Page 61 of The Night Prince 2

His white hair.

No.

Show yourself.

He slowly turned back to Finley. The young man had taken a few steps towards him. His eyes were huge behind his glasses.

“Rhalyf… you’re a Night Elf!”

Secrets And Lies

Finley should have been afraid. Most people would have been. And that would likely have been intelligent and wise. But he was not scared. He would justify it later by telling himself that it was because it was Rhalyf–as if somehow this incredibly powerful Mage should not have been terrifying regardless of him being a Kindreth–and that was why he reached up and cupped the Night Elf’s cheek. Without thought. Without self-consciousness. Without fear.

He needed to touch.

To assure himself that what he was seeing was real.

It was like that moment when Aquilan had appeared on his shining white horse with his sword held high.

“Kindreth,” Finley found himself whispering.

To see a Night Elf to him was to see a dream. One that he’d had for so long.

Rhalyf blinked. His lips parted, but he said nothing. There was a haunted look in his eyes. Finley didn't want that there. It was as if Rhalyf feared what he would say, what his reaction would be, even though he found him beautiful.

“Hair like spun starlight,” Finley continued.

His hand drifted from Rhalyf’s face to the fall of silvery hair that hung down past his shoulders. It was as soft as silk and shimmered in the low light of the woods. None of the books he’d read had captured the true glory of it. Kindreth hair was magical. Rhalyf blinked some more and that haunted look eased.

Finley stared into Rhalyf’s eyes. Really looked into them. “Eyes like glowing jewels in the dark.”

They were a deep crimson, but with golden fires in them. They were alive in a way he could not explain. He imagined that they would flame in the darkness.

He whispered, “Beautiful.”

“I had no idea you were a poet,” Rhalyf said and smiled, or tried to.

“Don’t ruin it by speaking,” Finley frowned as Rhalyf’s familiar drawl reminded him just who he was touching. Night Elf or no, this was Rhalyf. Annoying, confounding, arrogant Rhalyf who could weave magic like no one else.

That had Rhalyf snort-laughing and smiling genuinely. “Ruin it? I will have you know that I am found quite charming with my wit adding to my–what did you say?--eyes glowing like jewels in the dark?”

Finley rolled his own eyes. “You can’t help yourself, can you? So vain!”

He was about to drop his hand when Rhalyf caught it. The smile died on the Night Elf’s face and his lower lip trembled. Just for a moment.

He’s terrified. He’s terrified about what I’ll think of him. Can’t he see–haven’t I shown him too much already of my regard?

“So worried actually,” Rhalyf confessed. “Most people when they see a Kindreth scream and flee.”

Rhalyf’s touch was strong, but gentle. He wasn’t trapping Finley’s hand, just holding it as if to ask: are you frightened of me? But Finley was not. He couldn’t be. This was Rhalyf. And while that meant many things like skilled and powerful and annoying, it also meant gentle, funny and caring, too. An elf that would read a sticky children’s story to some urchins. An elf that delighted in caramel corn. An elf that made Gemma feel as special and beautiful as she was. An elf that spoke to him like an equal.

Yet to trust Rhalyf? That was ridiculous on some level, considering Rhalyf had clearly lied to him about who and what he was. Maybe he was lying to lots of people. Did Aquilan know? Did Declan? Yet despite the lies and uncertainty, Finley knew he was safe with this elf. He knew it in his bones.

“Scream and flee? I’ll do that only if you keep waxing rhapsodic about your own beauty,” Finley deadpanned. His hand tingled where Rhalyf held it.

A smile that truly made Rhalyf ten times more handsome–if that were possible and Finley would never tell him–crossed the Night Elf’s face. “Oh, no, I won’t speak of it at all! I will leave that to you.”

Finley blushed so hard that his cheeks hurt. “I–I was just surprised seeing you like this. I wouldn’t have said that… that otherwise.”

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