Page 133

“You didn’t think I was talking about myself when I said the odds were unfair, did you?” Galleghar wheezes, smiling in spite of his windpipe getting slowly crushed.

Some of the children begin to bare their fangs, while others start to growl. The soldiers methodically grab their weapons.

The soldiers are coming from all directions, their bodies filling the doorways all around the room.

Des glances at the new additions, and his boot digs in a little harder. “I’d say the odds are still stacked against you, old man. But you’d only know that if you didn’t live in a cave.”

He’s referring to me and my glamour,I realize. Sleeping soldiers are nothing more than props once I use my magic on them.

The undead king wears a malicious smile as he stares up at his son, right before he disappears.

Galleghar manifests among the soldiers as they file into the room from all sides.

Within a minute, they form a ring around the four of us, their faces placid, their eyes eerily empty.

A scuffle and a choked sound come from one of the soldiers behind me. I turn just in time to see a bloody sword impaled through the fairy’s abdomen. A second later, it’s jerked out the way it came, making a wet, sucking noise.

The bleeding soldier teeters for a few seconds, then topples forward. In the darkened doorway beyond the dying fairy, a form steps out, his body rapidly brightening by the second until all I can see is a sphere of light.

When it dims again, I’m left staring at the King of Day.

Didn’t knowhewas invited to the party. Apparently, Des called in his ally’s help.

“I heard the Night Kingdom had a vermin problem,” Janus says. His eyes alight on Galleghar. “Ah. There’s the rat himself.”

My mate’s face remains impassive, even as he steps up to my side.

Galleghar’s eyes narrow. “Did you come here to kill me too?”

“Well, I didn’t come for the weather,” Janus replies.

Blood still drips from his sword as he strides forward, and he makes no attempt to wipe it off. He comes over to the four of us, nodding to Des, then Malaki and Temper. Temper, for her part, eyes him up and down like he’s lunch.

When Janus’s eyes land on me, he bows. “Lady, you have my sword and shield.”

My lips part in surprise. I’d assumed the Day King came here because he and Des were allies, but perhaps that’s not the reason.

Janus swore his fealty to me not so long ago; perhaps Des told him of our plan, perhaps this is him upholding his oath.

The soldiers make no move to retaliate for the death of their comrade; they just continue to watch us with that same, stoic expressions.

Galleghar studies Janus for another moment, then his eyes are drawn to me. My skin still glows, and the longer he looks at me, the more intrigued he appears.

“Slave,” he murmurs. Louder, he says, “I have a message for you—”

A heavy hand falls on Galleghar’s shoulder. “Enough,” the soldier behind him says.

The undead king glares at the gore-stained soldier, though the fairy pays the king no heed as he saunters forward, his eyes lit with dark delight.

There’s only one person who looks at me like that.

“Enchantress,” the Thief says, “how youbeguileme even now.”

It’s a horrible sensation to hear that mercurial spirit of his projected through someone else’s body.

“I had thought to simply watch and enjoy the bloodbath, but—” he stares at me with sick fascination, “I want you to notice me as I have noticed you.”

Next to me, Des’s wings manifest, spreading out behind him. Around us, shadows fill the room. The Thief of Souls notices none of it.