The daeyari’s eyes sharpened like blades. Like teeth poised to snap.
The moment dragged forever. Fi met his gaze, forcing herself to stare into those unblinking eyes framed in Void-black, pleading that he’d understand. Hehadto understand. His race couldn’t have become what they were without being intelligent.
But would he care?
“Milana,” he called out, smooth as fresh snow. “Stay a moment.”
The words jolted Fi like lightning. She couldn’t see Milana’s reaction, but she heard the delicious halt of boots against the patio.
That small victory didn’t buoy her long. If she couldn’t speak, this was still their story to spin. Her terror returned as the daeyari slid his hand beneath her shirt, cool palm settling atop her heart. Fi braced for pain. For the icy snap of death.
A spear of foreign energy sank into her chest.
The current burned hot and cold at the same time, ozone coating her mouth as the pulse careened through her ribs. It sliced through muscle and viscera, flooding every extremity, burning fiercer and fiercer until she shrieked.
Fi tensed at the realization.
She couldshriekagain.
The daeyari’s magic washed through her like cleansing fire, burning away the twilight sorel. Fi gasped when he removed his hand. Her muscles trembled even with the current gone, weakas if rousing from too deep a sleep, but when she rolled onto her side and sucked in a breath…
“You back-stabbing clump of stale Void lichen!” she shouted at Milana.
The woman went ashen. Beside her, Erik betrayed a gasp.
“How fucking dare you!” Fi spat. Cussing tasted beautiful. She’d never take it for granted again. “You think you can get rid of me that easy? Think again, you frost-hearted…”
Dizziness struck her. Fi caught herself before toppling sideways. Though she could move, could speak, her limbs dragged, relics of tea in her system.
The daeyari rose with menacing grace, clawed feet whisper-quiet as he circled the patio. He looked down at Fi with ember-hard eyes. His voice came out harder.
“This sacrifice doesn’t seem so willing, Milana.”
To her credit, Milana held her ground.Never run from a daeyari, she’d told Fi. They were about to test if that was wise counsel.
“Of course.” Milana said. “The truth is…”
“The truth is,” Fi interrupted, “you’re a scheming—”
“This woman is responsible for the explosion at the capitol!” Milana pointed at Fi, who could only gape in response. “My apologies for deceiving you, Lord Antal. We wished to give her this final dignity. To focus on rebuilding.”
“Bullshit!” Fi shouted. “You hired me to do it!”
Milana clapped a hand to her chest, aghast. “How dare you make such an accusation. We are faithful servants to the daeyari!”
“Faithful servants who paid me to smuggle abombinto the capitol building.”
“You claim to bring me a criminal.” The daeyari’s tone snapped both mortals to silence. He stood between them, eyes lockedon Milana, taut as a panther stalking prey. Even his tail fell motionless. “Where is her sentence?”
Milana twisted her hands. “There… hasn’t been one. We wished to act swiftly. Please, this is a difficult time for—”
She didn’t get to finish.
Static laced Fi’s tongue as the daeyari vanished.
A blink later, he reappeared in front of Milana. Innate teleportation ranked among the more impressive and terrifying of immortal tricks, and though Fi had heard of the ability, she startled to see the swiftness of it firsthand. Before Milana could bolt, the daeyari snared her head in both hands. He could have skewered her, could have gone for her exposed throat. Instead, red energy bloomed beneath his fingers, sinking into her temples.
Milana didn’t move. Hardly breathed. A glassy expression filled her eyes.
