Chapter 3

When Ovesta finished her meal she stood up, grinning. “Here come the bell ringers. Are you ready to sing?”

Adley was neither talented at nor interested in singing. He preferred to listen while others sang, as opposed to taking part in the group singing events favored at elf parties. Fedment, who adored singing, was leading ten other elves in vocal warm-ups. He’d long since given up trying to get Adley to sing.

Elani, a neighbor of theirs, looked at Fedment with unsubtle appreciation. She was a few years younger than him so the two of them had confined their activities to the most basic and harmless of flirtation thus far. Adley suspected their interactions would turn more seriously romantic in the near future. No other woman could compare to Elani in Fedment’s eyes, and the previous month he’d turned down not one but two interested ladies in favor of group activities where he knew Elani would be present.