“Welcome, Lord Antal.”
The daeyari paused before her. His expression was granite smooth, skin-peeling eyes framed by slender brows. His tail swayed at his ankles.
“Milana.”
He spoke her name like a breeze through pines, low and steady with a ring of swallowed centuries. None of that sent the shock down Fi’s spine. Not the velvet of the daeyari’s voice, but the familiarity.
He knew her.
Erik guided Fi to the shelves of memorial candles and handed her a lighting stick. She took it in tight fingers but didn’t dip into a flame, glaring into his terror-wide eyes, weighing the clamp of his mouth. Milanadidwear those silver robes too well.
Fuck Fi and hurl her dense ass into the Void.
Milana and Erik were attendants here. Attendants to thedaeyari.
“We weren’t expecting you,” Milana said behind them.
“No,” the daeyari returned. “My apologies for the impromptu visit.”
“Forgive me for not meeting you sooner. We could have planned for your arrival—”
Milana froze as the daeyari’s head tilted. Subtler, a flare of nostrils and a soft inhale.
“Milana…” He frowned, one chip through the marble facade. “What’s upset you?”
He couldsmellher unease? Or maybe the beasts could sense their prey’s panicked heartbeats. Fi’s hammered against her sternum. Erik slapped her fingers to urge her attention away from eavesdropping, back to the facade of lighting candles. Shedipped her stick into a flame and held it, trembling, to a cold wick.
Ten years, and still a coward. No better than a frantic hare.
“A busy day. That’s all.” Milana stepped back, masking the motion with another bow. “Please, how may I assist you, my Lord Daeyari?”
The daeyari studied her with an odd pinch to his brow. A tighter flick of his tail.
Milana’s shoulders eased when he stepped past her, striding to a window overlooking the capitol plaza. Twilight bathed the beast as the short-lived Winter sun skirted low over rooftops. The contrast of light accentuated his slim silhouette, lean shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, calves cut of sharp muscle. A hunter, built to chase prey through the forest.
“There are complaints in the city,” he said.
“We’ve heard,” Milana replied, hesitant.
“What do you know of them?”
“A heating failure in the southern district.”
The daeyari turned, scowling. “Those energy conduits were replaced last year.”
“You needn’t worry, Lord Antal. Your governor is handling the matter.”
“Is he here?”
“Of course. I’ll take you to him?”
Milana swept a hand to the hall. She played the act with confidence, words betraying only a subtle waver as she attempted to hurry the daeyari along. His eyes narrowed all the same, a smoldering red that chilled Fi to the marrow. And when that gaze flicked onto her and Erik…
She turned to the candles with more gusto than she’d shown her past few lovers.
Behind her, clawed footsteps padded stone. Crossing theroom.
Then fainter, disappearing down the hall.
