Khadyr can't have the shards, which means he can't have me. I have to trust that Khadyr will seek me out, search for me the world over. That he doesn't know the secrets my demonkin hold beside their beating hearts. That Rez and Yae will be able to get away before he finds them.
With a sigh, I ease the collar of Yaelyn's robe away and tap at my chest. "You in there, little buddies?" I whisper.
My chest glows in response. "Real talk, shards. There's a really bad man that wants you. I don't know what he plans to do with you, but it's not good, all right? I think he's an agent of the darkness or something."
The shards dim and I nod.
"Yeah, I know. He's bad news. He'll hurt our guys to get to us, and I can't let thathappen. Look, I've done a lot of stupid shit in my life. I'm not a saint. I've hurt people. Fuck, I've hurt your guardians. But I want to do the right thing for once. I want to save you little shinies for your Light Bearer for when she returns."
The shards pulse, glowing brighter.
"See? You get it. But there's only one way I can do that. Only one way I can buy Rez and Yaelyn some time. I need you to break the tie keeping me near them. I need you to let me go."
My chest goes dim, like there aren't six sun shards inside me at all. But then the lights inside me pulse once more, strong and steady. Yes.
It's decided, then.
I'll betray them and break their hearts again, and I'll save their lives, their realm. The realms beyond.
I scrawl out a quick note to my demonkin and turn back to the Yule tree. I breathe in a steadying breath and then reach out to the shard at the top, really hoping to avoid a there-arose-such-a-clatter incident trying to climb the furniture to grab it. I feel it instantly, its call singing in my blood. The moment I touch it, it vanishes inside me, plunging the room around me into darkness. I dress in the dark, quietly pulling on the clothes we left strewn around the entryway.
And then I slip from their loft, from their lives.
The selfish part of me hopes the shards will ache in my chest and keep me from taking another step away from them, but they don't.
And I do, darkness hanging heavy around my broken heart.
* * *
I knowone high fae in all of New York City and while Vhalar isn't high on my farewell tour list, he’s the only one who can help me. As a buyer, he's paid me to liberate all sorts of fae relics for him, and I know him well enough to know he'll do me a solid, especially if I let him empty my bank account. He'll portal me to Iradil's resting place.
It's the best move I've got.
It's guarded by a metric fuckton of draugrs and I'm hoping they'll be enough to stop Khadyr.
So I order a rideshare to the club owned by the Immortal Kings. The club itself is dark this late at night, but I don't need the club. I find the glamoured service elevator only a few people know about and take it to the top level. This high up in the building, it's just the elevator and the door to their penthouse, so I steel myself and knock.
And knock.
Fucking hell. I'm just about to knock again when the door is yanked open by a stunning redheaded fae wearing... a very sexy and very short elf costume. Not the kin kind of elf, either. The Santa's workshop kind of elf.
My mouth falls open, and she cocks her head, taking me in like I'm the surprising one in this scenario.
"Odd time to visit," she says.
"Umm... I'm an associate of Vhalar’s? I was hoping I could talk to him?"
She whirls on one foot, the bells on the curled tips of her elven slippers jingling, the ruffled hem of her skirt slipping up and revealing a pink handprint on her pale ass.
"Christmas spanking," she explains. "I'm sure you understand."
I'mreallyglad she's already disappearing into the penthouse in front of me so she can't see my blush.
She calls after me to follow, and I nearly trip over my snow boots hurrying after her. A half-naked vampire and a kin man with dark eyes that make a chill creep up my spine stumble out of what must be their bedroom.
The elf cocks her head at me. "Business with Vhal."
The dark-eyed kin studies me intently, his gaze never leaving me while the vampire disappears back into the bedroom. I squirm under his appraisal and am so relieved when Vhalar appears that I could hug the surly fae man. I don't.
