Page 19 of Prisoner of Darkness and Dreams (Fated to the Sun and Stars #3)

“My clientele didn’t seem to bother you when you could use my workers as spies, Sandale,” I spit.

“Obviously, you don’t give a shit about their safety even when your actions put them in danger.

But while you might be fine with sending your people to be slaughtered”—Sandale winces at that, and I feel a surge of vicious satisfaction—“ I actually care about those I’m responsible for.

I barely got my people out of the city alive, and I want justice . ”

I take a step toward them, only to find a knife pressed firmly to the base of my throat.

“Don’t get any closer if you’d like to keep your head.”

I risk turning just enough to see one of the fae, the dark-haired woman with bright green eyes, standing at my shoulder. Muffled grunts from my security tells me they’ve been stalled by the prince’s soldiers too. Gods, these fae are fast.

“It’s not nice to sneak up on people,” I say calmly as my shadows swirl around me.

I feel her flinch by my side as the world goes dark for her. The moment she tenses, I grab her wrist and wrench her hand away, pulling the dagger from her fingers with my other hand. I lift the shadows, ready to turn the blade on her, but she’s not there.

“I said , don’t move if you want to keep your head. ”

I yank my neck around to find her on my other side, holding a second knife directly against my groin. Her smug expression makes her look like a cat that’s caught a particularly amusing mouse.

“Clever,” I say flatly, even if privately I’m rattled. I look toward the prince. “Call off your dogs, Your Highness.” I demand, and the smugness dies on her face. She presses the knife a little harder against the fabric of my pants, eyes going to her captain.

“And if I do, what do you plan on doing next, Wadestaff?” the prince asks.

“I want justice, but I’m not here for some kind of blood payment.” I look into the soldier’s green eyes, offering her a smile that makes her eyes widen a little. Good, I knew that would throw her.

“That would hardly be useful to me,” I continue. “What I want is compensation for the damage you’ve done.”

This man is a prince—he must have resources that will help me rebuild. Or at least look after everyone for the next few months until I can call in some of the many favors people owe me.

Leon gestures to his soldiers. “Put the knife away, Damia,” he says.

The green-eyed woman doesn’t look happy about it, but she withdraws her hand and steps away.

“Pity,” she says.

“I’m truly sorry for what happened in Hallowbane, Wadestaff,” Harman says, and for once he doesn’t look quite so infuriatingly righteous.

Perhaps my words got through to him. “Believe it or not, I really do understand what it’s like to worry about the people under your charge—whether you made the right decisions for them or could’ve shielded them more.

But you’re looking for reparations in the wrong place.

” I’m about to start arguing with him again when someone else speaks up.

“I think my brother might have a point, Mr. Wadestaff.”

I turn to the owner of the voice. Morgana Angevire stands apart from the others, her hands by her side. She has no hand outstretched to conjure, even though I’ve heard rumors she has powerful magic .

“Brother?” I repeat, casting my eyes over Sandale. “Yes, I did suspect about his heritage, but it’s nice to have it confirmed.”

She gives me a knowing smile. “I thought you’d figured it out. A man like you is good at sniffing people’s secrets out.”

I incline my head at the compliment.

“Nevertheless—”

“We’re not your enemy, Mr. Wadestaff,” she cuts me off.

“I’ll acknowledge that we put your people at risk—but we’re not the ones who harmed them.

We mustn’t turn on each other when there’s only one villain here.

One group wants to exterminate all of us.

Fae or human, rebel or criminal.” She adds an ironic note to that last word.

“The Temple destroyed your empire in Hallowbane; the Temple took Marina from you.”

I’m too good a gambler to wince at the mention of her name, but that doesn’t mean the words fail to strike a blow.

“Personally, I’m done with Caledon taking everything from all of us,” the princess continues. “Aren’t you?”

She’s clever, framing it as about being what I want, about my revenge.

That’s what her brother doesn’t understand, with all his pious preaching about the greater good.

For so many of us, a safe life in Hallowbane was as good as we were going to get.

I’ve no interest in fighting for the causes of truth or justice…

but I can and will fight to protect my people.

Now they just need to convince me that doing things their way will actually lead to peace and safety instead of more chaos and destruction. So far, I’m not optimistic.

“If you want justice, help us bring the Temple down,” Harman says.

I scoff at the idea. “And lose what little I have left? Why would you even want my help, now that I’ve lost everything and been driven from my own city?”

Morgana Angevire straightens, looking me straight in the eyes.

“You could be a great help, Mr. Wadestaff. Especially now. I’ll need as many allies as I can get if I’m going to become Trova’s queen.”