A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic, #1)(41)

The wolf wags his tail and I don’t bother suppressing a giggle. “I guess he does what he wants.” I bury my hand in the wolf’s fur.

“Like someone else I know.” Eldas gives me a side eye and somehow I laugh. For the first time, it feels as if we’re working together—as though we’re equals.

“If it’s any consolation, he didn’t listen to me either.”

Eldas looks up to the heavens as if silently beseeching the gods for assistance and then heaves a monumental sigh. “He’ll go back soon enough. He was likely just following our scent through the Fade.”

“Fadewalking seems a lot less impressive when an animal can do it too.” I can’t help a grin. Eldas narrows his eyes at me, but his scowl has lost some of its bite.

“He can Fadewalk because he is of the Fade—a creature caught in the rift when worlds were severed.”

“He’s a good boy, that’s what he is,” I coo to the wolf.

“Fine. It is now my choice to allow this beast to stay as long as it pleases.”

I don’t know if he’s saying that to me, the wolf, or himself. “Of course it is your choice.”

“If you destroy anything in my castle, I’m sending you back by force,” he says sternly to the beast.

“I’ll look after him.”

“Don’t get too attached. He’ll be gone before morning,” Eldas grumbles, and starts for the door. “And you, Luella, we will practice your magic again tomorrow.”

“You’ve given me even more incentive to learn,” I say earnestly. He seems somewhat startled by my shifted tone and gives a small nod. I bite back the urge to tell him that if he gives kindness, he’ll likely get it back.

Eldas yawns. “Now, I will make an effort to get some sleep, if the Human Queen will stay put long enough to let me.”

“I’ll allow it, I suppose.”

He clearly wasn’t expecting me to answer. A smirk pulls on the corners of his lips. Eldas puts his back to me before I can enjoy the expression.

“Eldas,” I say right as his hand falls on the door handle.

“What is it now?”

“Thank you for our agreement… It’s a good start in proving that you’re not so terrible, after all.”

As soon as I say it, I dip my head and focus on petting the wolf to hide my smile. I don’t want to make him even more uncomfortable. The sight of his icy facade crumbling at someone else’s gratitude is satisfaction enough.

He says nothing and slips out of my room, leaving me and my unexpected new companion alone.





Chapter 16





Rinni cracks the door. “Your Majesty? Are you ready?”

“Yes.” I’m perched at the edge of my bed. Alice’s journal is balanced on my knees and I’m scouring through for any information that could give me a starting point for how to approach my predicament.

I’ve already managed to figure out that the “Being” is the mirror of the “Knowing” in that it is the essence of existing rather than just understanding existence. It’s a tricky concept, but the important bit is that I now know my powers can change the true name of something.

A useful discovery to dedicate my morning to.

Rinni says nothing. The silence drags long enough that I glance over to her. Her eyes are focused on the wolf that’s taking up nearly the entire foot of my bed. She has a confused, bewildered, and slightly afraid expression.

“Rinni, meet Hook.” I named the wolf after the hook shape of his one, damaged ear.

“Hook… You have a wolf?”

“Yes, and his name is Hook.” I close up the journal. “Before you ask, yes, Eldas knows Hook is here. And yes, he’s all right with it.”

“Eldas… I’m missing something.”

“Maybe.” I smile sweetly and saunter over to the closet. I feel better than I have in days. “Hold on just a moment while I get dressed.”

Rinni studies me when I emerge.

“What? Did I pick poor clothes for a queen?” I ask.

“It’s not that. I like that you went with green again. It complements your hair. Perhaps you do have a bit of fashion sense to you.”

I gasp. “Rinni, did you just say something nice about me?”

She rolls her eyes. “You say it as if it’s a shock.”

“Well, I didn’t think you liked me much.”

“I like you fine.” Rinni’s eyes fall to Hook at my side. “You’re not bringing that beast into the throne room.”

“You want to try and tell him he can’t come?”

Hook tilts his head at Rinni. His eyes say, “pet me.” But his long muzzle full of razor sharp teeth says, “try me.” It’s only been a day, but I think finding Hook was one of the best things I could’ve done. It’s like we were meant to be together all along.

“Fine, but if Eldas asks, I said he should stay in your room.”

I shrug. After last night, I’m already more confident around Eldas. As long as he keeps up his end of the deal, maybe there’s hope.

Maybe, somehow, we got through to each other. A little?

We walk through the main room of my apartments. It’s still barren, and getting furniture slots higher onto my to-do list. It’s solidly underneath “figure out my magic” and “stop the cycle of the Human Queen.” But it may be more attainable than either of those goals and, moreover, having a furnished apartment might make me more comfortable during my—hopefully short—three months here. At the very least, it’d be nice to have an actual desk to read journals and take notes at.