Page 13 of The Sunbound Princess
I shifted my gaze to Dain, who watched her with the same still, coiled focus he used when he meant to steal something—or protect it. He dipped his blue gaze to her mouth. No surprise there. She was stunning, and he was elfkin. Maybe that explained whatever connection was sparking between them.
And therewasa connection. I didn’t need magic to know something had happened up on the platform. The question was, how? As an elfkin, Dain’s magic was weak but always present. But the she-elf should have shed her gifts the second she crossed the Covenant.
Still speaking, Dain caught my eye, and we had one of the silent exchanges we’d perfected when we were teenagers surviving on the back alleys and side streets of Saldu.
Are you going to tell her you’re elfkin?I asked with a tilt of my head.
He flicked a look at me.I don’t know.
I rolled my eyes.
Dain stopped mid-sentence. Then he sighed. “I’m elfkin,” he told the woman. “So I know you shouldn’t have any magic on this side of the Covenant. But you do, and I’d like to know why.”
Before she could respond, a ball of light shot from behind a cluster of trees. As Dain and I ducked, the ball halted beside the woman. And it wasn’t a ball.
It was a…man. Sort of. The size of a child, he was made of fire, everything from his hair to his snug-fitting jacket formed out of flame. He hovered a few inches off the ground, his lower half rounded off and trailing smoke. Round spectacles perchedon his snub of a nose, and his fiery brows drew together as he zipped in front of the woman like he meant to protect her.
“Stay back!” he shouted.
“Wow, you’re fast,” I said, unable to keep the surprise from my voice.
The apparition glared at me. “I’m made of light, idiot. I travel faster than you can blink.”
I raised a brow as I leaned forward, peering at his bottom half. “Do you have legs?”
“Who are you?” Dain asked.
“Whatare you?” I added, hunching to get a closer look.
“Helios!” the woman exclaimed, stepping around him. She embraced the flaming figure before holding him at arm’s length. “How did you cross the Covenant?”
The little man shook his head. “I don’t know. I was so worried. I raced up and down the barrier. Then I heard shouting, so I took a chance and barreled through.”
She looked thoughtful. “You’re part of me. Maybe that’s why you were able to cross.” She turned to Dain and me. “This is Helios. He’s a sunsprite, and my best friend.”
The little man gave me a smug look, his eyebrows arching above his spectacles.
“Helios?” I asked, amusement tripping through me.
His expression turned irritated. “What?”
“Your name is Helios?”
“Yeah. What of it?”
I scratched my cheek. “Nothing. It’s just…a little on the nose, isn’t it? You know, thesun. Sunsprite. Helios.”
The woman glowered at me. “I named him when I was a child.”
“And how long ago was that?” I couldn’t help asking.
Dain eyed Helios, curiosity on his face. “You don’t burn people when you touch them?”
Helios gave him a dark look. “Not unless I want to.” He shifted his gaze to me. “It’s rude to ask a woman her age.”
“She’s immortal,” I said.
“So?” Helios snapped.
