Elven Legacy

Chapter 86

Yeah well, maybe you're the one who won't grow up, V.

"Please don't worry about it," the empress said. "I'm glad you're here."

Viper chose to sit on the tiny free space on the bench beside Blood Eyes, so she'd be facing the Demon Queen.

The first thing Viper noticed was that she had no marks, which she found odd. The self-proclaimed queen had skin like porcelain, delicate features, large eyes, onyx irises, with long black eyelashes, and a small, almost shy smile, her lips pure black like they'd been painted over with ink.

Above the waist, she was in long black sleeves under a pearl-colored corset. Viper couldn't be sure whether it was just the fog, or her eyes playing tricks, but there seemed to be a translucent sheen over her.

When she spoke, it was in the Chyulin dialect, but with an accent Viper couldn't place.

"Good morning, Viper. It's nice to finally meet you, I've heard a lot about you." Her voice was musically soft, almost hypnotizing.

"Same here," Viper said. "I've heard much about you . . . my queen."

"You may call me Arakili. I'm glad I can finally thank you both myself for everything you've done for me." She looked from Viper to Blood Eyes.

"For us," Imxi corrected with a warm smile, before she sipped her tea.

Viper looked down for the first time at the laden platters. Wolfberries to go with the empress's tea, bowls of fruit and nut salads, crusted bread in thin slices, dark chocolate pie cut in little triangles.

Her stomach danced and fluttered in anticipation. Being one of the empress's most trusted had its perks.

She noticed Master Juna had already helped himself. Blood Eyes, though, wasn't eating anything. Viper repressed an eye roll.

Too cool for pie? Too busy being silently serious? Give me a break.

Arakili spoke again, capturing Viper's attention.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told your colleague. I'm not truly here. Not yet. What you see right now is a vision."

Viper crossed her arms on the table, raven hair curling beside her face in the foggy humidity.

"Yeah? Then where are you?" Viper asked.

Blood Eyes kicked her under the table. Pain flared up her calf, and she bit her lip to stifle a curse.

For Sunyi's sake!

Arakili – if that was even her name – didn't seem to mind. She leaned forward on the table, too. Pine-green curls tumbled over her shoulders, as lush as any dew-covered leaf cluster, only darker.

At least one of us is having a good hair day.

"I'm sailing the Tocherro, I'm still four days away from Chyulin. I'm in my cabin as we speak. In a transcendental state, so that I may appear to you."

Viper brought her lips together and nodded appreciatively. "Nifty trick."

Imxi set down her porcelain tea cup. The chrysanthemum fragrance caught in Viper's nose.

"I trust your trip's been pleasant thus far?" Imxi asked their ethereal guest.

Arakili smiled, and Viper thought she saw faint traces of humor in her eyes.

"Uneventful, for the most part."

"For the most part?" Viper echoed, inclining her head.

Across the table, Master Juna set down his silver fork and shot Viper a glare.