Bow Before the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen, #1)

by J.M. Kearl

~Love is a powerful force. It cannot be bought. It cannot be taken or stolen. Although sometimes it must be fought for, it must be given freely.~

“Where did a pretty elf like you learn to do that?”

The mate rune on her wrist started to itch, like the sensation of a healing wound. It had been doing that a lot lately, and she didn’t know what it meant.

“I am Thane Athayel.” His resonant voice felt like a fingernail gliding lightly down the skin of her back. It too was recognizable, as if it haunted her dreams. But his voice did something the others did not, brought goosebumps to her skin. Layala licked her dry lips, as a connection between the itching rune mark and his closeness struck her. “The Prince of Palenor.” She laughed humorlessly. “My mate.”

“Prince? No.” He tilted his head slightly, making the morning light coming through the window reflect off his silver face covering. “I am High King of Palenor now.”

“And they say you fought alone against a hundred pale ones and killed them all.” He smiled, showing straight white teeth even in the darkness. “A hundred, you say? That would be impressive.” Her brows furrowed. “It’s not true?” She expected even if the number was inflated, he wouldn’t correct her. “It was closer to twenty, but even that wasn’t an easy gander through the woods. I strained my back a little.”

“You’re not going to drag me anywhere.” “That’s where you’re mistaken. I will. I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I must. And I might even enjoy it a little.”

“You’ll see.” She dragged her fingers through her hair, pulling through the tangles. “See what?” The horse’s hooves patted quietly on the soft ground of the forest floor. “One day you’ll be in love with me.”

“When a spell created by the Black Mage like ours isn’t fulfilled, there are consequences, Layala, and we’re almost out of time.” He paused. “That is my reason for wanting you. It’s not your power. We will turn into pale ones if we don’t meet the requirements of the spell, so if I must marry the girl who hates me then so be it.”

“Why do you defend me against her?” “I should think that was obvious.” “It isn’t to me.” “Layala, I’ve been defending you for nearly all my life.”

Yet after everything he endured, he didn’t think he could ever be happy with anyone else. He’d fought so hard, done so many things for her before he even met her. She carved a special place in his heart before they ever spoke a word.

“Yes. I need to know how to break the mate spell between Thane and me.” His bushy eyebrows shot up, wrinkling his forehead further. “Oh dear.” He stared at her for a moment. “I’m afraid you can’t, although I don’t know why you’d want to. Thane has—”

Vesstan shuddered. “I said it the day of her testing and I’ll say it again. I’ve never felt power like that. There is something dark about it. Something unruly. Yours is certainly comparable in strength, but the sign on her day was concerning.”

“I’m sorry you’ve had this burden, Thane. Layala is right. I should have never done the spell, even if your father would have killed me for denying him.”

“Because I keep my power tucked away, too.”

One raised his arrow and met her gaze. The arrow flew straight for her chest—it dissolved into dust inches before it struck her. The debris carried away in the wind. Layala blinked several times and the elf who shot at her looked just as confused as her. “That was your last mistake,” Thane said and marched toward the elf with an unnerving calmness.

“If anyone touches her in any way, death will come swiftly. And I am the reaper.”

“I was looking for you. Where have you been? It’s been four days and I haven’t seen or heard from you.” His eyes flared for a moment. “I didn’t think you’d miss me.” “I didn’t.” “Sure, you didn’t. I felt your longing to be with me. Especially at night.”

“I know what you’re doing. Why are you doing it? We’re not actually betrothed.” “Oh, but we are, whether you like it or not. Or are you angry I haven’t gotten down on one knee?” “Would you? Get on your knees for me?” she drawled, holding back an eye roll. “For you? Oh, absolutely,” he purred.

“They aren’t even that big.” She couldn’t believe they were having a conversation about her breasts. He looked at his open palm and then to her chest, then lifted his eyes to her face. “I think they’re the perfect size.” “I’m not above punching you in the face again.”

He had a feeling he’d be chasing after her for a long time, maybe always.

“There’s room in here for one more,” he patted the bed. “You know, if you get scared and need me to chase away the nightmares from that pretty head.” She flipped her middle finger at his wicked grin on the way out of the tent.

“I’ve had enough arguing with you. As your mate, you are mine. You can deny it until you have no breath, you can fight me and hit me and call me every filthy name you can think of, you could even try to kill me again, but I’m not going anywhere. You are mine and I am yours, and I will destroy anyone who gets in my way.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, is talk about me and my hand appropriate? Are balls in the vocabulary of a lady? How about prick? Bastard?” “Your balls are in danger right now.” “Fine, dearest, I’ll keep my fantasies to myself.” “Maker above, please do.” Fennan kept it going, “You got some strange fantasies if it involves your lady with a sword in bed.” “What if I meant a different kind of sword?” Layala rolled her eyes. “Ugh males. There will be a sword involved if you try anything.”

