Page 57 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

“No.” He grins.

My breath catches.

Woah.

I acknowledged the otherworldly beauty of the Fae males when they crashed the town meeting, but that smile… It transforms Rian’s face. It highlights his strong, masculine features and brightens his smoky eyes framed by lush, dark lashes.

“Was…was that a joke?” I croak.

“Yes. And one I’m surprised you fell for, Sunshine.”

I bristle. “Excuse me for not knowing the extent of all your little magic tricks.”

“Trust me, nothing about my power is little—or a trick.” His voice drops into a dangerous cadence as a shadow peels from his shoulder, gliding across the tent like smoke.

It caresses the lantern’s glass, swallowing its light until the space plunges into darkness, then slithers back to coil against his frame.

The shadows buried in my own skin stir restlessly, flickering up my forearms.

I force myself to meet Rian’s stare. “Are you trying to scare me?”

“That depends.” Two more shadows slink from him, sleek as vipers, winding down his arms before curling around his waist. They climb back up, tugging at his shirt, baring a strip of golden skin at his throat.

My breath hitches. “On what?”

His head tilts, predatory, shadows rippling with the motion. “Do you want to be scared?”

The air in the tent grows thick, oppressive.

My scowl feels brittle against the sudden chill in my veins. “Why would I want to be scared?”

“Because fear”—His voice is a silken blade—“reminds humans that Fae are their enemies. And if we are your enemy, it gives you permission to act against us.”

Ice trickles through me. “I’m not acting against you.”

His lips twitch, neither smile nor snarl.

“Not you,” he concedes. Shadows flicker sharper along his jaw. “But the rebellion? That’s another story.”

My stomach twists violently. “Are you honestly saying the rebellion is real?”

“Trust me.” His eyes flash silver once more. “It’s real.”

“That’s…hard to believe.”

“Why?”

I scoff and wave a hand toward him and the shadows gliding over his flesh. “Because you’re Fae. You have powers humans can’t hope to fight against and win.”

We’ve already tried once, and look where that got us.

“You underestimate your kind.”

“Do I?”

The Shadow Wars made it clear Fae are the stronger race. Their magic enabled them to conquer our continent with relative ease. Humans had no chance.

“Yes.” Rian’s stare bores into mine. Thoughts swirl among the smoky darkness. “You do.”