Page 22 of Sunsplitter

The daeyari’s lips curled a slow, fanged grin.

“Antal,” his father greeted with spine-chilling fondness.

If Fi weren’t on best behavior, she’d knock it out of his teeth.

Antal hesitated a heartbeat too long.

“Izaevi,” he said. “Thank you for inviting me.”

That one sounded the same, as sharp as Antal had always spat the wordfather.

Avroz descended the stairs, tail a slow sway behind him. Antal held his arms out, palms up, the more formal daeyari greeting Fi had seen. Avroz laid his arms atop Antal’s.

When he leaned in to press their foreheads together, Fi thought Antal might snap apart.

She’d snap this bastard into pieces for him, if he only said the word. Rip out those smirking fangs. Add another antler to the collection above her mantle.

It was agony to say nothing. That she had to watch Antal fight to keep his tail from lashing, couldn’t even risk a hand on his, some small gesture to remind him that she was here. They’d survive this together.

Avroz stepped back. “It’s our pleasure to have you, virso. It’s been too long.”

“Muchtoo long,” Yme agreed, beaming.

Burgundy eyes snapped to Fi.

She felt them land like teeth on her throat—and not the good kind.

“But what’s this?” Avroz clicked his tongue. “Antal. You’re our guest, you should know we’ll provide dinner.”

Fi could force her face blank. She could keep her chin up. She couldn’t stop her treacherous heart clawing her throat.

“MyArbiter,” Antal said firmly. “And I’d rather not have to replace her.”

“Ah. Of course.” Avroz’s slicing gaze lingered on Fi a moment too long. A moment to contemplate how swiftly he could put his claws in her neck. He gestured to the vavriter waiting by the door. “Geslam, would you show my son’s Arbiter to a room?”

“Of course.” The vavriter bowed to Avroz. Beckoned to Fi.

She didn’t want to go. Plan or not, Fi didn’t want to leave Antal on his own with this beast.

She forced herself to lift their bags and walk past, not a glance at Antal to betray her.

The house was equally stunning inside. She entered a large sitting room, glassless windows on the far wall and strip lights forming aurora swirls across the ceiling. More sitting pillows circled in the center. The tiles were dark stone with chips of quartz.

She was ushered by the vavriter into a curving hallway, doors only on one side. He opened one.

“Antal’s room. If you wish to leave his bag?”

Fi already had a foot through the door when he said it. She nearly tripped.

Antal’s room?The room where a little baby daeyari had teethed on bones, had shed his antler velvet during puberty? She dropped his bag onto the bed and inhaled the space, not enough time to gawk at the satin sheets, the dusk-lit windowsills, the dressers with—

Geslam steered her out the door. Fi withheld a scream of protest. Later. She’d find time later to pick and pry at Antal’s room.

Their next stop was at the end of the hall, a smaller chamber.

“Hopefully, these qetsae are sufficient?”

Qetsae was a fancy world for room, she guessed. Quarters? Abode?