade clean with his hands and rubbed his hands onto his pants.
“You killed the soldiers?”
Rowe nodded at Lilae. “Every single one.”
Delia shook her head, her eyes landing on the two Shadow Elves. “We need to keep moving.”
“Wait,” Oksana said, standing. “We are going back home to Gollush. The human world is brutal, but we knew the danger when we signed up to be messengers. Come with us. We are closer to Gollush than any other villages for days of travel. We can help you with supplies, armor, weapons, and whatever you need.”
Lilae looked from Delia to Oksana. “Go to Nostfar?”
“Yes,” Vadim said. “We were heading to a holy man. An Elder. He has been visiting our village for many months now, convincing Shadow Elves to join the resistance against Wexcyn. My family and I have been passing information along between the goblin city and Gollush.”
“This was the first time we’ve gotten caught,” Oksana said.
To Lilae’s surprise, Delia nodded. “The resistance does need us. A quick stop to Gollush to organize the Shadow Elf resistance could be a good thing.”
Lilae pulled in a breath.
Liam stood beside her. “I wasn’t aware that Shadow Elves were divided. How long have you all been organizing?”
“For almost a year now,” Oksana said. “Vaugner warned us that The Barrier would be destroyed and that war would begin. But, the people of Gollush do not accept the terms presented. Nostfar will stand strong against tyranny.”
“Very well,” Delia said. “We will escort you home.”
Lilae hadn’t heard that name before. “Who is Vaugner, Delia?”
“The first Gatekeeper of the Underworld. I trust him with my life. He was my teacher.”
Vadim lifted a small translucent cube from his side pouch. “If you do not mind, I will summon a trio to help with the journey over the lava lakes.”
“A trio?” Warnings came to Lilae, making her feel ill.
“Yes, just guards from Gollush,” Vadim said as the cube glowed in the dim light of the jungle.
Liam looked suspicious.
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