Chapter 5

The elven female crashed into me in a tangle of skirts and long, silky hair.

Behind her, the boar slammed into the Covenant. Blue light flared, and the beast flew backward and landed on Ishulum soil with a dense, unforgiving thud.

Dead.

The woman twisted around to look at it. The tip of her pointed ear peeked from her hair as she gazed at the animal through the shimmering band of magic. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, lifting the bodice of a simple but beautifully made gown. The fabric was a rich velvet dyed a blue so dark it was almost black. Jeweled pins studded the remnants of her intricate braid. Her hair was the same silvery white as the moon-drenched snow around us.

She swiveled back around, and I caught my breath as the full force of her beauty hit me.

Beautywas too subtle a word. Her high cheekbones, lush mouth, and delicate jaw demanded a stronger descriptor. My heart thumped harder, the beats doing their best to match the pulse fluttering in her neck. Snowflakes drifted around us, several touching down on her hair before dissolving into the thick mass.

The woman's wide, green eyes lingered on my cuirass before lifting to my face. She was tall for a female, but she had to tip her head back to look me in the eye.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

She seemed to realize she still clung to my arms, because she released me and took two swift steps backward. She looked around as if she expected more men to spring from the snow. When her gaze landed on the forest behind me, she backed up another step.

"We're alone," I said. "No one ever gets this close to the Covenant. You're safe. I mean you no harm." For a moment, I thought she might flit back across the boundary. She was vulnerable without her magic. But she stood her ground as a mix of curiosity and apprehension filled her eyes.

"You see me," she said. She frowned and gave her head a little shake. "I mean, you obviously see me, but…you saw me through the Covenant."

I nodded, and I held still, my arms relaxed at my sides to hopefully minimize the threat I knew I radiated. After a lifetime of villagers cowering when I passed, I knew my size alone was enough to provoke fear. "Some humans have the gift."

Her eyes flicked to my ears, and I smiled even as my instincts screamed at me to run, hide, deny. My father had whispered those warnings in my ear since before I could walk. "We never tell anyone what we are, boy. Do you understand?"

But this was different. The elven woman wouldn't condemn me for a heritage she shared. Besides, I could hardly deny it after she'd watched me peer through the Covenant.

"I'm elfkin," I said, and I let my smile grow. "We don't inherit the ears."

Surprised flitted over the woman's face. "I thought humans hunted the elfkin to extinction."

"Not quite. But it's true that most of Andulum despises those of us with elves in our family tree, no matter how distant the branches. I don't advertise my gift."

She arched a pale brow. "Except when you lure elven women through the Covenant."

It was my turn to be surprised—and intrigued. She was no shy, retiring maiden. Just what kind of woman was she? With a start, I realized I was deeply invested in finding out.

I lowered my voice to a conspiratorial murmur. "I hope I can count on you to keep my secret."

The curiosity in her eyes swelled. She looked me over again, her gaze roaming from my shoulders to my boots and everywhere in between. The glimmer of appreciation in her eyes made my blood pump faster—and travel to parts of me I was suddenly grateful were concealed by the heavy quilted jacket I wore under my cuirass.

She stared at the molded leather, reminding me too late that it bore the symbol of my house. When she met my gaze again, unmistakable challenge shone in her green eyes.

"You have a bear with a crown in its mouth on your cuirass. You must serve the King of Nordlinga."

Run, hide, deny.But she already knew enough to identify me to anyone who cared to listen. I'd yet to meet a man who exceeded my height. And even if she wanted to expose me as elfkin, she'd have to venture into Andulum without her magic. She couldn't do that, just as she couldn't tell her own people about me. If she did, she'd have to confess that she'd visited the Covenant alone in the middle of the night.

Even so, a little voice in my head warned me it was better to let her think I was some landless knight of no consequence. A second, less intelligent voice reminded me this woman was gorgeous.

"I am Sigurn Brighthelm," I said, "his son and heir."

She looked me over again, as if searching for signs of nobility. There was no recognition in her gaze—no spark to indicate my name held any significance.

"You've never heard of me," I said, swallowing the self-deprecating laughter that tried to rise. It served me right for letting my pride overcome my good sense.

"My people don't concern themselves with the human houses," she said. "Your king is called Erland. I know nothing beyond that."

It was an arrogant statement, although I sensed she didn't intend it that way. Slowly, so as not to startle her, I lifted my right hand and showed her the ring of office on my smallest finger. "I speak the truth, my lady. I am the Crown Prince of Nordlinga."

Her brow furrowed as she returned her gaze to mine. "If you're elfkin, at least one of your parents is the same. Why would you tell me something that could get you both killed?"

"I inherited my elvish blood from my father. And to answer your question, it's an even exchange. You keep my secret, and I'll keep yours."

In a blink, her demeanor shifted from wary to hostile. "My secret? What secret could you possibly know about me, human?"

My cock tightened. Damn if she wasn't even more stunning when she was angry. Her gown's neckline was cut low enough to show the swells of her breasts—and the edges of her sigil tattoos. Tiny white fawns leapt among the swirls and glyphs. Magic had chosen wisely. The animal suited her. And her cloak did nothing to conceal her gently curved hips or the way her legs clearly went on forever under the folds of her midnight-blue gown.

