Page 28 of The Book of Legends
My shoulders sag in relief as she gently removes the heavy metal from my aching wrists, as if a huge weight has been lifted and I’m freed.
“That must feel better,” she says softly.
I nod. “Yes, thank you.”
She picks up the wet cloth and dips it into the cup. “You must be thirsty.” She presses it to my lips gently; the water seeps into the cracks of my chapped skin, cooling the burn. I’m confused as to why she is helping me.
The question slips out before I can stop it. “Why?”
She doesn’t pause. She continues to dab the damp cloth against my lips again, as if she is caring for an injured bird.
“I don’t understand,” I rasp. “I thought he was going to…”
Her amber gaze meets mine, and for the first time, her expression darkens. “Kill you?” she finishes for me.
I nod, gripping the cloth between my own fingers. My nails are broken and filthy compared to hers. She’s clean and doesn’t look like she is a prisoner or someone who could hurt me, but then again, she produced a key out of thin air.
“If he wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Why am I here?”
She hesitates; a flush creeps up her cheeks, the same color as her fiery hair, before she glances away. “Kainen is keeping you.”
“Kainen?”
“Sorry… I shouldn’t have… we only call him Kainen when…” she trails off and lowers her lashes, but I don’t miss the way her body shifts slightly.
The Dark Prince.
I shouldn’t be surprised. A man like that would never be with––I glance at her pointy ears––whoever he decides to sleep with.
“Why?” The word tastes bitter on my tongue. My guess is my chances of survival in this place are less than one percent.
She swallows. “My guess? He thinks whoever sent you will come looking for you.”
A sinking feeling settles in my gut.
“It’s unusual to see a human from Elariya in Nithya after so many years.”
Dread squeezes my throat. I clench the wet cloth in my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Lox’s face flashes through my mind. The way he warned me. They locked him away for fifteen years like an animal. Then, he killed him. I thought his guards were beasts—huge animals that could crush your skull with their fists.
“But the dark prince,” I press. “He’s human, right?”
She looks at me like I’m an idiot. “Of course he’s human. Everyone knows that.”
“Then why does he hate his own kind?”
“Because after the war, any human or Elariyan that crossed the river was considered the enemy. The Gods cursed the two kingdoms, and for some, Nythia is considered the enemy andvice versa.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not from here.”
Her expression grows soft. “Where are you from?”
“A place where fairies and dragons don’t exist. Where I’m from, they’re myths. Stories.”
“Like in books or runes carved in stones?”
“Yes. You’re a fairy, right?”
