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Chapter twelve

Damnable Dancing

Zayne

“So that accounts for six shards,” Ninti mused.

I’d just finished recounting exactly what had happened the night before as Ayla prepared for tonight’s dinner. The rest of the crew lingered in the living area, Rhett lounging on the couch as I ate the provisions they’d snuck to me.

“It leaves only one shard unaccounted for,” I concluded.

The firewolf nodded. She and Rimu had settled on an armchair, their rumps cuddled against one another.

The two had spent the entire day together, prowling the palace grounds.

“I don’t have a clue where the last one is.

I had hoped to hear something helpful today, but I’m not even sure Calindra knows we’ve taken her shard. ”

“She’s anxious,” Rhett observed.

“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure that’s your fault.”

“Technically, I think it’s Iona’s. I will only accept responsibility for stoking the fire.”

I studied him, debating if his heart was on the line. If it was, the risks of our quest rose considerably.

He smiled dreamily. “I love seeing Iona standing up for herself. She deserves so much more credit than her mother gives her. She’s special. The way she laughs, the way she thinks, and by Teyr, the way she moves that perfect body.”

We’re screwed.

“Is she asking for your help leaving Mer?” I prodded. “Because we really don’t need the mer guards following us when we leave.”

“I know that!” Rhett said defensively and then sighed. “But she’s finally giving herself permission to choose me after all these years, and you’re—what—suggesting that I tell her to back off?”

I shrugged.

“Zayne, I know what we’re doing is dangerous. But she’s been told what to do her whole life, and if she’s finally ready to break free, I can’t let our little heist get in the way.”

“Awe, that’s kind of cute,” Ayla teased from the doorway, “if it weren’t so dangerous.”

My mouth dried at the sight of her. Tonight’s dress was somehow more luscious than the last, her bold red bodice turning into a tight, short skirt that showed off her long legs. Her emotions, calmer now that she’d confidently navigated the meetings of the day, only added to the sexy effect.

“Dangerous,” Rhett echoed, glancing from her to me. “I could say the same about you two.”

Ayla playfully smacked the side of his head. “At least we’re not keeping secrets from each other about why we’re here.”

No, we’ve just lost sense of our individual emotions. Definitely safer.

Not that I minded.

“Our messy love lives aside” —Rhett stood, turning toward me— “keep a close ear from the shadows tonight. A good merchant knows the deals aren’t made in daylight. They happen under the disguise of night.”

I leaned back, relieved Rhett was finally giving some useful advice.

Ninti jumped down from the chair, shook, and looked up at Ayla. “We’ll need to come up with an excuse for you to skip a couple hours of tomorrow’s meetings.”

“Why?”

“I want to train with you. I suspect the Starlit King is right and your powers are starlight. Maybe with a little practice, you’ll be able to open that box with the shards.”

Ayla rolled her wrists, glancing at them to confirm no light ebbed from her hands. “You think so?”

Ninti nodded. “You’re already controlling it far better today. I didn’t see a single outburst.”

Ayla nodded, her playful expression hardening into determination. Still, I felt the doubt in her heart. “A little practice might do the trick.”

“We’ll say you need a nap,” Rhett offered. “Teyr knows the meetings are boring enough. I’ll make your excuses.”

“Excellent.”

The chattering of guests grew louder on the other side of the door, signaling there could be no more delay. The second evening of festivities had begun.

“Shall we?” I asked, nodding toward the door.

Ayla playfully offered me her arm, allowing me the privilege of three steps at her side before I vanished into the shadows.

If only we could spend the whole night together.

Soon, we joined the crowd that gathered in the throne room.

The tables where we had worked all day had been cleared, replaced by a large sand sculpture.

It depicted a grand shipping vessel, the symbols of each isle displayed across its base, and across the room, the artist was hard at work on a second masterpiece, entertaining questions by the curious courtiers.

Ayla and Rhett were quickly approached by several other merchants. Through their niceties, it was obvious what they wanted—insight into Valterra. What goods did she think would be in highest demand, what did the humans need that had not been developed, and on and on they went.

Keeping her in my line of sight, I wandered through the room, catching breadcrumbs of conversation barely detectable over the live music.

“…the sand sculpture snubbed Wisp. Their symbols are missing.”

