2. Adelbert

Chapter two

Adelbert

"Is this helping your brain switch off a little?" Edmond asks me, raising his voice to be heard above the rush of the waterfall and the boisterous laughter coming from our friends. He lowers himself onto the rock next to me and stretches out his leathery wings behind him.

In front of us, Jasper cannonballs into the natural pool then proceeds to playfully wrestle Jamie, taking care not to nick him with his long horns. The rest of our friends are chatting, laughing, or roughhousing with each other around the clearing, and my lips twitch into a small smile.

"I am not sure about switching off, but it is most definitely quieter. I needed to get away for a little while," I tell my friend and roll my shoulders back.

"It makes me happy to know you are able to relax here with us. We appreciate you offering the Caribbean Estate for our reunion and coming out here early to ward it so securely," Edmond says with absolute sincerity. He and Harvey have always been the most empathic members of our friend group, the "nice guys" as Everett calls them.

"It is no problem." I take a deep breath and add, "My father and some other elves assisted me with the warding. He wanted to ensure it was done properly ."

"Nithard Alberad actually left Germany to ‘help'?" The surprise in Edmond's voice amuses me and I scoff at the notion that my father would do such a thing.

"I would not call it ‘help' as much as ensuring I don't fuck it up."

Edmond's long tail flicks out in agitation. "That seems very on-brand for your father. But let's not talk about him. He ruined enough fun while we were at school. How's your research coming on? The final presentation is this fall, if I'm not mistaken?"

I nod and my shoulders tense at the reminder. "It is coming along fairly well. However, I would prefer not to talk about it right now."

Edmond stretches out a hand toward me in what I'm sure is meant to be a comforting gesture, but quickly retreats because he knows elves don't welcome physical touch.

"I know leaving Germany must be hard at this point when you are under such immense pressure. Whenever, if ever, you would like to talk, I am here. We all are."

"I appreciate that," I say and really mean it, though the prospect of me sharing my research with anyone at this point is highly unlikely.

An odd sense of home seeps into my chest and my heart rate suddenly ratchets up. A wind whips past me and my eyes scan the clearing for its source, finding all the leaves still.

"Did you feel that?" I ask Edmond, my voice holding a nearly breathless quality to it.

"Feel what?" Edmond sits up straighter and his eyes dart around the pool, the waterfall, and the trees surrounding us, searching for a threat.

"Where's Everett?" I ask when I can't see or sense him, then realize it's him who must have zoomed past us. "Please excuse me. I'm going to see where he's gone off to."

"Sure." Edmond tries to look casual but his body remains on high alert as I stand up. "Shout if you need anything."

My feet lead me toward the wall of foliage where the sound ward extends up to, a strange sensation bubbling deep within me and propelling me forward. My hands grow clammy and my heart beats faster and faster until my whole body vibrates with nervous energy.

I reach forward and part the curtain of leaves. Then, my heart nearly stops beating all together.

In front of me is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. Long pearly hair meets her lithe waist and glimmers in the evening light. Her eyes, alight with kindness, blink at me. They're an unforgettable shade of blue, the same shade as the cornflowers that pepper my favorite meadow in the summer.

There's something soft and graceful about her and, instead of fear or shock marring her expression, there's a serene smile painted on her rosy lips.

I steel my spine and square my shoulders, ignoring the odd itch on my ribs and swallowing down all the unwelcome emotions the human woman is stirring up in me. Only then do I notice my closest friend and another woman partially hidden behind him.

"Everett, who are these women?" I ask him.

"I was just coming to get you to figure out how they were able to penetrate the wards. I've been trying to get some answers out of them, but they're not being particularly cooperative." He shoots a pointed look over his shoulder at the woman in the pink dress. Though, there is nothing stern about the expression, it seems rather playful. He likes her .

How long have they been out here while I was relaxing by the waterfall, oblivious of our wards being penetrated by humans? My father will never let me hear the end of this if he finds out.

Something tightens in my chest at the thought of the two women being frightened of us and I do my best to soften my features and project calmness. Everett and I are two of the most human-looking among our friends, though both of us possess monstrous qualities I hope the women have not yet noticed.

"We were merely following the flowers," the woman with ethereal beauty says. Why does even her voice have to sound sweet?

I sweep my gaze around the clearing and tilt my head to the side to get a better look at the foreign flowers. They grow in a trail from the edge of the ward down toward the beach.

A loud gasp comes from behind Everett's back and the woman in pink whispers, "Are you like a faerie or something?"

My eyes instantly flick from her to the woman in front of me, expecting some kind of negative reaction. I am surprised to find her demeanor still calm, if not curious as she studies my pointed ears. Her smile is like sunshine that pierces through a stormy cloud and I suck in a breath before schooling my features again.

The one behind Everett keeps babbling, and I arch my brows at her.

Raising her hands, the talkative one says, "But I promise you, we won't say anything. Seriously. We'll just be on our way and—"

"Enough!" My voice comes out harsher than I intended, though I appreciate the efficiency with which it halts her speech. "I can sense that there are other humans on this island. I have no idea how that is possible, but we cannot allow you to leave until we have the answers as to how you were able to sneak this far onto the island. Especially without me detecting it." Realizing I might be scaring them more, I gentle my voice. "We mean you no harm. But since we are unsure of what forces are at play here, it is for your own safety that I request you and your companions come with us up to the manor, and then I'll answer some of your questions."

The talkative one steps out from behind Everett and, with more attitude than I care to deal with, asks, "How can you ‘sense' the others? If only my sister and I saw you, don't you have to be concerned about only us? The others don't even know anything."

Everett points toward the beach. "The ‘others' are actually headed this way as we speak."

The woman in pink turns in the direction he pointed and tries to see what he means, as if her human senses could pick up anything from this distance.

"I can't see anything," she says.

"I can hear them approaching. They're quite… rowdy. Sounds like a fun party." Only Everett would see that as a positive and crack jokes at a time like this when the secrecy of monsters could be at stake.

We go to great lengths to ensure our safety from humans. I have studied warding and magic for years in order to keep the mere existence of monsters hidden.

"More like an assault to the senses," I mutter and glance back at the pretty sister who has been standing quietly watching the scene unfold.

"There you are! We were wondering where you ran off to," a woman calls. I presume she must be the leader of the group as seven others trail behind her.

"Who are these guys?" another woman asks. Distrust rolls off her in waves and hits me square in the chest. I am glad to see there is someone with a sense of danger in the group.

Needing to reassure all ten of the women that we mean no harm, I step forward and place my hand on my chest. "Ladies, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Adelbert Alberad. My family owns this island and, by proxy, I am therefore responsible for your safety. It has come to our attention that you have inadvertently breached our security measures, and I would like to ascertain how that may have come about. If you would be so kind as to follow me up to the manor, then we can discuss this matter further, and possibly alleviate any concerns you might have."

No one says anything for a couple of seconds and then laughter bursts forth as they talk over each other, making it clear they do not intend to follow us anywhere.

My eyes bounce between the women, trying to figure out a way to make them see sense. I swallow hard and run a hand through my hair as nerves claw up my throat.

How did they even get onto the island? How am I going to fix this?

Just when I think it cannot get any worse, I turn, only to see Harvey's curved horns parting the curtain of leaves behind me and bursting into the clearing, soon followed by the rest of the group.