Page 59 of The Crown of the Last Fae Queen
An amused smirk twisted his lips. “You have always been our greatest weakness. Do you not think our enemies would try to kill you? You pose a threat to them. Your very existence angers them.”
“Stop,” she whispered weakly. Her head began to throb and the pressure behind her eyes built to the point that she wanted to weep, or scream, or do something. But she could barely move, and her tongue felt heavy in her mouth, and her traitorous eyes burned.
“They tried to kill you when you were still in Aesileif’s womb.” His voice grew distant, detached, and she could see the thinly veiled fury in his red eyes. “And again when you were a few days old, and then again, and again.”
“Stop it.”
“It angers you, doesn’t it? To realize that these humans do not value you. You scare them.”
The corners of her vision began to darken and she blinked through the sudden drowsiness. Her anger sharpened her tongue as she whisper-shouted, “You know nothing?—”
“I know you wish to escape,” he murmured. “I know you wish to rejoin your humans. But let me ask you this, Kolfinna. If you do manage to escape, do you think the humans would evenaccept you? Aesileif has always been their greatest threat, and the fact that you are the key to freeing her makes you a liability. You are more useful to us than you will ever be to them. In fact, if I was a human commander, I would order your death, even if you were loyal, because you are the key to destroying the human armies.”
Her head throbbed painfully, his even-toned words breaking through her greatest fears. She had been avoiding those points ever since she had been captured here. She knew, deep down, that she held more value to the humans dead than she did alive. But she had hoped that Blár would change things. That there was a possibility that she could live among them all, that there could be peace among their peoples.
“Why …” Her throat closed up and she tried again. “Why are my wounds not healing?” She attempted to keep her voice level and free of the panic springing in her chest, but it came out as a strangled half-sob.
“They used Elven steel.”
“Elven steel?”
“Yes.” He must have seen the questions on her face but he didn’t elaborate.
She opened her mouth to ask him about it, but her eyes began to droop and she found it hard to stay awake. His magic warmed her stomach and slowly, she fell into a dreamless slumber.
18
EIGHTEEN – KOLFINNA
The sheets smelled like roses;it was the first thought that came to Kolfinna’s mind as she turned in the bed, a soft groan escaping her lips. The pillows and mattress were so soft that she felt like she was enveloped in a warm bed of feathers; she wanted to remain there forever, to curl up in a ball and breathe in the floral scent of the clean sheets. It reminded her of Katla, her sister; they had always done the laundry together. Life had been simpler back then.
“Kolfinna?”
She returned to her senses; her eyes cracked open to a richly decorated room. The four-poster bed had heavy, gold-embroidered maroon curtains that were pulled back by silver tassels. A plush rug, a giant hearth that roared with reddish-blue flames, and windows overlooking a purpling sky came to view. She almost thought she was dreaming—this looked nothing like her tower room; more like a noble’s room, something she had been accustomed to when she had worked as a maidservant. But then it all came back to her. The assassination attempt. The stabbing. Vidar’s sharp words.
She sat upright in bed, and the whole room spun. Nausea rolled over her and she clutched her head with another groan. Itwas then that she noticed Astrid sitting on a stool beside her bed, a worn-out book in her hand.
“Kolfinna!” Astrid’s violet eyes widened and she leaned forward, grasping Kolfinna’s hand to give it a squeeze. “You’re awake!”
“Where am I?” Her voice came out raspy and groggy, like she hadn’t used it in days. She cleared her throat, blinking away the sleep and fatigue still clinging to her.
“Commander Alfaer had you moved to these quarters after … after …” She lifted her shoulders and an uncomfortable look passed over her delicate features. She chewed on her lower lip, watching her. “Are you okay?”
Kolfinna’s hand brushed over her stomach. She was wearing a thin white nightgown that billowed over her curvy frame. She resisted the urge to bunch up the skirt to her stomach and inspect her wounds, but she knew as she touched her bandage-less skin that she was healed.
“Vidar healed me,” she said with a slow frown. Were elves able to heal other people with their magic? She vaguely recalled him doing something similar before.
“Yes, you’re lucky he was able to get to you in time.” Astrid released a shuddered breath. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t able to help you. It was my off-duty and I was … asleep in a different level. I wish I could have been there—” Her voice thickened with emotion and she smoothed her trembling hands over the faded book on her lap. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
“It’s not your fault.” Kolfinna reached over and gave her hand as squeeze. “Yrsa was guarding me, but she must have fallen asleep or something.” She frowned. Now that she thought about it, Yrsa had been slow to react. Had she purposefully allowed her to become injured to that extent? No, if her goal was to have Kolfinna killed, she wouldn’t have even come into the room. Wasshe just slow to action? “I don’t know why she didn’t come into the room on time.”
Astrid nodded slowly.
“Where is she, by the way?” The room was empty save for the two of them.
“She …” Astrid sighed. “She died.”
The words didn’t register for Kolfinna for a moment and she continued to stare at the fae female dumbly. A shard of guilt tore through her chest and she released a shuddering breath. She hadn’t liked Yrsa after what she had done to her, but she was dead? Because of her?
