Page 21 of A Legacy of the Light

He reaches a hand out. “The pleasure is mine, Elsie. Welcome to Elfayne.” He has a thick Scottish accent that I wouldn’t have a chance at understanding had I not grown up hearing it.

I slide my hand into his and he subtly squeezes it, asserting his dominance over me while I’m in his kingdom. The king scrutinizes me so thoroughly I feel he’s exposing my deepest, darkest secrets. It strips me bare. All I can do is stare back at him.

After a moment, I ask, “Tavish mentioned that you might be able to explain how I’ve ended up here?” My voice sounds small and meek. No man has ever made me feel lesser than them, or insignificant. But the King of Elfayne does.

“Yes. It’s quite simple, really.” Raghnall points to my chest. His advisor, Hume, curls his lips into a smile that makes the hair rise on my arms. “That. The pendant you’re wearing. It’s the Craobh Beatha. That brought you here.” He releases my hand.

I shake my head. “The what?” I ask, unsure of what he just said.

“The Craobh Beatha,” Hume adds with a roll of his eyes, his voice as slimy as his slicked back hair.

“It’s the royal jewel, not meant to be worn by anyone outside royalty,” King Raghnall says, giving me a look that indicates I have no business wearing it.

“That doesn’t make any sense. This was a gift from my grandpa for my birthday,” I explain.

“I have not seen that pendant in one hundred and fifty years. We believed it lost. It belonged to King Murdoch before he fell. It wasn’t on his body when the rebels were eventually beaten from the city borders.”

“How did it end up in my world then?” I ask.

“Who knows, Elsie. But the fact is, only the power of the Craobh could transport you like that. Why it would transport a mere mortal here, is beyond me.”

The king’s words are friendly enough, but his stance and scrutiny put me on alert, as if he’s preparing for an attack. He keeps glancing at my chest as if the pendant will fly right to him if he stares at it long enough.

Perhaps I should just give it to him. If it is the royal pendant, I have no business keeping it. He might be more likely to help me get home if I gift him something he clearly wants.

The Craobh Beatha shocks my skin where it sits on my chest as the thought passes through my head, as if it’s protesting the idea of being handed over to the King of Elfayne. The sensation makes me rub my chest and furrow my brows. Okay, no giving the pendant to the king.

“Is there a way for me to get home, Your Majesty?”

“The barrier re-sealed itself after Tavish returned to us. There is no way to tell when it will weaken enough for you to pass through. The last time it took twelve months to open again. You will have to remain in Elfayne until you can safely pass through. My men are stationed by the barrier, I’ll be notified when this happens and I will have you informed. In the meantime, you will need to find a place to stay.”

My heart sinks. How long will I be here? I don’t want Grandpa and Rach to worry about me. They need to know I’m safe. Beyond that, I don’t know anyone here. I’ve only met Tavish and Reyne and I’m not sure they would be willing to let me stay with them. I don’t have any money to get a hotel. Even if I did, I’m pretty sure dollars aren’t the accepted currency since I’m quite literally in a different world.

God, it’s as if I’ve dropped into one of the fantasy books I adore. Before my panicked thoughts can spiral into a full-blown anxiety attack, Tavish speaks up. “Father, Elsie is alone in Elfayne. I would welcome her as my guest. She can stay in the rooms she awoke in, in my wing. They are unused.”

I shoot a grateful glance at him.

“Is that wise, Your Majesty?” Hume asks the king.

Tavish shoots him a scathing look and the advisor seems to wither under the scrutiny from the prince.

King Raghnall considers for a moment.

“My son may have Elsie as a guest if he wishes,” the king murmurs as he turns to sit on his throne again. “Reyne will be your companion while you stay, given you are already acquainted. We are hosting a ball in five days' time. You will attend as Tavish’s guest and we will introduce you to the rest of the court since you will be with us for an uncertain amount of time.”

It was a demand, not a request.

Before I have a chance to respond, Tavish moves close to me and grips my elbow—our cue to leave his father in peace.

I bow once again, thanking the king, and follow Tavish from the room, feeling eyes on me as we retreat.

I heave a sigh of relief as the golden double doors close behind us. “Thank you, Tavish, for offering me a place to stay. I’ll pay you back for whatever food and items I use.”

“Don’t worry about it. Your money is no use here and those rooms are unused, as I said. I don’t want you wandering the streets. Who knows what trouble you’d get yourself into.”

“I lived in New York on my own, I’m sure I’d figure something out,” I huff.

“Hey, I’m only joking. I’m trying to make you laugh again. You seem like you don’t do that very much,” he observes.