After several long beats, he said, “Will you ever forgive me?” She blinked away the rainwater collecting on her lashes. “Forgive you for what?” “For taking you from Briar Hollow. For forcing you to come with me.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I am sorry. I should have told you everything from the start. But I—I was scared.” He was scared? Thane Athayel? The Warrior King… “I wouldn’t have listened. And I have already forgiven you.”

“Zaurahel always wore a black robe, and he had black lilies tattooed on his forearms.” Layala’s insides cramped at the realization of the connection. A cold sweat broke out over her skin. She was born marked with black lilies. The very nature of her magic was so relatable to the Black Mage’s chair that it now felt encroaching as she stared at it. The serpents resembled her vines, her dark purple lilies uncanny in relation to the carvings.

“Most unmarried maidens wear them at gatherings such as this. It’s to show you are available. But you are mate-marked to the High King, so you’re not available.”

When Thane got up from his throne, holding onto the hand of the she-elf pulling him toward the other dancers, she choked on her wine and turned away from Endafar in a coughing fit. Her magic itched at her fingertips, and she couldn’t even say why.

To be mated to the most beautiful male she’d ever seen and not be able to touch him was a curse so cruel it cut her very soul.

“I don’t want anyone else’s company,” he said. “Then what do you want?” Snatching the flower crown off her head, he tossed it aside, losing it somewhere in the shadows.

Grabbing her waist, he firmly pulled her on his lap. “Claiming what is mine.”

“But you’ll never be intimate with me.” Their three companions suddenly found everything but them more interesting. Layala’s cheeks burned with shame and sorrow. She didn’t want to talk about this in front of their friends. Had he already told them? Piper looked troubled as she nibbled on her lip. Her eyes almost pleaded with Layala, silently begging her for… something.

Thane snatched the torch out of her hand and held it against a small pocket in the wall. It began to move upward, scraping and popping as it did. Thane put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her to his side. “I love you! You’re a genius.”

“Then we just marry to stop from turning into pale ones and fight the pull of desire forever? Unless we find the All Seeing Stone and have an answer for certain, we can never truly be together.” “And that is what you want? Do you want to be with me?” For how much she hated him all her life she couldn’t believe her answer. “Yes.”

“But if you want to stay, I promise I’ll love you so fiercely that they will write sonnets about our love. I will tear this world apart for you, I will fight until I have nothing left to give and destroy anyone who hurts you, and I will guard your heart most of all. Just, please, wake up.”

“When you say you’ve waited for me, do you mean…” He grew a sheepish smile. “I’ve never,” he licked his lips, “I’ve never made love before. I’ve waited for you. It didn’t seem right to share that experience with someone who wasn’t my mate.”

“She said that to finish the spell you must be wed and,” Tif gulped, “and consummate the marriage in love. I presume that means…”

He reached for her with pleading eyes. “Laya, please. I love you. I know you promised you wouldn’t love again, and I’m far from perfect and you deserve better than me but if you could give me a piece of your heart, I promise I will never break it.”

“There is a clause in the mate spell—loyalty. I know this because I helped him create the spell. When loyalty is broken there is a consequence. Your lover Novak died because he was not your mate. It wasn’t your magic that killed him. So now you have a choice. Do you wish to break the mate bond, or will you go to your mate and become one?”

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, “I’m sorry I left you. I shouldn’t have. I lied. I do love you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Thane Athayel.”

Love was a powerful force. It could not be bought. It could not be taken or stolen. Although sometimes it must be fought for, it must be given freely.

“What can I do to make you feel better? I can sense your unease.” His mouth twisted into a smile. He dropped to his knees and kissed the tops of her knuckles on both hands. “Marry me, Laya. Marry me and be my true mate. I will worship you in every imaginable way.” She swallowed hard. Maker above, he actually got down on his knees after teasing her about it. She knelt before him, taking his face into her hands and softly kissed his lips. “I would love to marry you.”

She dropped to her knees and climbed on top of him, and they became one. He moaned deeply as they rocked together. Thane was both gentle and vigorous, and their bodies melded and moved until she pulsed with euphoria. When they finished, sweaty and with heavy breath, they laid in each other’s arms, faces inches apart, waiting in heart-pounding silence. Thane’s mouth curled into a grin, and they started all over again.

“You shot me? You?” Her voice was barely a whisper. Maker above, it didn’t make sense. “You almost killed me. And you nearly shot Talon.” “My aim was—off. I meant to injure you less severely.” “Were you working for Tenebris this whole time?” “I was promised things if I remained loyal to my father. He contacted me shortly after Thane tried to kill him. And yes, Thane was my half-brother, but no, he never knew.” She was going to be sick. Aldrich was the traitor; the reason Thane might be—gone.

The bird cocked its head again and chittered its black beak when she reached for the paper. She pulled the string free and unrolled the note. I’m coming for you, Laya. ~ Thane