The Elfmaid's Curse (The Elfmaid Trilogy Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

easy. He suddenly felt inadequate to the job, something he wasn't accustomed to feeling.
                "My Lady," Danic bowed. "Let me introduce myself. Sir Danic of Drakehorn, Knight of the Dragon, your humble servant."
                "A Jarland knight...excellent," she purred low, eyes sparkling with delight. Danic noted her eyes were slightly slanted, something he had only seen in elves before. Automatically, his sharp eyes darted to her half-concealed ears. When she cocked her head to look at him, he saw that her ears were pointed. Offering her hand, she recaptured his astonished attention, "I am Taara."
                There were two kinds of elves in his part of the world — Forest Elves and
    High Elves. He was most familiar with the High Elves, who were one and all mages, and they lived almost exclusively in citadels within human cities. And High Elves were exceedingly vicious and dangerous. While the Forest Elves lived in the distant and mysterious Elven Empire.
                Forest Elves and High Elves were mortal enemies.
                He gently took her hand in his, silently thanked the Gods his hand wasn't shaking and roundly cursed the fact he had very little experience with the elven people. It was widely believed that the elves possessed the most advanced civilization in the world, and the most complicated and demanding social customs.
                He quickly recovered his wits, turning his full attention to the elfmaid before him. Raising her hand to his lips, he paused to admire its beauty. Her long delicate fingers were impeccably manicured and tastefully adorned with a fortune in exquisitely wrought gold, diamond, and sapphire rings, and scented with her delicate perfume. Matching bangles of silver and gold jingled on her slender wrists. Even her long nails were painted with a coat of shiny red lacquer.
                "I am honored, Lady Taara," he said, softly kissing her fingers. "Tell me what I must do to please you."
                Smiling, "I like your attitude, Sir Knight."
                "And I love your perfume," he said in low a voice as he breathed the delicate scent deeply. "I must admit to some surprise at finding a lady of obvious high birth here in the Ten Horses. Though you haven't given a noble title, I suspect you are a royal princess traveling discretely. Possibly an ambassador of your people on your way to a secret meeting with the ruler of some powerful kingdom."
                Even as her sultry laugh danced through the air on a musical lilt, seducing him, he couldn't stop admiring her features.  She possessed an oval face, with soft cheek bones and dark blue eyes  They were eyes, he realized that could easily possess a man
                Now that he knew, he could easily see the Elven features. Not only were her almond-shaped eyes slightly slanted, but he noted a bit of a slant to her eyebrows. However, since she was only the second elf he had ever seen, he was unable to discern any other traits that were different from humans in general.
                "You flatter me, Sir Danic." Taking hold of his arm, "But I'm dying of thirst."
                Leading her to an empty table, "Are you perhaps returning to your native lands? Or going to the Jarlands? If so, I'd be honored to join your escort."
                Danic didn't really care, but her answer might help him determine if she was Forest Elves or High Elves. He had no intention of calling off the chase, he just wanted to know how dangerous she was to him.
                She gave him an amused look. "You've finally figured out that I'm an elf."
                "Yes," he said, and winked at her. "Though I haven't determined if you are of the Forest Elves or the High Elves."
                She graced him with one wag of her brows. "So you don't know if I'm a mage or