Curtain Call (21 page)

I'm not sure what to say or even what to imagine. For all that I know about the mortal world, some things still confuse me. I know what a tractor is because the elves churn out multiple varieties for Christmas time, but I can't actually say I know what they do. I'll have to add that to my growing list of Internet searches to be performed.

Ebrillwen hops down off my bed and begins to wander about my room as she continues. "I think he was the most handsome man I have ever seen. His coloring should have been fair like his parents', but he was what the humans call tan. What a delicious color! And his hair…oh my…so blond it shimmered. He had the Ice Queen's blue eyes, but every time he smiled they were filled with warmth not ice."

I muse over what the little elf tells me. He sounds fine. Honestly he does. That part of my mission won't be at all unpleasant. But who wants to beg a man to marry her?

Suddenly my door opens and my father strides in, his eyes ablaze with anger. "How dare you!"

I'm not sure if he's yelling at me or the elf, but at the moment I don't care. My father's anger is not something you want to be in the path of, and I know I need to protect Ebrillwen. She scrambles to hide behind my desk chair, shielding herself from my father's direct line of sight. I haven't had much luck standing up to my father today. Hopefully now will be better luck.

"What do you want?" I force myself to stand, folding my arms across my chest.

My father clenches his fists and steps further into my room. "Give me the elf." His voice drips with ice and menace.

"No." The only thing I can do is physically plant myself between the two of them. "She's my elf handmaiden now. You can't touch her."

"What?" My father draws out the word, stretching each sound in an arc of exaggerated surprise. His eyebrows arch nearly off his head, and for a moment, I think I've actually managed to stun him. But he recovers quickly and the anger returns to his features. Swift is the vengeance my father enacts for those who dare to cross him. "Fine. You may have the elf. But this is my only favor toward you. Tomorrow you begin lessons with Elwyn. If you should cause him any trouble, your little elf will be the one to pay."

And with that he's gone. All the life sags out of Ebrillwen and she puddles to the floor in a relieved heap. My heart cracks a little with a sudden rush of tenderness. She is my responsibility now. I have saved her. She'll be loyal to me forever. My father surely had something horrible planned for her. In his mind she has committed treason by telling met the things she has.

How on earth did he know what we were talking about? I had thought surely my room was a safe haven in the midst of the falsely manic chaos that is the North Pole. Clearly I was mistaken. I'll be more careful in the future.

"Th-thank you," Ebrillwen says, her voice tinny with relief. "I shall serve you well."

I go over and help her up. She can barely stand as her knees knock wildly together. As she calms down, her face lights with excitement at the prospect of being with me on this journey. I can almost read her mind as each thought plays itself out along her face.

“What do we do now?” she asks cautiously.

What
do
we do now? There aren't many options. My father has made that abundantly clear. Still, I need to formulate some sort of plan.

“We wait.”