“If I spoke for the Shadow Court,” Soren replied. “I’d require half the humans you’ve acquired. Balance is the only way to stabilize the magic of the treaty.”
“Half,” Caius scoffed. “That’s unreasonable to accomplish in a single night.”
“Not impossible though,” Soren murmured, so low I almost couldn’t make out his voice. “You and I both know that the majority of the contracts in this court are signed over to you already.”
I peeked out. Soren’s face was impassive as he shrugged, and a slow, wicked smile stretched across his face. “It’s not equal as it is. Which is terribly unfortunate, since a broken treaty leads to—”
“I know what it leads to,” Caius snapped, clenching his fists. “Fine. I’ll have two hundred contracts in your hands before the end of solstice.”
“By midnight,” Soren countered.
Caius’s back was so tense I could see the muscles outlined beneath his shirt. “By sunrise,” he gritted out, and this time, Soren gave a satisfied nod.
He’d asked for half of the humans, and Caius had saidtwo hundredcontracts.
Does that mean the Hollow Court has stolen four hundred people?
Before, Caius had made it sound like a few dozen. I’d wanted to believe he didn’t know about all the other corrupt contracts, but clearly, he did. How had he misled me so completely?
“As I am representing the Shadow Court, make sure you sign them over to me personally.” Soren’s stern gaze didn’t leave Caius. “The contracts on their own are worthless to the Shadow Court as they are.”
I pressed a fist against my mouth to stifle my gasp.
To the Shadow Court?
No.
Soren had sworn he was rescuing people.
This didn’t make sense. I’d asked him point-blank if he kidnapped them from their homes and—
My thoughts snagged on that wording.
From their homes.
He’d said no, but what if that was only because he took them from other places, such as this? I tried to remember Julian’s exact words... Something about “stealing the humans away from the fae who took them.” Had they ever actually said the exact words “we’re returning them home?” I couldn’t remember.
“It’ll be up to you to get them to the Shadow Court on your own.” Caius’s back was to me, but he sounded like he was smirking.
A muscle feathered in Soren’s cheek as he stared at Caius for a long moment. But instead of arguing, henodded. “As long as I don’t have to track them down. Send them to my home, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
I’d have understood if he hadn’t denied Caius—manipulating him by not saying anything made sense—but Soren had gone beyond that and claimed these people for the Shadow Court, multiple times.
I sagged back against the wall.
I’d just helped him transfer human slaves from one court to another.
I didn’t want to believe it, but... the proof was right in front of me.
Soren had fooled me as much as Caius, if not more.
“I’ll expect the contracts to be delivered to my burrow with whoever is present,” Soren was saying, “since I have plans tonight.”
“It’syourrole to be present at the south entrance.” Caius had started to turn, and I glimpsed a smile from him that was mostly bared teeth. “Remember?”
“I was given permission to acquire help,” Soren replied in a bored tone, picking at his fingernail. “If that’s all?”
Caius grunted, “That’s all.” He spun on his heel to leave.