"Well?" she prompted, pink touching her cheeks. "Are you going to answer my question, Prince Sigurn, or are you content to simply stare?"

I was, actually, content to stare, but I had a feeling that sort of confession would get me slapped.

I gestured to the Covenant. "High-born ladies don't ride through the night alone. They certainly don't venture to the Covenant. Yet you journeyed to the boundary without an escort. That means you're not supposed to be here. If I had to guess, you left your home without telling anyone. Probably, you evaded a maid or guard to sneak out under the cover of night. I'd wager you were meeting someone. A man, perhaps. Although, I hope that's not the case."

She'd tensed as I spoke, all but confirming my words. Now, she bristled. "Why not?"

"Because you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," I said bluntly. Truthfully. "I've journeyed from the glaciers of Bleakpoint to the southernmost point of Saldu Kuum. I've seen every wonder worth seeing in Andulum. And I can state with complete certainty that no temple or palace or work of art compares to you, my lady. So I'll say again, I hope you weren't meeting a man tonight. Because any man who would permit you to travel alone at night is a fool. A man willing to put you in danger that way doesn't deserve you."

She stared, the pulse in her neck fluttering as she absorbed my speech. "Are you always so forward with women, Prince Sigurn?"

"No." I placed my palm over my heart, tapping the courtly courtesies rarely used in the North. "I don't mean to cause offense. I've only just discovered that I lose my manners when I'm captivated beyond all reason."

Something like exasperation flitted through her eyes. But her shoulders relaxed, and the challenge in her gaze took on a new quality.

Interest.

In that moment, I knew revealing my identity had been worth the risk. Anything to keep her curious—and on my side of the Covenant.

"What if I told you I was, in fact, meeting a man tonight?" she asked. "What then, Prince Sigurn? Do you find that scandalous?"

I made a show of leaning around her and scanning the elven forest across the Covenant. "I don't see him, my lady. So I guess you'll have to make do with me."

A soft, incredulous-sounding laugh escaped her. "You are bold."

"As for scandal," I continued, "a meeting is only scandalous if others know about it. And as I said, your secret is safe with me. I swear it on my honor."

"Your honor is wasted, Prince. How would you tell anyone? You can't enter Ishulum."

"I suppose I'd find a way." I raised my brows…and maybe thrust my chest out a bit. "I am a prince, after all."

She smiled like I'd intended, and my heart did a stupid flip. I could only imagine what my men would think, seeing me flirt like the greenest squire in the ranks. Although, I challenged any male with a pulse to remain unaffected by the sweet curve of her lips and the twinkle of humor in her eyes.

"Nothing is stopping me from venturing deeper into Andulum," she said, matching my teasing tone. "What if I revealed your secret in return?" She tapped a slender finger against her lips. "What would the people of Nordlinga think if they knew the heir to the throne was consorting with the enemy?"

"Nothing could ever make us enemies, my lady. But it appears we're at an impasse." I lowered my voice. "Now that we're keeping each other's secrets."

Our gazes held. The air between us shifted, a subtle energy filling the scant space. Despite the bite in the air, heat pumped through my veins.

"Why do you come here?" she asked. "Are you meeting someone?"

I'd never been so pleased to shake my head. "I have a small hunting cabin in the forest. I come here to get away from my duties at court."

Understanding lit her eyes. "I don't blame you."

"Do you also have duties at court you'd like to avoid?"

In a blink, the nervousness she'd displayed in the beginning reappeared. "No." She backed up. "Thank you for helping me, Prince Sigurn. I won't forget it." Grabbing her skirts, she spun toward the Covenant.

"Wait." When she turned back, I stepped closer. With exaggerated slowness, I unbuckled the dagger belt that ran under my arm.

She stiffened. "What are you doing?"

"I can't send you across the Covenant without a weapon." I pulled the belt free, then slipped the dagger from its sheath just enough to show her the steel blade. "This is freshly sharpened." I slid the dagger home, wrapped the belt around the sheath, and held it out. The Covenant's light bathed the dagger's hilt, making the bears carved into the wood appear to come alive. "If I could see you home safely, I would. Since I can't, I ask you to take this."

She hesitated, her green gaze dipping to the dagger.

"Please," I said. "I can't send you into that forest without a way to defend yourself."

A beat passed. She took the belt, careful to keep her fingers away from mine. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure, Lady…?"

"Cyra."

I nodded. "It's my pleasure, Lady Cyra. And it would be my pleasure if you met me here again."

Color touched her cheeks. "I can't do that."

"No one would know."

Her brow furrowed, but the interest in her gaze remained. "Even if I agreed, I can't just leave the— My home whenever I please. It could be days before I'm free again."

"I'll be here," I said steadily. "Same time, same place."

Emotions flickered in her eyes. Caution. Uncertainty. A hint of fear. Through it all, the interest remained.

"I won't be back," she said at last. "Goodbye, Prince Sigurn." She turned and dashed across the Covenant, her slender form wrapped in hazy blue light. When she reached the forest, she disappeared between the trees without looking back.

I stayed put for a long while, my gaze on the elven forest. When I finally turned toward home, I took care to note the spot where we'd met and talked. Because she would be back.

And I'd be waiting for her.