Page 43 of The Serpent Prince

Fits? I’ve been awake this whole time … or have I?

“Uh, what?” Imani grabbed her head. It ached. Elves didn’t get sick often, not like other breeds, but again, no one knew much about elves anymore.

Except Esa. She seemed to know a great deal about elves. Her discerning gaze ran up and down Imani’s trembling body.

Another jerking of her body stole all her attention from the women and clouded her vision.

“Hold her down again,” one of them said, and Imani felt four hands press against her body as it shook violently. With her limbs locked, Imani had lost complete control of her body.

She hadn’t expected things to escalate this quickly, but as darkness took her again, she could finally admit she needed to ask for help.

After a few minutes, the seizing slowed and Imani came to, coughing. A few droplets of blood landed on her hand and dress. She moved to press herself into a sitting position and shooed away the protests of the maids. Esa said nothing. She simply stood above Imani, arms crossed, face severe.

The pixie knew.

Once she was upright, Imani took a few steadying breaths then reached for Esa’s arm. With a surprising amount of strength, she gripped the pixie’s wrist. Esa tried to pull away, but Imani gritted her teeth.

“Leave us,” Imani demanded of the maids, her eyes still fixed on Esa’s face.

They murmured a few words, glancing worriedly at Imani’s hand locked around Esa’s, but finally bustled away.

Tugging on her arm, Esa attempted again to get her arm back.

“I need to ask you something,” Imani gritted.

“I already know the question,” Esa spat.

“Then please,” Imani begged, not even recognizing her own raspy voice. “I need your help with this just once until I find a longer-term solution.”

Esa finally pulled her arm out of Imani’s grasp. “I’m not letting another elf feed from me,” she hissed in Imani’s face. “I have a better idea. Come with me.”

A wave of dizziness took over Imani, and her stomach roiled. Leaning over the side of the carriage bench, she vomited.

Then everything went black.

Groaning, Imani felt her body being lifted into the air. Her eyes fluttered, and she caught a glimpse of graying blonde hair.

“When did she fall unconscious?” Imani recognized the voice. Master Heirwyn.

“She’d been out a few seconds before I ran for your help,” the pixie replied.

They jostled her, and a bite of cold air hit Imani as they stepped outside. It felt heavenly on her sweat-covered skin.

“Remind me again why we didn’t get some guards to help,” Esa grumbled.

“Because, unless you have experience feeding from a powerful High-Norn female elf, it’s too dangerous to have anyone around her right now,” Master Heirwyn answered. “Come; let’s take her inside my tent.”

It was suffocatingly warm inside the tent as they gently laid her down on a soft mattress covered in blankets. Imani let out another groan as more fire ripped through her limbs.

“Why didn’t you help her? Put her out of her misery at least until we get to Stronghaven?” Zadie asked with a tone of irritation.

“Because I am not some cattle to be passed around,” Esa hit back. “You can’t ask that of me for both of them. I need my own strength, and I’m rather fond of my soul—my whole soul.”

“The prince comes first, of course. Besides, it’s not like it’s a burden—you know the euphoria it induces.”

There was a long pause.

“No,” Esa stated defiantly. “This is a Norn elf, which makes this situation different—more dangerous—and you know it. I refuse to risk giving up that much of myself—she could kill me. Now, he has a perfectly good female laying right here who needs the same thing, and I don’t even have to give up any part of my soul.”