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I move to the seat next to Temper. “You could take a few tips from him,” I say.

She waves the comment away. “Hugs are for pussies.”

I let out a little snicker, grabbing the cup of coffee resting in front of her and taking a sip from it.

“Hey, bitch, that wasmine.”

“Awww,” I say, giving her a precious look, “does someone have trouble sharing?” I take a long drink from it.

Temper’s eyes narrow. “Careful I don’t hex that coffee to splash you in the face every time you drink it,” she says.

I smile over the rim of the coffee. “Careful I don’t glamour you to tell Malaki how you really feel about him.”

To be honest, I don’t even knowifmy magic works on humans anymore. But she doesn’t need to know that.

Temper shakes her head. “That’s low, Callie.”

The two of us fall to silence, watching Des and Malaki grip each other’s shoulders and make all sorts of man-oaths about dying by the blade to protect one another and yadda, yadda, yadda.

“Malaki is just being excessive,” Temper says. “We heard hours ago that you two were okay.” She nudges my shoulder with her own. “Heard you can now glamour fae.” She puts her fist out, and I bump my knuckles against hers. “Fuck yeah, my girl.”

Des and Malaki speak in low tones for a little longer. Something the Night King says causes Malaki to chuckle, and something the general says draws Des’s eyes to me, his gaze intense enough to make my stomach flutter.

He pulls away from his friend and heads over to the table, taking a seat next to me. His hand falls to my thigh as he nods at each of the advisors seated at the table who’ve also been waiting for us. A few of the advisors cast me and Temper curious looks. I doubt they’re used to having humans (former or otherwise) at these meetings.

“I’m glad to see everyone alive and well,” Des begins as Malaki takes his seat. “Let’s get straight to the matter: the Night Kingdom fell under siege tonight at the hands of our own people. What do we know about the situation?”

And thus, the talks begin.

The group of us rehash what we already know—a bunch of sleeping soldiers woke up from their long slumber, each possessed with the need to kill and maim and conquer. Then we tally up the dead and wounded, then note the damage wrought to the kingdom.

“We were not alone,” one of the advisors says. “We received reports from the other three kingdoms that they too were attacked.”

My dream floods back to me in all its vividness. Of the Thief standing amongst those poisoned oaks as they splintered open. I don’t know where the line between fantasy and reality is anymore.

“The Kingdom of Flora fell,” the advisor continues.

The Kingdom of Flora …fell?

The phrasing conjures up images of those giant cedar trees toppling to the ground, of the earth swallowing up the palace whole. It doesn’t do the truth justice—

An entire city was likely cut down. All those people just … gone.

I can’t process that sort of devastation. Not when we were just there. I danced and drank and reveled alongside Flora fairies. They might not have been my favorite people, but now knowing the deadly task those sleeping soldiers set out to accomplish …

“How many died?” I ask.

The room is silent, and the advisor looks helplessly at me while another shakes her head.

Too many.

All those sleeping men … the kingdom never stood a chance.

Malaki tosses a sheet of parchment into the middle of the table. “We’ve heard rumors that Mara got out in time, but the same cannot be said for the rest of Flora’s citizens.

Des flicks his wrist, and the parchment slides his way. The Bargainer’s eyes skim the notes.

“Fauna is gone as well,” Malaki continues. “Though from our reports, few died. There was no resistance for the soldiers to crush.”