Something I learned. No matter how you try to hide her, a ferocious, six-foot-plus, summer-green elf with silver hair is just going to stand out wherever you go. Under a heavy cloak, on the back roads of the kingdom, in a wagon. Doesn’t matter, especially when she’s poking her head everywhere and asking anyone in sight questions.

Luckily, said elf is very capable of defending herself from bandits who would kidnap her to be a noble’s plaything and less violent romantic overtures from peasants. Does not make traveling with her any easier. The free drinks were nice but if I think about why the greedy-eyed men plied us with so much alcohol, it becomes a lot less nice.

Joke’s on them. I’m an elemental and elves can drink a lot more than their lithe bodies imply.

I have never, ever, in all my life, been happier to see the long road leading up to the esteemed Tome family manor. Kierra stares at my house with the same curiosity with which she has observed the rest of the human continent she’s seen. “This is it?”

“Mmhmm. Welcome to the Tome family home.”

“Such a large building. Only you and your father live here?”

“Us, the servants who maintain the place, and a knight or two who maintain security. Or the illusion of it.” Lower nobles that we are, the Tome estate resides on the outskirts of Summer Spire, the capital.

The palace is a day’s ride from where we are. No bandit in their right mind would set up shop in the area. The fat knights my father pays simply patrol the grounds and drink away the days. At least they’re good-natured men. “Come on.”

The two of us start up the road together. A young girl working in the garden spots us. Her first instinct is to bow her head but then it snaps back up, her eyes going wide as they take in my face. I wave and she takes off running toward the manor. “Think she recognized me?”

“Either that or there’s a horde of trolls behind us.” Kierra looks over her shoulder and gives an exaggerated sigh. “No trolls.”

“How disappointing.”

“At one time, maybe.”

She throws her arms around my neck and leans into me. It’s a small miracle I don’t fall flat on my face. Frickin’ elf. You’re heavy. I’m wearing my human skin right now so there’s no way I’m carrying you. I roll my shoulders and she thankfully pulls up, holding onto me but supporting her weight. “But we’ve got the remedy to that, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do. I am looking forward to having a nice, comfortable bed and some privacy.”

“Not as much privacy as you think. I doubt I’ll see any peace at all for the first week and after that, well, people like to gossip.” Ah, here they come. The two burly knights of the Tome family, their armor clacking loudly as they run, my father right behind them. The servants follow them at a distance but it seems everybody has come out to see. “Time to meet the family.”

Kierra straightens up beside me, running a hand through her hair. Are you primping? Since when do you primp? Wait, I think she’s nervous. She’s still smiling but it’s a little tense around the edges.

Huh. Guess she can get nervous like the rest of us mere mortals.

The knights come to a stop several feet away, holding out their hands to keep my father from coming closer as they grab the hilts of their swords.

Peter and Potter Ironcast. Two brothers born from a blacksmith who joined the royal army together and never amounted to much. Father picked them up after they were kicked from their platoon for disorderly conduct in the city. From what I know, their ability didn’t influence his decision more than the low price of their services but they serve their purpose.

Both of them are larger than average with solid physiques marred by the beer bellies that push out against their tight armor. “Halt!” Peter, the older brother, shouts. “Identify yourselves and your purpose here.”

“Did an anvil fall on your head as a boy, you idiot?” my father yells. “That is my daughter!” He tries to move forward again but Potter holds him back. “Let go of me!”

“My lord, please. Some could deceive you with magic. And why would Lady Lourianne be accompanied by an elf?”

That logic deters my father, bringing him to a pause. I sigh as they focus on me with suspicion. “Pete, Pot,” I shout, injecting some cheer into my voice. The nicknames make them jump, but not in a good way.

I think Potter’s sword just slid an inch out the sheath. Jeez. I hope neither of them are drunk right now. “Kierra? Want to take off your cloak and show them we don’t have any weapons?”

She hums in agreement while unlatching the tie holding her cloak in place. The servants lean toward one another as it hits the ground. I can hear their excited whispers. Guess they couldn’t see her heritage from far away.

