Page 6 of Sunsplitter

“Hurtful, Clarence.”

Fi’s grin flashed teeth. She, too, could spit farther than she’d trust one of the daeyari’s kiss-ass Arbiters, and she recognized the muddy optics of any human advocating for a beast who’d devoured their kind for centuries. Which meant this negotiation had to establish—

“I’m no servant to the daeyari,” Fi said. “You won’t be, either. Think of it more like a… valued colleague.”

“Colleague.” He huffed. “Until I get eaten?”

She clicked her tongue. “For the past year, the Lord Daeyari only accepts meals who’ve died of other causes. Those who agree to donate their bodies. If you’re interested, I can get you the signup form.”

“How charitable.”

“The others I’ve spoken to certainly thought so.”

Clarence would have heard Fi was tracking smugglers. He would have heard how many she’d recruited already. She saw that glint in his eyes, the fight between wary survival instinct, and not wanting to miss a lucrative deal. Fi unbuttoned her coat, crimson stone glinting on her cuffs, and pulled out a piece of cardstock. Her sprint had crinkled the edges.

“By official decree,” she read. “Antal, Lord Daeyari, grants unhindered entrance to and movement within his territory for?… hey, look! That’s your name, right there.” Fi pointed to theClarence Shaleinked at the bottom of the page.

He squinted. Something tangible always shifted the odds. No hollow promises, real ink on paper. Still, Clarence played aloof, idly scratching his beard.

He held out a hand.

“Let me see that.”

Fi relinquished the page then sat back, watching him scour the words. He rubbed the paper between his fingers. Picked at the edge of the black seal. Yes, Clarence, that was a genuine daeyari seal, wax mixed with immortal blood. She’d always loved this feeling, having the proper cards to play at the proper time.

Laorsek, the daeyari called it.

She’d learned to speak much of the daeyari language this past year—in many instances, solidly against her will, and supremely annoyed at the smug beast whose idea of “teaching” was to repeat a hundred words at her until she relented and shouted them back.Laorsekwas the person who held the upper hand in a negotiation.

“A nice carrot,” Clarence grumbled. “What happens if I’m not interested? Your daeyari comes after me instead?”

“Nope,” Fi returned cheerfully.

“… Nope?”

“Regardless of your answer”—she nodded to the cardstock— “that’s yours to keep. Daeyari make strict territory borders to control human movements, to keep us dependent.Thisterritory doesn’t work like that anymore.”

Clarence scowled at the paper. Another long silence, as he considered Fi. And with a little extra nudge—

“Why did you become a smuggler?” Fi asked.

“For the energy chips.”

“Right. But what else?”

“The energy chips are pretty motivating.”

“Because of thedaeyari,” Fi pressed. “To skirt around their control of the territories, demanding sacrifices in exchange for resources. You know I’m the same, Clarence.”

“Yet you’re helping one of them?”

“This daeyari is different. Servingunderhis elected mortal governor, rather than giving orders. Expanding the representative council. Repairing and improving energy conduits with his own hands. Eating the dead, instead of live sacrifices.”

Fi attributed Clarence’s narrowed eyes to the atypically sincere and profanity-free monologue. Another obnoxious skill she’d had to develop.

“This is real change,” she said. “Don’t you want to be part of it?”

Clarence lifted a brow.