Page 35 of Grimoire Omens

His teeth flashed in a grin. “Having an affinity for air allows me to cushion my outerwear against dirt, and the gift of water lets me quickly rinse stains and then dry them by removing all moisture.”

“Handy.”

“Very especially when travelling for long periods of time where every ounce you carry makes a difference in your pace.”

“You travel often?”

“Whenever and wherever my king sends me.”

“You didn’t answer the question. How often?”

“I spend more time away from the castle than in it.”

“You live in a castle?” I squeaked as we once more hit the hall and headed for the stairwell.

“Yes. Bigger than this hotel that falsely claims the same.”

“What does it look like?”

We entered the stairwell, and rather than reply, when the door closed, he swirled his hand in the air, and where it passed through an image formed.

I gaped. Not only because of the casual display of magic but because of the magnificent palace being shown.

“Holy shit,” I huffed, staring wide-eyed at the ginormous citadel. Too complex and massive to be called a castle but not delicate enough to achieve what I thought of as an attractive palace like movies usually portrayed the elves living in. White gleaming stone with minarets and windows and crenelated passages running the length of it. “It must have taken forever to build.”

“It was a project of centuries that began as a carving in the mountain. When it came time to expand, blocks of stone were shipped in to match its current appearance.”

“And you live there?”

“Yes.”

“With how many others?”

He shrugged. “It changes, but I believe the number bandied about had it around a quarter-million.”

A quarter-million people… “It’s not a home, it’s a bloody city.”

“The city actually rings the base and contains a few million citizens.”

“It must be hard having to leave so often.”

He shrugged. “Not really. It is sometimes more dangerous to be so close to the seat of power than away from it.”

“You’re the king’s man. Surely that offers protection.”

He snorted. “Humans aren’t the only ones who suffer from envy.”

“You know, you don’t have to go back.”

As Ulseere skipped down the steps heading for the third floor, he didn’t pause as he replied, “I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

The snort echoed up to me. “To do what? Be what? Live where?” Before I could even attempt to answer, he kept going. “I am a soldier, a fighter, a wielder of the five elements. All skills that do nothing for me on Earth. Your culture doesn’t appeal. And then there is the fact that I don’t wish to live my life constantly under a glamour.”

“Your skin color isn’t that noticeable.” I’d certainly stopped seeing it.

“Your entire planet is obsessed with the pigment of other people’s flesh. Even if they weren’t, there’s my ears.”