back, even run, but he steeled himself. Her lips came close to
his ear. “I know who you are looking for. Good luck.” Her whisper
was sharp in his ear, yet was not the terrible wraith voice.
Euphoria stepped back, took one look at
Taylon, and turned gracefully to stroll away. Taylon watched her
go, sickened and a little afraid.
Chapter Eight
The elfin army was beginning to gather in
Shalaydis. While the force was small so far, word flew by crow to
the other tribes, and slowly warriors arrived. News about the human
incursion had been varied and sparse. Rumors soared, and the
stories grew about the attacks. They only incensed the elves even
more.
Da’Lynn busily worked on her battle plans,
with Katrena by her side. Kerlick sent word he was rallying his own
band of rebels. Da’Lynn amazed at how easily the elves fell in
behind their new leader.
Katrena, who still wasn’t herself since the
overthrow of the council, barely said much of anything. She showed
no emotion, yet her eyes told a different story. Da’Lynn did not
have the time to investigate further. She was an acceptable slave
at the moment. No need to waste any more control power.
“Mistress Da’Lynn?” A young elf scout entered
the hall out of breath.
Her smile was deliciously seductive, yet
powerfully cruel. “Yes.” The word made the young elf forget his
message for a moment.
“Um…there is a band of rebels at the gate.
They are requesting permission.”
“Sound the alarm! Take a few soldiers…”
Jaloik, her battle commander, quickly sputtered out. Da’Lynn waved
her hand at him.
The scout paused, not sure what to do and
waited for the councilwoman to speak.
“I have called for the rebels to fight with
us. Allow them into the city.” She waved again but the scout
remained.
Jaloik turned toward her, confusion and a bit
of anger on his face. “Mistress, these are rebels! Outcasts! They
will destroy the city if left unchecked.” Other officers stopped to
watch the confrontation.
Slowly, Da’Lynn turned to fully face the
commander. Her smile disappeared, but the cruelness remained. She
closed her eyes, and then opened them again.
“You can easily be replaced Jaloik. And I do
mean easily.” Da’Lynn took a moment to stare at the quivering elf. A haughty and proud man, reduced to jelly by a simple woman.
Such power.
Da’Lynn turned back to the scout. Fear
registered on his face, as his eyes went back and forth between the
mistress and the commander.
“Go!” The harsh word sent the scout away.
Jaloik crept out of the hall, still visibly
shaken. Da’Lynn watched him leave and smiled. They would learn she
had a method to her madness. The chaos she would spread once the
Palace of Nine was open to her would be untold insanity.
Katrena came from the wall and approached her
mother. She stood by her side, not speaking. Her left hand cradled
her right arm; the missing hand plainly visible.
“Your mate comes.”
“Why do you torment me so?” Katrena cried
out.
“Because that is what I do. It is all in
jest.” Da’Lynn turned toward her daughter. She looked down at the
missing appendage. “Have you gone to the blacksmith? He could fit
that with a nice blade or other weapon.”
Katrena met her mother’s eyes, showing no
emotion. “With all that magic you have, surely you can regenerate
it for me.” Her words dipped with sarcasm, but otherwise held no
emotion. Katrena didn’t wait for a reply and began walking
away.
Da’Lynn clamped down on Katrena’s shoulder and spun
her quickly. You dare mock me, elf? She appeared too numb to
be frightened.
Quickly the ugliness of anger vanished and Da’Lynn
released Katrena. Both stood staring at each other. Katrena left
without a word.
Da’Lynn took a moment to compose herself. Soon she
would have to decide what to do about Katrena. Something was
different about her, but Da’Lynn could not deal with it now—no
matter how irritating it was getting. She turned to meet
his ear. “I know who you are looking for. Good luck.” Her whisper
was sharp in his ear, yet was not the terrible wraith voice.
Euphoria stepped back, took one look at
Taylon, and turned gracefully to stroll away. Taylon watched her
go, sickened and a little afraid.
Chapter Eight
The elfin army was beginning to gather in
Shalaydis. While the force was small so far, word flew by crow to
the other tribes, and slowly warriors arrived. News about the human
incursion had been varied and sparse. Rumors soared, and the
stories grew about the attacks. They only incensed the elves even
more.
Da’Lynn busily worked on her battle plans,
with Katrena by her side. Kerlick sent word he was rallying his own
band of rebels. Da’Lynn amazed at how easily the elves fell in
behind their new leader.
Katrena, who still wasn’t herself since the
overthrow of the council, barely said much of anything. She showed
no emotion, yet her eyes told a different story. Da’Lynn did not
have the time to investigate further. She was an acceptable slave
at the moment. No need to waste any more control power.
“Mistress Da’Lynn?” A young elf scout entered
the hall out of breath.
Her smile was deliciously seductive, yet
powerfully cruel. “Yes.” The word made the young elf forget his
message for a moment.
“Um…there is a band of rebels at the gate.
They are requesting permission.”
“Sound the alarm! Take a few soldiers…”
Jaloik, her battle commander, quickly sputtered out. Da’Lynn waved
her hand at him.
The scout paused, not sure what to do and
waited for the councilwoman to speak.
“I have called for the rebels to fight with
us. Allow them into the city.” She waved again but the scout
remained.
Jaloik turned toward her, confusion and a bit
of anger on his face. “Mistress, these are rebels! Outcasts! They
will destroy the city if left unchecked.” Other officers stopped to
watch the confrontation.
Slowly, Da’Lynn turned to fully face the
commander. Her smile disappeared, but the cruelness remained. She
closed her eyes, and then opened them again.
“You can easily be replaced Jaloik. And I do
mean easily.” Da’Lynn took a moment to stare at the quivering elf. A haughty and proud man, reduced to jelly by a simple woman.
Such power.
Da’Lynn turned back to the scout. Fear
registered on his face, as his eyes went back and forth between the
mistress and the commander.
“Go!” The harsh word sent the scout away.
Jaloik crept out of the hall, still visibly
shaken. Da’Lynn watched him leave and smiled. They would learn she
had a method to her madness. The chaos she would spread once the
Palace of Nine was open to her would be untold insanity.
Katrena came from the wall and approached her
mother. She stood by her side, not speaking. Her left hand cradled
her right arm; the missing hand plainly visible.
“Your mate comes.”
“Why do you torment me so?” Katrena cried
out.
“Because that is what I do. It is all in
jest.” Da’Lynn turned toward her daughter. She looked down at the
missing appendage. “Have you gone to the blacksmith? He could fit
that with a nice blade or other weapon.”
Katrena met her mother’s eyes, showing no
emotion. “With all that magic you have, surely you can regenerate
it for me.” Her words dipped with sarcasm, but otherwise held no
emotion. Katrena didn’t wait for a reply and began walking
away.
Da’Lynn clamped down on Katrena’s shoulder and spun
her quickly. You dare mock me, elf? She appeared too numb to
be frightened.
Quickly the ugliness of anger vanished and Da’Lynn
released Katrena. Both stood staring at each other. Katrena left
without a word.
Da’Lynn took a moment to compose herself. Soon she
would have to decide what to do about Katrena. Something was
different about her, but Da’Lynn could not deal with it now—no
matter how irritating it was getting. She turned to meet
Similar Books
