Page 140 of Sunsplitter

“Easy now,” the aedari cooed. When she raised a hand, Fi fought every instinct to bite a finger off. “This looks painful. Sit still a moment…”

Fi recoiled when soft fingers touched the burned skin of her neck, grimaced at the bloom of heat. But then, an odd relief. The aedari swirled her finger, drawing across Fi’s skin.

The ache faded. Disappeared.

Healing? That worked on mortal flesh? These glyphs wereverydifferent magic.

“Better?” The aedari smiled, all rosy lips, no fangs. “What is your name, human?”

“Fi.” She forced her voice small. Meek. Disgraceful.

“Kressyalia.” The aedari pressed a hand to her chest. Then, a gesture to the man glowering overhead. “And Drekanmis.”

That was different. Fi had never heard a daeyari name longer than two syllables.

“Do you know what I am?” Kressyalia asked.

Fi swallowed. “Aedari.”

“Ah.” Her feathered ears lifted upward, a smirk on her lips. “But do you know what Iam? Did the beasts tell you?”

“They said you’re dangerous. That you’d kill me.”

“Poor thing.” The aedari reached for Fi’s face, and her talons weregone—gentle fingers brushing Fi’s cheek. “We are your salvation. We’ve come to free you from these monsters.”

Fi deserved a medal for not breaking into laughter. She forced her eyes wide.

“Free us?” she breathed. “Impossible. The daeyari are ruthless.” And so fierce. And so scary. And there definitely wasn’t anything sexy about their teeth. Who would ever be intoteeth?

“The daeyari are a blight upon the Shattered Planes.” The aedari’s voice hardened. Heat bloomed off her like a wildfire. “They devour your people. Animals, unable to control their instincts, skulking in their shadowed Planes. But fear not, little one, for we’ve come to you at last. We are your old gods, returned to set you free.”

The aedari spread her arms.

Spread herwings.

Feathers of golden light materialized behind her. The plumes spread to their full extent, engulfing Fi in blinding heat, theaedari resplendent in her gold-draped silhouette and eyes like molten metal. The spectacle was terrifying. Awe-inspiring. The sort of image that lowly mortals chiseled into stone walls to be remembered for all eternity.

In that heart-stilling moment, Fi understood—

The aedari were absolute, unapologetic dicks.

Syvr had warned her the aedari liked to play at gods. And sure, Fi’s eyes did widen beneath those scorching wings. It was only natural to feel terrified of this creature who could probably snap her bones with a thought.

And a year ago, wouldn’t it have sounded enticing? This immortal from the far reaches of the Shattered Planes, come to destroy the beasts who’d hunted Fi’s people as prey?

But there’d been no gods on her Plane since the Great Beasts millennia ago.

And Fi had seen these aedari bleed.

The most wretched immortals Fi had met always cast their cruelty as kindness. Verne, claiming humans ought to be grateful not to be hunted like rabbits through the woods. Avroz, acting like he had Antal’s best interest at heart, like not gutting Fi was a gift. She expected nothing better from someone claiming divinity.

Regardless, she made sure to sound impressed.

“You mean it?” Fi said. “You’re here to free us from the daeyari? They told me you were our enemies, that you’d destroy our whole Plane.”

“Lies. Our quarrel isn’t with you, human. Only your masters.” The aedari leaned close again, wings arced to blanket Fi in sunlight. “And they’re afraid. We’ve scouted many Planes, searching for their nest. We’re close, now.”

“How do you know?” That one, genuine curiosity.