“…such interest in the part-fae is unnecessary, as if we don’t have ledgers of our own to tell us what humans value.”

My fist clenched at the sound of this, eager to send the message of exactly how far they underestimated Ayla, even if their disinterest should have been a relief.

“…we’ve finished producing the first delivery of weapons you requested.”

I froze, overhearing this final phrase, uncertain who the speaker was. The words had come from behind a pillar, the fae tucked out of sight just beyond the pavilion. I settled into the darkness behind them.

Bracelets clinked as the speaker rolled his wrist and continued. Lord Tallus. “The collars are frustratingly intricate, so I hope you aren’t asking for many more. Fortunately, the enchanted spears are straightforward, and we’ll be able to produce countless more.”

“Excellent,” his companion replied, and I shifted my position, finding there was no location in which the light hit his face. Regardless, I would know that voice anywhere.

“How are the other prototypes?” the Starlit King asked. “The siege weapons, the poisons?”

“Promising, but our artisans are still fine-tuning the process.” Tallus glanced away nervously. “And who, dare I ask, are you planning to sell these weapons to?”

The Starlit King just smiled. “Do not worry. The Isles will remain safe, and moreover, we will all prosper. Trust me, for all your assistance, my dear Collector, Mer will benefit.”

Collector. Tallus had worked with Inarus under that name, providing the necromancer with supplies and gold.

Amused, Tallus glanced at the mer throne, the ancient fae kings having never made an appearance. “Someone needs to ensure Mer’s future.”

“Indeed,” the Starlit King agreed.

I leaned closer, hoping to learn more, except Tallus left, sliding back into the festivities as if he had never been on their fringe. But I wouldn’t forget.

The Starlit King was buying the weapons Mer was producing. Weapons he claimed wouldn’t threaten the fae.

All of it troubled me as I watched the Starlit King linger behind. He glanced at the throne and tapped the dagger at his waist. It was a nervous tick, one I’d watched for years, and after learning that this dagger was one of the mysterious dragon blades…

There was more to this than a nervous habit.

Suddenly, the Starlit King stared in my direction. His lips tightened into a frown.

My breath caught, my shadows thickening. His hands were dull, and without accessing his powers, he couldn’t possibly pierce my darkness, right? I waited.

No, he was looking through me, glaring toward the west. He looked almost… wistful.

And then the moment passed. Shaking his head, he returned to the ballroom.

Curious, I turned in the direction he had been looking, bringing forth the lens of death. In my pocket, the two shards glowed bright. To my left and right, the shards of Lord Tallus and the Starlit King gleamed from their respective wings of the palace. And before me…

A low purple hue simmered on the western horizon.

The Isle of Dusk.

The seventh shard was there. I was now certain of it, and my fist clenched, suspecting the Starlit King knew this too. If he had studied the shards enough to collect them, he must have suspected where the seventh was hidden.

Only to never collect it.

My stomach pitted. A wave of uncertainty filled me—but the emotion was larger than expected. No, this dread was far thicker than my emotion alone.

This feeling wasn’t mine.

It’s Ayla’s.

I spun, turning in time to see the Starlit King approaching her. The crowd parted before him, giving him a clear path, and when Ayla also tried to duck out of his way, he dipped his chin, making eye contact with a smile and a wave.

Her heart pounded as if rising out of my own chest.

Rhett danced with Iona, terribly and awfully distracted as the Starlit King approached.

Slipping between the guests, weaving between the dusky shadows, I reached her side, offering my silent support. Her fingers twitched as if reaching for me, her newfound relief coursing through me as the Starlit King arrived.

“May I have another dance?” he asked, echoing the night before. He extended his hand.

Ayla looked away, demure and shy, her act convincing to anyone but me. Only I knew how conflicted she was, torn between the intensity of his gaze, commitment to her role, and… something more.

My fist clenched.

Her magic is like his. It draws her in…

She made a half-hearted attempt to deny his invitation, and her confusion muddled through our bond.

He took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.

If I hated him before, it was nothing compared to now. Before, he had hurt everyone I loved, everyone I was supposed to protect, and now, he targeted Ayla.

Anger pulsed through me, exploding through the tether. In response, light burst from Ayla’s hand, and starlight flashed through the throne room.

