She curled into my side, warm and solid and real. "Want to talk about it?"
I pulled her closer, burying my face in her hair, breathing in jasmine and sunlight until the smell of the void faded.
"No." I pressed my lips to her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. "Just hold me."
She did.
And I lay awake until dawn, watching shadows crawl across the ceiling, feeling my father's whisper still coiled around my thoughts like a promise.
Time is running out.
The words echoed through my skull, and somewhere deep in my chest, I felt the first cold fingers of despair beginning to close around my heart.
I would find a way. I had to.
Because the alternative was losing everything—and everyone—I had ever loved.
CHAPTER 26
SHADOW INVITATION
Ada
The letter came by raven — not a shadow construct, but an ordinary black bird with a silver band around its leg. It landed on our windowsill at dawn, waited with unnatural patience while Hakan retrieved the parchment, then departed without ceremony.
Hakan read in silence. I watched his face move through confusion, then disbelief, then something that landed somewhere between bewilderment and reluctant amusement before he caught himself and put the bewilderment back.
"What is it?"
He handed me the letter without speaking.
Little brother,
Word travels fast when a shadow-blooded heir decides to manifest his powers by tearing apart twelve men in the Border Forest. Impressive debut. Messy, but impressive.
I'm Kaan. Your significantly older, infinitely more charming half-brother. I've ruled the Shadow Court for eight centuries while our dear father sulks in Kara Cehennem pretending he's still relevant. We don't speak. Haven't for five hundred years. Long story involves betrayal, attempted murder, the usual family bonding activities.
I've known about you for a while. Watched from a distance. Hoped you'd stay hidden long enough to live a boring, peaceful life far from our father's reach. That plan clearly went to shit.
Come visit. I'm curious about the brother I never knew, and you probably have questions that our father would answer with manipulation and lies. I'll give you the truth instead. Or at least more entertaining lies.
The border pass is open. My guards will find you.
Try not to die on the way. I'd hate to lose a sibling before I've had the chance to properly mock him.
— Kaan
I read it twice.
Then I put it down and looked at Hakan, who was staring at the wall like his brain was trying to reconcile two entirely incompatible things.
"This can't be real," he said. His voice came out rough. "Kaan is — the stories say he's a monster. That he rules the Shadow Court with blood and terror. That courts go quiet when his name is mentioned." He picked the letter up again, read the closing line, set it back down. "I'd hate to lose a sibling before I've had the chance to properly mock him."
"He does seem very sure of himself."
"He rules a thousand-year-old court and signs his letters like he's writing to an acquaintance who owes him money." Hakan pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Theusual family bonding activities."
"To be fair, betrayal and attempted murder do sound like Erlik's idea of bonding."
