Page 81 of Long Live the Elf Queen

“True.” He averted his rich, red-brown eyes. He still didn’t go anywhere.

“Are you and Piper…”

“No,” he said quickly. “No, she’s too good for me. And it would be odd, right? I’ve known her for years and I haven’t exactly forgone other ladies.”

“So, what if she dated Leif then?”

“Bloody hell, no. He’s not good enough for her either.”

“Maybe you should let her decide who is good enough.” Thane nodded at a pair of ladies passing by. “I expect you to be on your best behavior while she’s with Ronan. She’s a big girl. She can do what she wants. That includes allowing Leif or Ronan or anyone else to flirt with her.” There absolutely could not be another standoff like on the island here or it would risk their mission.

Fennan pressed his lips together, then he waved a hand and chuckled. “That was nothing. Don’t worry. I’m always smooth at these types of things. I’ll find our way out of here.” He put on a smile, although it didn’t appear genuine, and he faded into the crowded room.

A strange itch at the back of his head made him look over his shoulder, and he smiled. Layala glided alongside Piper, grinning back at him. Maker above, he didn’t think he’d ever get used to how stunning she was. Everyone else seemed to fade away. Her silver-blue gown cinched at the waist, thin straps over her shoulders and a V-neck revealed the perfect amount of cleavage and collarbone. His stomach fluttered a little and he held out his hand to her. Her touch sent a heat pulse through him. “Hello, my dear.”

“This is some place, isn’t it?” Her blue eyes slid down his form. “I almost forgot how wonderful you look in a suit. You’ve been my dirty warrior for weeks.”

He chuckled and kissed her jaw, right next to her ear. “I’d love to get dirty with you later.” A slight blush pinked her cheeks. He loved that he had that effect on her.

Ronan cleared his throat. “Well, aren’t you two precious.” His arm was looped with Piper’s, and the mischievous smirk he wore unsettled Thane’s gut. Ronan wore a seven-peaked gold crown with round diamonds inlaid in each. “The king and queen shall arrive soon. But it would be rude to approach them. You’ll need to dance, drink, eat, be merry, and perhaps after, they’ll call an audience with you.”

“Perfect,” Thane said. “I’m starving.”

“Luckily, we have more food than you could ever want. Dragons have a salacious appetite and beastly tempers. Beware.” He brought Piper’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Surprisingly, Piper stared up at him almost mesmerized, eyes glittering in the sunlight cascading in from the windows. Thane arched an eyebrow. He had a feeling this prince had a salacious appetite for pretty maidens, and Piper was something new and unconquered.

“Oh, there’s my brother. Shall we?” Ronan swept an arm to the right where tables filled with meats, fruits and bread waited, and a tall male with a rose-gold crown stood with a group of seven surrounding him. Prince Yoren differed from Ronan in almost every aspect. His skin was dark brown, and his short black hair reminded Thane of strands of silk. He was taller than Ronan by at least three inches and lean whereas his brother was bulky and broad. Where Ronan appeared relaxed, Prince Yoren was stiff, and held a stern expression.

Thane held out his arm to Layala and she wrapped her hands around it. She leaned in close to his side and lowered her voice, “What do you think? Do we have a chance of getting the scepter?”

“The dragons have forbidden joining it with the stone so… we may have to steal it. We just need to find it and by the size of this city, that could take a while.”

“How do you know this?” She smiled as they passed a group of five shifters that observed them with a little too much lip licking for Thane’s liking. His jaw tightened. He didn’t like to be looked at like a meal.

“I saw it in a book upstairs and asked Ronan about it. He doesn’t know we want it, and I’ve not told him we have the stone.”

“I don’t know if it’s wise to steal something from the people we want help from. Ronan told me you asked for his help to fight Tenebris.”

Thane stopped and tilted his head. “I didn’t ask. He assumed that’s why we’re here which is to our benefit. And we need the scepter more than him.” He didn’t like being a thief either but desperate times shoved people into the shadows of transgression.

Chapter32

“Meet my new friends, Yoren,” Ronan said, gesturing toward the three elves. “This is High King Thane of Palenor and Layala Lightbringer, his betrothed, and my lovely date, Piper Fireheart.”

Prince Yoren dipped his head slightly. “Greetings. It’s been a long time since we welcomed the high elves. I hope our court has treated you well so far.”

“Quite well,” Thane said. “I’m more than impressed with your palace and I haven’t seen a spread to match this in years. I daresay the high elves must up their creativity.”

Prince Yoren smiled. “You’ll forgive our initial reaction to you and yours, I hope. We don’t allow outsiders inside our city often, especially high elves.” His golden eyes trailed over Layala, pausing on the lily’s mark on her arm then he briefly inspected Piper. “Because of the curse on your land. You understand.”

“I do,” Thane said. “And I am grateful for your hospitality. Had I known it was the queen’s birthday, we wouldn’t have crashed the party.”

Ronan waved a dismissive hand. “She’s had over a thousand now.”

Prince Yoren turned a steely gaze on him. “Mother wishes to speak with you. I hope you have a gift for her.”

He grew a serpentine smile. “Theyare my gift. The entire court is talking about them. Look at everyone watching us. She enjoys attention. Everyone will think she invited them to her party.”

Thane peeked over his shoulder. Nearly every person here was fixated on them like a child with a new toy. Some starred with lust, others with curiosity, a few like they might shift into beast form and attack. The twins he saw earlier toyed with their hair, licked their lips, coy smiles all directed at him. Many of the males watched Layala and Piper with a hunger that raised the hair on the back of his neck. Unlike the elves, beauty wasn’t inherent among the dragon shifters. They were similar to humans in how much their features differed, and the range from homely to stunning varied but most were neither. Some had large noses or eyes a little too close together, weak chins, or crooked teeth.Both princes were handsome in their own ways. Thane expected their mother would have been chosen for her beauty.

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