Page 197 of The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny)

I watched my husband carefully. The casual way he dismissed the massive magical expenditure, the slight tremor in his left hand that he was trying to hide—something was different. The struggle within him, whatever it was, was growing worse as the conversation continued.

“Even with the distraction,” Thorne said, “extracting seventy prisoners from a warded location won’t be simple. We need an exit strategy that doesn’t involve fighting our way through the entire palace.”

“What if we prepare an extraction point outside the ward boundaries?” I suggested. “Somewhere close enough to move the prisoners quickly, but far enough that we can portal out?”

Sebastian nodded slowly. “Just outside the Palace Garden. They’ll be beyond the ward perimeter, and there’s a service entrance near the cellars that’s usually only guarded by two men.”

“Usually,” Vex emphasized. “With prisoners this valuable—”

“They’ll have sufficient guard,” Kazimir finished. He studied the palace layout Griffin had produced. “We’ll need to be surgical about this. In and out before they realize what’s happening.”

“I’ll lead the infiltration team,” I said.

“No.” Kazimir’s response was immediate, shadows darkening the room. “Auremar wants you specifically. Walking into his stronghold is exactly what he’s hoping for.”

I recognized the possessiveness for what it was—fear. Real, bone-deep terror at the thought of me in Auremar’s hands. But it wasn’t going to change the facts. I folded my arms. “Would you prefer I lead the military distraction? Because I will, but I think my magic would be more useful freeing prisoners than playing general. Other than Sebastian, I know Sunspire Palace better than anyone here.”

Kazimir’s hands gripped the table hard. My new ring flared cold on my finger. For a moment, I thought he’d forbid it outright, Dark Lord commands and all, and then we’d have a repeat of the Gilded Gallows. But then he surprised me. “Fine. But you’re not going alone.”

“I’ll accompany her,” Sebastian offered. “My magic might help with distractions. Plus, I know some of the prisoners. They’ll trust me.”

“And I’ll be there,” Thorne added, in a tone that suggested arguing would be pointless.

“Shadow warriors,” Kazimir said. “At least a dozen. And if things go bad—”

“We handle it,” I interrupted.

Kazimir nodded sharply. “The moment you have the prisoners, you get out. No heroics, no side missions.”

“Agreed,” I said, though we both knew I’d do whatever was necessary in the moment.

“The primary objective is the rescue,” Kazimir said, his shadows spreading across the map. “But I’m not wasting this opportunity. While their forces are scrambling to respond to our ‘invasion,’ we take the capital.”

Thorne’s eyebrows rose. “You’re planning to hold Sunspire?”

“I’m planning to make Auremar understand he’s already lost.” Kazimir’s smile was sharp. “When he crawls out of whatever hole he’s hiding in—and he will hide, the coward—he’ll find his capital under new management.”

“What about the Hero’s Guild?” Sebastian asked, his flowers wilting faster. “They’ve been different lately. More aggressive. Less coordinated.”

“The Shadow King’s corruption,” I said quietly. “They’re addicted to his magic now.”

Kazimir’s expression darkened. “I have plans for the Guild.”

“What plans?” Vex asked.

“The kind that work better as a surprise.” The casual menace in his voice suggested those plans were decidedly unpleasant.

“But Auremar himself?” I pressed. “We can’t kill him. Not until we understand his connection to the Shadow King’s prison.”

“Capture, not kill,” Kazimir agreed, though he looked pained by the concession.

Griffin held up a hand. “I’ll need at least six hours to prepare extraction portals. They’ll need to be keyed to specific locations to avoid the ward interference, and stable enough to transport seventy-plus panicked nobles.”

Kazimir nodded. “Vex, I need you coordinating from here. Someone needs to keep our current guests from rioting while we’re gone.”

“Oh good,” Vex said drily. “Babysitting duty. My favorite.”

“About that,” Sebastian said hesitantly. “How exactly do we convince so many nobles to participate in a blood ritual? My father always said appealing to their sense of honor and duty to the kingdom—”