Kiss of Frost (The Dragon Stone Saga Book 1)(31)

“Yeah, I got that. What is it?”

Can’t she tell I have a date with a mimosa and some breakfast to get rid of this headache? I berate myself as soon as the thought crosses my mind. She came to see me. But deep inside I try not to let myself hope that she wants to get to know me.

“I have found someone for you to marry,” she states, her smile smug.

I jerk back as if I were slapped and drop my jaw. “I’m sorry, did we suddenly jump back in time to the middle ages? Last I checked it’s a free Kingdom, and I can marry whomever the hell I please, Mother.”

“Yes, well, he is of higher elf blood and willing to overlook your impure bloodlines, Ever. Honestly, you are of child-bearing age. You need to consider settling down. You won’t find a better match, I assure you.” She flails her arms in the air like she’s conducting an orchestra, her voice rising higher.

Last I checked, relationships between leath cine and full-blooded elves are still punishable by death. I’m struggling to understand why she’s telling me this. To be cruel? Or is she genuinely trying to help me find a mate? Even speaking of a union between leath cine and a full-blooded elf was considered treason.

“I assure you I’m not interested,” I say coldly. Better to be totally against it. That way I can’t be tried for treason. I’m ready to toss her out on her haughty ass. How dare she say this to me. Is it a trick? After our last phone call, I thought we might be making some progress. She listened to me talk about my day and my latest mission with minimal sighs of annoyance and interruptions. I guess I was wrong. Dead wrong.

An arranged marriage? To a stranger. Is she high? Elf pot?

“You’re being unreasonable. You must at least meet him,” she says. “He’s expecting you at the next festival. This week.”

“Excuse me?” I widen my eyes, giving a bark of laughter. “This week, Mother? I have plans, and a job.” I try to frown, but my jaw is tight with tension. She doesn’t have to know that my plans are to be anywhere but at that festival.

“Cancel them. You must be there. I will not take no for an answer!” Her voice rises, her tone hysterical.

“Sorry, I’ve had these plans for a while.” Like five seconds, but pssh, semantics.

She starts pacing in a tight circle, her shoulders hunched. I have never seen or heard of my Mother appearing anything less than put together and eerily calm. That’s the way of the high elves.

“You must cancel them,” she repeats. “Do this for me, Ever. I’m your mother, and I have never asked anything of you. I need you at this festival celebration.”

“What is this really about, Mother? And don’t try to dance around it. I can see it’s important, but why? You full blooded Fae never do things out of the kindness of your heart, so why would you try to arrange a match for me? Why is so important I suddenly attend an event at the court when I have never once been invited before?”

Her face goes pale, and her calm mask reappears. “Ever, you are of age now. And the King and I would like to see you make a smart match.”

Ahhh. So this is something political. My uncle. The only one she could be referring to is the current King of the Elven Kingdom, Caddox McElva, all around badass extraordinaire.

“Uncle Caddox, you mean? Has something happened?” I watch her face closely for any unspoken cues.

My mother’s expression shutters and her eyes avoid mine. Adjusting her stance, she shifts from foot to foot. “He is the King of the Light Elves. You must refer to him as such. You would do well to remember not to refer to him so informally.” She avoids my question while scolding me all at once. Special talent she has there.

“Yeah, whatever. Why didn’t he send me an invite or ask me himself?”

“He is the King! He doesn’t have time to personally invite everyone he wishes to attend.”

I shake my head, amused that this seems to be fazing her in some way. What she really means is that he doesn’t have time to confer with half-breeds, dirty little things that we are. Little does she know that my uncle has visited me more times than I can count. He is probably the only elf that I don’t have negative feelings for on sight due to their usually haughty natures. He has never cared that I am leath cine. He was here for every milestone as I grew up. When I mastered the language of the elves, and then the goblins. When I graduated and then successfully completed my first capture solo, he was there. Caddox was always there to congratulate me and offer a wise piece of advice. I look up to him as a father figure, since I don’t know who mine is because my mother turns into a mute at the mention of the subject.

“Mother, be honest with me, and tell me why it is suddenly so important I attend one of the celebrations, and I will consider it.”

She huffs and plants her hands on her hips. “Cashel Finarben approached your uncle about making a match with you. As he is a court favorite and has many powerful allies, your uncle sees no reason why he should deny him his request.”

“I have a few. Not a huge one or anything, just, you know, that he’s my cousin! Which makes us related. Oh, and that I would be sentenced to death if I were to wed him since I’m a leath cine and he’s not.”

She gasps, tilting her head to the ceiling and letting out a heavy sigh.

“Any hold you or anyone of the elven court had over me disappeared the day you left me here to be raised by MECA. So I don’t see why I would do this for you, Mother. As a matter of fact, I think it’s time you left.” Any last shred of hope that she was here just to see me disappears in a puff of smoke, and my stomach drops.