Sol’s expression turns calculating, and some of his humor returns. “How glad?” He winks.
I roll my eyes and turn away. “I gotta go. See ya.”
I reach the end of the hall before I realize Sol is still following me. I frown over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”
“Following you, of course.”
“Why?”
“To ensure your safety.”
“Why?”
Sol’s tone turns puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re a young maiden going off into the wilds of Liberty. Anything could happen out there. Yesterday proved that.”
“I’m twenty. That’s not young.”
“I’m two hundred and twenty-five. So, yes, twenty is young, even for a human.”
“You weren’t concerned for my safety a few weeks ago.”
“Well, I am now. Where would you like to go?”
This won’t work. I need to meet with some Colonial contacts, and I can’t do that if Sol is hovering over me like a mother hen.
“I don’t want or need your help. Stay.”
“I’m not a dog to command.” Sol sounds amused, and he keeps pace as I head to the entrance.
“I’m not a fragile glass figurine that needs constant watching,” I retort.
“You’re a human,” Sol counters. “Of course, you’re fragile.”
“Whatever.” I stomp outside, Sol still in tow. I need to hit the docks and maybe talk to Jonah. I’m not sure how I’m going to do that with hot-guy on my tail, but I’ll figure something out.
I need to keep my connection to the Colonials a secret. I’m still loyal, but if I don’t get a satisfactory answer as to why Stella is being targeted, heads will roll.
Stella is one of the few people in my life who doesn’t judge me for my Drifter title, and despite our frequent bickering, is one of my best friends. I’ll do what I have to in order to keep her safe.
3
Stella
Once outside, Eldaren summons three guards, including Geldyn.
“I shall return shortly,” the prince says to me. “Geldyn and the others shall keep you safe.”
I refrain from mentioning that less than twenty-four hours ago, Eldaren had been going on about how he was the only one who could ‘guarantee my safety,’ but he clearly has something planned. He strides away, in the direction of the docking—landing?—bay. I don’t really know what the elves call it.
I wait just outside the entrance of the fortress with the elven guards. I look at Geldyn. He stares back.
“Thanks for saving me last night.” I smile tentatively.
He doesn’t respond with more than a nod of the head. He’s still Geldyn.
Falling silent, I wait for Eldaren.
I don’t have to wait long.
The prince arrives with a deafening squeal of tires on pavement as he grinds to a halt in front of me.
The prince is driving a car.
I stare. “That’s a human vehicle,” I say.
“I am well aware of that.” Eldaren is wearing a denim jacket, his hair just windswept enough to show he’d been speeding a moment ago. “Get in.”
I haul my suitcase into the back and then get in on the passenger side next to the prince. “You’re supposed to open the door for me,” I grumble. “It’s what polite men do.”
“Duly noted,” is the response. “Do you have everything?”
“Yup.” I nod. “Let’s do this.”
Eldaren puts his foot to the pedal, and with a screech, we’re off. I hastily buckle myself in as we careen down the street. “You’re going too fast!” I yelp.
Eldaren brings his hand down on the horn, and the car blares, causing anyone in the streets to scramble out of the way.
“You’re breaking the law,” I yell.
“I make the laws,” Eldaren says tersely. “And the law says I am above them when needed.” With the windows rolled down, his hair whips about, making him look positively feral. “This is an emergency, and I hate driving cars. They are far too slow.”
I look at the speedometer, whimpering when I see we’re going over seventy miles per hour. I cover my eyes with one hand and slouch in my seat. “Just tell me when we’re there.”
“For a girl who’s so brave, you are rather cowardly.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“You attacked Geldyn when he caught you rummaging around on elven property, and yet here you are, trembling over my impeccable driving skills. I don’t understand you.”
He turns a corner sharply, and my fingers dig into the passenger seat.
“You’re driving like a maniac,” I snap. “You’re going to hit an old lady or something and kill her.”
At that moment, a woman literally steps into the street in front of us. I don’t even have time to scream before Eldaren hits the brakes, bringing us to a jerking halt.
“I didn’t kill her.”
“I hate you.”
Eldaren chuckles. “I doubt that. I can still feel the connection of the—”
“Just shut up.” I push my palms into my eyes. “You literally could have run that woman over.”
“It’s her,” Eldaren says, his eyes narrowed. He pulls the comm off his belt and pushes a button.
“My prince?” Geldyn’s voice is on the other end.
“I just saw that woman. The Colonial rebel leader. On First Avenue. Track her down and arrest her.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Huh?” I watch the woman as she finishes crossing the street and merges into the crowd. With her stringy brown hair and hunched shoulders, she looks to be in her thirties.
“She’s the woman who was protesting in the market that day you were dishonest and ran away from me,” Eldaren says. “She’s also a Colonial.”
“I wasn’t dishonest,” I growl, “not completely, anyway.”
“I’d hunt her down myself,” Eldaren says, his tone telling me he’s only paying half-attention to my words, “but we have a boat to catch.” He continues his mad drive. “She’s part of the human rebellion. The Colonials. We caught her on camera ransacking one of our storehouses.”
“Last night,” he says after a moment, “Geldyn went back to retrieve Lyra. He’d left Thandin’s body, so I ordered him to retrieve it.”
“Okay.” I remember with some alarm that while Geldyn had shot an arrow through the other elf’s throat, Wilder had very much sucked Thandin of his blood. An arrow wouldn’t be enough to rid
