Tristan came to stand beside me. He didn’t offer any advice or help, just sheathed his sword in the scabbard strapped to his back and watched me as he scanned the surroundings, each move smooth and lethal. I wondered if he ever let his guard down.
“Thank you for what you did for us,” I said, looking up to address the tall warrior once I finished healing Santino.
Tristan shrugged. “Just doing my job.”
I helped Santino stand up. “What about the other gorgoths in the palace?”
“The griffins will have taken care of them.” Tristan crossed his arms as he watched me warily. “Where did you learn to heal like that?” He glanced over at Santino, who was picking up his sword.
“At the Academy of Evolon.”
His brows scrunched together. “You learned this healing from mages?”
I shook my head and fidgeted under his sapphire gaze, adjusting my clothes, which were ripped and revealing too much. “I had a fae teacher.”
His shoulders relaxed. “That explains it,” he said, then moved away to speak to one of his companions, a fae-warrior with long fair hair, a green tunic, and high leather boots who looked as deadly as Tristan. He eyed me warily as Tristan spoke to him in hushed tones.
Santino approached the fae-warriors, his hand outstretched. “Brandor is forever in your debt.”
Tristan turned to face him. “It was nothing.” He grasped Santino’s forearm, nodding his acknowledgement of the debt as if it were an everyday occurrence.
“A man of few words.” Santino winked at me. “I like him.” Santino didn’t seem to be fazed by the big fae-warrior who towered over him. “I would like to offer you a place in my humble abode to stay as long as you wish. Anything your heart desires will be brought to you: food, jewels, women.” He grinned at his last offer.
Tristan’s mouth quirked to the side in what I thought was a smile. “Thank you, but we must be on our way.”
“As you wish,” said Santino, “but at least rest and have something to eat before you leave.” He looked up at the sky. “Dawn will soon be upon us, and I am sure you must be famished after all that fighting.”
Tristan nodded and turned his attention to me, his eyes narrowing. “Get your things ready, Princess. We leave at first light.”
The fair-haired warrior who stood beside Tristan put his hand on his shoulder. “Why do we have to take the half-breed with us?” He flicked a glance at me. “We should go back and send someone else to get her. As it is we had to save her. Now she will slow us down.”
I bristled and my spine stiffened. Half-breed. Penelope had mentioned some of the noble houses of the fae looked down on anyone who was not purebred, but the animosity I felt coming from the fair-haired warrior was palpable.
Tristan looked me over and spoke to his companion as if I weren’t there. “Our orders were to escort her to her grandmother, Aiden. She will have to keep up. It’s not my problem if she collapses when she reaches Elfi.”
Aiden nodded at Tristan and gave me a sharp look. “And I would say good riddance.”
The fae-warrior with short russet-colored hair walked up to us. He was dressed the same as the others, and his twin swords were already sheathed on his back. “Aiden and Tristan can’t help being rude,” he said, smiling at me. “Think nothing of it, they’re huge snobs.”
Tristan scowled at his companion.
I nodded but kept my mouth shut as I studied them all.
“I apologize,” the red-haired fae said before bowing briefly. “I’m Cade. And you already know these two.” He jerked his chin at the two scowling warriors. “And that one,” he pointed to the fourth warrior, who was still surveying the premises, “is my brother, Farrell.”
“You look alike.” I glanced at Farrell and smiled. At least one of them could speak without grunting in monosyllables or caustic remarks.
Cade stood up straighter. “We’re twins but not identical, thank the Great Goddess. I got all the looks, as you can see.”
I laughed. Cade was sweet, and he was the only one who seemed to have a sense of humor.
“Enough, Cade,” said Tristan. “Go get your things, Princess, we leave at—”
“First light, yes,” I said tightly. “I got it the first time.” I’d had enough of his rudeness. And I didn’t want to prove Aiden right by letting them know I needed to rest. I pushed my shoulders back. “I will meet you back here when the sun rises.”
Tristan’s eyebrow rose at my tone, but he said nothing.
Cade laughed. “I like her.” He glanced at Tristan. “She may liven things up in Iris. The Royal Court has become so boring of late.”
I hoped I had sounded remotely regal as I spun on my heel and sped off into the palace.
Santino followed, practically running after me because I was walking so fast. “I can’t believe they are actually here.” His eyes looked a bit wild.
I looked over at him and slowed my pace. Santino fell into step with me as we traversed the ornate corridors of the Red Citadel. “Who? You mean Lord Rude and Obnoxious over there? You heard Tristan, my grandmother sent them.”
“But these are not just any fae-warriors, Aurora,” he said, hardly able to contain his excitement. “That is part of Queen Izadora’s Elite Guard. The immortal High Fae knights of legend, the last of the fire-fae warriors of Elfi.” I had never seen him so worked up. He was usually calm and composed in everything he did.
“I thought all of the fae-knights were gone.” I tried to recall what I had learned about the fae so far from Penelope and Kalen.
“Not all of them,” said Santino. “Tristan Nightshade is a legend. Although he is one of the youngest, he is also the fiercest of Izadora’s warriors, and the deadliest. They say his silver fire can burn whole mountains to ash. Many of the Drakaar over the centuries have lost
