Page 260 of The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny)

“Would you?” She tilted her head, genuinely curious.

“No,” I admitted. “Destroying Solandris serves no purpose. Better to let it limp along as a cautionary tale about trusting golden kings with golden promises.”

“How unexpectedly merciful.” But she was smiling—that small, private smile that made my chest tight.

“Father will be thrilled,” Sebastian said brightly. “Well, as thrilled as he gets about anything. He’ll probably say something like ‘adequate’ and then immediately start reorganizing the tax system.”

The morning sun had climbed higher, casting the room in harsh light that made the gilt decorations look tawdry rather than grand. Sunspire was long overdue for less pomposity and more substance, but redecorating would have to wait until we eliminated the Shadow King’s threat.

“He’s out there somewhere.” I couldn’t quite keep the growl from my voice. “Free to do whatever he wants.”

“Then we’ll stop him.” Arabella said it like it was simple. Like we hadn’t just barely survived our first encounter with him. “We have the Heirloom. We have each other. And now we know what we’re fighting.”

I wanted to argue. Wanted to point out that we’d had all those things before and still nearly lost. But she was looking at me with such fierce certainty, such absolute faith in us, that the words died unspoken.

“I love you,” I said again, because now that I’d started, I couldn’t seem to stop.

Vex made a gagging noise. “If you two are going to be disgusting, at least wait until Griffin and I leave.”

“Please don’t,” Griffin added. “I’m still digesting breakfast.”

Sebastian just smiled serenely, though I noticed a few more morning glories bloomed along the windowsill. “It’s rather sweet, actually.”

I glowered at him, but Arabella just smiled, crossing the space between us to press a quick kiss to my jaw. “I love you too.” She patted my chest. “Come on, Dark Lord. Let’s go take a look at your new kingdom before we have to abandon it.”

Behind us, Vex, Griffin, and Thorne fell into step, already bickering about the logistics of moving an entire floating fortress. Sebastian trailed after, leaving a scattered path of blue flowers in his wake.

77 Chase Answers

(That Lead to More Dangerous Questions)

Arabella

A bitter wind whipped across Skyspire’s battlements, carrying with it the promise of early snow and the faint scent of woodsmoke from the main kitchens.

I pulled my heavy cloak tighter, grateful for the fur lining Vex had insisted on adding. Three days of organizing chaos had left me exhausted, but there was still so much to do before we moved the entire floating fortress north. To my surprise, most of the families staying with us were now happy for the Dark Lord’s protection, though a few grumbled about our failure to put the Shadow King back in his prison. I hadn’t given them the details, however. They didn’t need to know that we’d been the ones to actually free the Shadow King.

The battlements were mercifully empty except for the shadow sentries that rippled along the walls. I found my husband exactly where Thorne had said he’d be—standing at the eastern edge, staring out at the horizon where storm clouds gathered.

Kazimir wore only a thin silk shirt and dark pants, the fabric rippling in the wind. No cloak. No jacket. Just him and the elements, as if the bitter cold couldn’t touch him.

But I could see the truth in the rigid line of his shoulders, the way his fingers gripped the stone parapet. His runes were burning again.

“You’re going to freeze,” I said, coming up beside him.

“I run hot.” His voice was flat, distracted. “How goes the herding of entitled sheep?”

“About as well as you’d expect.” I leaned against the parapet, studying his profile. “Lord Brightwater is convinced his room is haunted. I didn’t know Skyspire had ghosts.”

Kazimir’s laugh was dark, humorless. “How can it not be? Every stone in this place has witnessed death. The dungeons just happen to concentrate the screaming in one convenient location, but that’s not the extent by a long shot. But Griffin’s probably been experimenting with spectral resonance again… or trying more hand gestures. He’s probably angered all the ghosts, though I can’t say I’m sorry that Lord Brightwater has been inconvenienced.”

I huffed a laugh. “The real problem is the families.”

Kaz turned to look at me, and I caught the flash of pain in his eyes before he masked it. “What families?”

I pinned him with a look. “The hostages from the Chamber of Petals want their loved ones brought to Skyspire. Same with the ones from Valmont. They’re worried about retaliation, about the Shadow King targeting anyone with even a drop of heroic blood.” I sighed. “We’re looking at potentially doubling our… population.”

“Absolutely not.” The words came out as a growl. “I agreed to temporary shelter for those already here. I’m not running a refugee camp for every nervous noble in the Western Realms.”