Page 65 of The Noldrin Witch

“Good night, Bruno.”

Chapter 28

Elise heard the Duke of Dornheim was back.

Her pulse quickened at the mere thought that she might see Kurt again. As she passed the potion tables, she noticed several fairies looking her way while murmurs about the duke traveled from one person to another.

Even Emery seemed interested as he approached while she waited for Fabian to give her instructions for the day.

“Are you excited to see him again?”

By now, the fairy knew a good deal about what had transpired between her and Kurt. Elise had already explained that she was quite taken with the duke’s charms, although with the recent rumors surrounding them, she wished not to encourage any further gossip if she could help it.

“I really don’t want to have any more problems here,” was all Elise said.

“Well, the problems seem to have found you without you enjoying any of the romance,” Emery said as he walked by with a playful smile.

Elise shook her head as she smiled back at him.

She waited a few moments longer for Fabian. The more time she spent thinking about Kurt, the faster her heart raced. It was becoming difficult to stay still when the desire to see him increased by the minute.

The matter of the rumors did not trouble her nearly as much as the question about Seth. For that she still needed to figure out what to say about the demon should Kurt ask again.

While Elise’s mind wavered between fantasies of Kurt and fearful thoughts of Seth, she spotted a pair of outrageous red leggings approaching.

She did not know whether Fabian owned hundreds of the same blasphemous design to wear every God-fearing day, or merely washed the same pair every night, but for everyone’s sake, she very much hoped it was the former.

“Elise!” Fabian called out in a nasal voice that immediately prepared her for trouble.

She swallowed hard. “Morning, Fabian.”

The fairy didn’t engage in any pleasantries. “The king wants a word with you,” he said dryly.

A collective gasp and hushed voices followed Fabian’s words. Everyone worked a hair slower, as if hoping to hear more on the matter. But to everyone’s disappointment, Fabian offered no further explanation.

“Are you deaf, darling?” he huffed. “Go, go, go!”

Elise glanced in Emery’s direction and found her friend looking as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

If Elise had not known this was related to Morgaine’s love affairs, she might have felt a measure of excitement herself. But knowing full well what the king wanted, she set off for the royal chambers with her head low and her spirits lower yet.

Outside the catacombs, Elise found a guard who escorted her to the king. She rehearsed what Morgaine had told her and hoped for the best.

They climbed several flights of stairs until they reached a high part of the keep. The halls grew more lavish with every step, gold shimmering from every direction.

By the time they reached the royal chambers, Elise found herself wondering just how much wealth would be required to decorate an entire palace in such a fashion.

“Elise,” the king called with a smile. He was seated high upon his golden throne and seemed completely at ease.

Elise bowed at once, and the monarch dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand.

She had worried the king might mistreat her for being associated with the very woman who had broken his heart, but the man seemed completely different from last night.

Elise was about to discover that when one possessed a face and figure like hers, life around powerful men could become a truly magical place.

“Elise,” he repeated. “Allow me first to apologize for my temper last night. I was so consumed by memories of Morgaine that I lost my senses.”

“There is really no need to apologize, Your Majesty,” Elise said truthfully.