Page 51 of Sun Elves of Ardani

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

The question surprised her. She’d expected him to start making demands or giving warnings, not to ask questions. “I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t had much time to consider all of this.”

He studied her for a long moment, and just when she thought he was about to say something, he returned his attention to his writing instead.

After a while, she realized neither of them had spoken for a minute or more, and she had just been watching him write. The smooth movement of his hand was oddly mesmerizing. But then, everything he did was oddly mesmerizing.

She expected him to tease her for staring, but he didn’t. He seemed content to have her there in the room with him as he worked.

She had come to get a book, she remembered. She went to a shelf, picked out the book she’d been looking for, then sat down to read it. They worked across the room from each other in companionable silence. She was surprised to find that she actually liked having him there.

“Do you remember—” she began, and he looked up at her instantly, his eyes intense, as if he’d been waiting for her to speak. She faltered as she tried to remember what she’d been about to say. “Do you remember when we were on our way out of Kuda Varai and you got that blood-sucking moth stuck on your neck?”

He scowled. “Do you have to bring that up?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Aruna knew it was there the whole time. He let me walk around with that thing on me for twenty minutes before you spotted it.”

“You know you deserved it. You were sniping at him every time you had the chance.”

He shook his head. “He was such an arse.”

“If you could bring yourself to have one normal conversation with him, you’d see that he’s not.”

“Are you a night elf sympathizer now?”

“Of course I am. Anyone can see they’ve been treated unfairly by everyone around them. They have very limited resources in Kuda Varai. They live hard lives.”

He glanced at the door, as if wondering whether they could be overheard, but he didn’t reply.

“You agreed with me back then,” Kadaki said, making sure he could hear the disapproval in her voice. She set her book aside and got to her feet.

“I did no such thing.”

“You did. Do you think I don’t remember?” She tilted her head at him. “Have you really changed so much since then? Are you so different from the person I knew?”

“Perhaps you didn’t know me as well as you thought you did.”

“Clearly I didn’t. I didn’t think you were an Ysuran apologist. Back then, you had a lot of negative things to say about your people, if I remember correctly. And rightly so. It seems that you went back to Ysura and immediately forgot how to think for yourself.”

He scowled. “You can't say things like that.”

She folded her arms. “Like what? That Ysurans are destructive and warlike? That you’re a blight on Heilune, and you’re the only ones who can’t seem to see it?”

He stood up and came toward her. “Do you think I’m joking? You’re going to get yourself arrested. You can’t say whatever you please and expect to face no consequences.”

“Oh? Are you going to arrest me?”

He stopped in front of her. “Perhaps.”

The way he was looking at her now reminded her of when he’d cornered her in the hall, when he’d come so close to her that she’d almost thought he would kiss her. Suddenly she found herself wishing that he would do it again. “Now you’re threatening me?” she said.

“Why not? I’m a heartless elven oppressor, aren’t I? Isn’t this what you expect of me?”

“I’d fight you if you tried to arrest me. And I’d win.”

He gave her a genuinely pleased smile. “I know you would. But I’d still have to try. I am sworn to serve the will of my queen and my people. We are not in Kuda Varai any longer. This is the way things are.” He took her chin in his hand. She stiffened. His fingers were warm, his hand firm as he aimed her eyes at his. “Those collars are hellish. I’ve worn one more than once. You don’t want to find out what it’s like.”

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