Page 208 of Sunsplitter

“Why are your feet making so much noise?”

“They are not!”

“Will both of you stop acting so suspicious?” Syvr said ahead of them. “No one comes this way. We’ll be fine.”

Fi held up a middle finger. They snickered.

“I don’t want to get caught down here, Syvr,” Ixli said with more fangs.

“Youdon’t want to get caught?” Fi said. “What will they do if they catchme?”

“Best case scenario,” Syvr said, “probably eat you.”

“Bestcase?”

“Don’t worry. We won’t let anyone—”

Both daeyari froze. Tensed. Never a good sign.

Fi was ashamed to say she probably wouldn’t have noticed on her own. The figure approached on silent footsteps, a shadow almost indistinguishable in the dark. Squinting, she made out the silhouette of a tail. Antlers.

A glow of red irises.

Fi bit back a curse and slunk behind her two daeyari distractions.

“Good afternoon, Syvr,” came a clipped voice.

The daeyari was old. Fi saw better as she drew closer, her face honed like a knife edge, shawls glittering off her shoulders like stardust. Her skin was ebony, seven-pointed antlers glintingwith silver baubles—and golden bands. Another Sunsplitter.

“Councilor Qirza!” Syvr greeted, magnanimous as ever, no enthusiasm lost for being caught in a sketchy-ass tunnel. They bowed and touched their highest antler tip. “A pleasure.”

Fi rapidly assessed the threat. A member of the Dusk Council. And based on Syvr’s kiss-ass tone? Someone important.

“We were on our way to the gallery,” Syvr went on. “Please, don’t let us delay you, esteemed speaker. The meeting must be starting soon—”

The daeyari, Qirza, held up a commanding claw. Syvr silenced.

“Enough pageantry, Syvr,” she said, not unkind. Definitely firm.

“Of course, councilor. My apologies…”

Fi updated her assessment. Based on Syvr’s submissive tail flick, someoneveryimportant. Ixli dropped her eyes, penitent as a child caught out after bedtime.

“An unusual route to the gallery,” Qirza observed, tail swishing slowly. “I expected to see you in the reception room, Syvr. And Ixli. And…”

Keen red eyes settled on the unknown visitor. Fi shrank into her hood, letting the brim mask her face. As if that did any good. Qirza’s nose flared for a sniff.

She stiffened.

No, this couldn’t be over already. Antal couldn’t face this alone.

“And for what reason,” Qirza said, “are you sneaking ahumaninto my chambers?”

Fi should have doused herself in garlic. Tied twigs to her head. The tail was harder—

“This is… an assistant,” Ixli claimed. “Come to take notes on the meeting.”

It was an awful lie, Ixli’s stiff delivery even worse. Fi felt disappointment radiate off Syvr like a gas leak.