I grasped for shadows as her magic threatened to tear them down. My skin flushed from the radiance of her power.

When the moment passed, everyone in the throne room had turned toward her, rubbing their hands to their aching eyes. Ayla glanced at them all, her lips turned in a frown.

I forced my shadows to steady, my heart to calm.

The Starlit King studied her, unfazed from the eruption of raw power. “If you’re not careful, your lack of training could hurt someone.”

Ayla froze.

“That won’t do.” He tugged her toward the guest wing. “If you come with me, I could help you find control—”

Ayla yanked her hand from his grasp. “No, thank you.”

He frowned. “Let me know if you change your mind, and I’ll give you a lesson in starlight. I’d hate for you to hurt someone you care about.”

Ayla gulped and nodded.

The king looked about the room with a humorous smile. “Nothing quite like the power of starlight, is there?”

The others laughed, and the bitter taste of jealousy coated my throat.

Ayla blushed, meeting Rhett’s eyes from across the room. He squeezed Iona’s hand and let her go, meandering across the throne room to join us. Not that far away, Ninti followed suit.

I scowled from my place in the darkness. It had been my fault she’d lost control, my emotions that had erupted, and I had to do something before it happened again. Already, I was so tired of watching from the shadows.

Rhett led us to the edge of the pavilion, and I followed as they settled behind a column, relieved that the shadows were plentiful here. Ninti settled on her rump and looked up, Rimu beside her.

“I have to go,” Ayla whispered, her voice shaking with fear. “The Starlit King is giving me too much attention, and I need to get my magic under control. Now. Ninti and I will find an abandoned beach and—”

“ We have to go,” I agreed, eager to seize this opportunity.

Rhett eyed my general location, brow furrowed. “So let me get this straight—now that you’ve stolen one shard, you’re going to just... leave? All because the Starlit King wants to help you.”

“Do you really trust him?” Ayla pressed.

Rhett frowned. “Not in trade and certainly not with your safety.”

I glanced between them. “Nothing about this so-called ‘Trade Assembly’ is trustworthy. I overheard Lord Tallus and the Starlit King talking, and there are new fae weapons, ones that the Starlit King is eager to acquire. He claims they won’t be used within the Isles, but…

” I allowed the concern to hang in the air.

Ayla glanced at Rhett.

He frowned. “Iona is concerned about the weapons—so something is definitely happening. But I don’t think she knows who the intended buyer is.”

“There’s more,” I continued. “If we go to Dusk, I suspect we’ll find the seventh shard.”

Ayla turned to me, surprised. “The seventh shard?” Her gaze pierced where I stood in darkness. Beside her, Ninti tilted her head curiously.

“Something about the Starlit King prompted me to check to the west—and I can see it, vaguely. The Isle of Dusk is in that direction. And since Ayla needs time to train with Ninti, we’ll find an abandoned beach along the way. It’ll also give her a chance to step out of the spotlight for a time.”

“Okay then, let’s go,” Ayla said, already taking a step toward the guest suites.

Rhett shook his head. “Wait a second. That’s a big hunch. What about—”

“We’re doing it,” I hissed. Something worse than a starlit outburst would happen if I had to endure another day of coveting Ayla from the shadows.

“If we leave tonight, we’ll be back the day after tomorrow.

That gives you time to sort out everything with Iona.

See if you can learn anything more about this weapon’s deal. ”

Ninti nodded her agreement without saying a word.

“What about Mer’s gate?” Rhett asked.

“Those signed papers you so wonderfully provided give us free access through the duration of the event, don’t they?”

Rhett nodded, lips pursed. “So what am I supposed to say? It was one thing to say Ayla needed an afternoon nap, and now you’re asking for a full day? Everyone is curious about the part-fae .”

“Which is exactly why I need to leave. This disguise isn’t foolproof.” Ayla crossed her arms. “One day, Rhett, that’s all I need.”

“Fine.” Rhett sighed. “So new plan. I’ll say you’re touring the island—perhaps you have a friend on the opposite coast, and you want to spend a day with them, and I stayed because I’m the merchant prince.”

I rolled my eyes as he repeated his self-appointed name.

“It’s perfect,” Ayla assured him.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Rhett nodded, frowning in my direction. “Zayne, you better keep her safe or I’ll never forgive you.”