I drop my cloak and do a turn. “I’m not carrying any weapons so there’s no need to be afraid.”

“Like that matters!” Peter shouts back. “You’re a caster with a fire affinity. You don’t need a weapon.”

“Now, wait a second. Lourianne Tome is a caster with a fire affinity and you’re saying I’m not her.” That stumps them. I swear, I can hear their thoughts bouncing off their empty heads. That’s kind of harsh but really, we’ve been traveling for weeks and not very comfortably to avoid as much attention as possible. All I want to do is sit down with a cold drink and these iron idiots are standing in my way.

“A good fake would share the same affinity.”

“Well, if I’m pretending to be Lourianne Tome, then you don’t have to be afraid of me because she can’t cast a decent spell for all the diamonds in the kingdom. Which the two of you know better than anyone, what with how we bonded while you were helping me sneak off.”

“Oh, this is ridiculous.” My father finally gets fed up and pushes past them. I step forward and we pause in front of each other. Hey, now. Kierra gets a festival thrown for her arrival and that’s when her mother not only knew where her daughter was but also put her there.

My father thought I was dead and all he can do is stand there staring at me.

He’s as polished as ever, his hair slicked back across his greasy head and his small mustache combed out neatly. Ugh. He’s wearing one of his obnoxious tunics. Every day, he insists on peacocking the family name despite its decline.

I have no objections to the family crest, a summoning circle with an open tome laid across it. I do have some with the colors. The garish green and yellow on an orange background just don’t mesh with our darker coloring but the man insists on wearing them.

I’m not one to be a stickler about fashions but come on.

He finally completes his examination of me and nods. “You seem to be in good health.”

More than you know. “I’m in one piece anyway.”

“Good.” He clumsily grabs my shoulder with a hand, giving it what I can only call a friendly squeeze. “Good.”

His attention turns to Kierra. “Excuse me for the late introduction. My name is Luke Tome. If you have come all the way from the elven continent, surely you must be intent on making your way to the palace. If it is acceptable, I would be honored to escort you the rest of the way.”

Luke Tome. He doesn’t do fathering very well but his groveling is top-notch.

Kierra smiles at him graciously, holding out her hand. “There is no mistake. I am Kierra D’Atainna, daughter to Morgene D’Atainna of the Violet Dusk Province. Lou and I are married so there is no need to stand on ceremony. We are family now. I hope you don’t mind if I call you Father as well.”

Pfft! Oh, wow. This is perfect. Honestly, I would have marched across the continent for this alone. I have never seen such raw surprise. Surprise so potent is deserves to be called shock. His eyes are big and his mouth is flopping open and closed like a fish yanked from a spring.

Kierra lowers her hand once she realizes he isn’t going to shake it, giving me a questioning look. I answer with a shrug.

Ah, there we go. My father’s coming back to his senses, though he still looks disorientated as he looks back and forth between the two of us. “I’m…sorry. I thought I heard you say…”

“That we are wedded, yes. I am her wife. Your daughter-in-law. My Common is still a little rusty. I do have the terms correct right, Lou?”

“Perfect, dear.” My father flinches. Poor man.

“I see.” He swallows thickly. “I think it would be best to discuss this inside.”

“Great idea,” I say, grabbing Kierra’s hand as I start forward. His eyes are glued to our linked hands as we walk past and I can feel his gaze boring into our backs. I wink at the brother knights.

They’ve gotten over their shock. “Yeah, you’re Lou,” Peter says as he and his brother give me a toothy grin.

Potter gives me a strong clap on the shoulders that would have sent me sprawling to the ground if Kierra didn’t have such a tight grip on me. The servants ahead part to make way, not familiar enough to ask the questions I can see they desperately want to ask.

“I am looking forward to this.”

Her gaze is focused straight ahead, beyond the estate. I get the feeling she’s talking about more than this new place. She’s looking forward to the future and where it will take us.

Yeah. I’m looking forward to this, too.