Page 13 of Tell Them That I’m Coming

Pausing when there’s a demon’s length between us, I run my fingers over my right horn. That’s right. Like my human mother, he doesn’t have any horns. I don’t see how that has anything to do with my having… what was that word again? “Coin?”

“Gold?” he suggests.

Gold is a color. I know that. Like my eyes, and his deliciously tempting skin… I don’t have to be the daughter of our clan’s artist to know that. In Sombra, we have the gold moon that arrives and brings fertility with it, and golden chains that the mages conjure for Duke Haures’s prisoners.

I shake my head.

“Money?”

Oh. That’s what he’s asking me about? “We don’t have money in Nuit. We trade for what we need from the rest of our clan.” I pause for a moment. Convince you to part with… with the help of a sword, huh? “You’re a thief?”

The fae male grins at me. “In the Shadowed Woods of the Gilded Court, we prefer the term bandit.”

My brow furrows. “This is supposed to be Noctavara.”

“Yes. But the Gilded Court rules the realm, with the Shadowed Woods being only a part of it.” His fingers tap of the hilt of his sword, drawing my attention. Just like I thought, the marks from Binx’s fangs are completely healed. “And, like I said before, you’re not supposed to be here. But since you are…”

Maybe I’m not, but that’s not going to stop me. “Is it forbidden?”

In Sombra, it’s forbidden for humans to learn about demons. I have no idea what to expect from Noctavara, especially now that my essence is telling me that a fae thief—oh, sorry, bandit—is my one true mate. All the more reason not to tell him so, especially when my focus is on finding Rafe.

Which might be easier said than done if I’m not allowed to be here…

He blinks, his easy humor fading. “Forbidden? Now, why would you say that?”

I shrug. “I have my reasons for visiting this realm. If I can expect others like you to greet me at swordpoint, I should know now so that I can expect it.”

“In the Shadowed Woods, you can almost guarantee it⁠—”

Wonderful.

“—and those aren’t the worst of the dangers here. What about your shadows? You’re from Sombra, yes? Can’t they protect you? Don’t you have shadow magic of your own?”

How does he know about Sombra, I wonder. Unless Rafe isn’t the first one of my kind that’s been captured by soldiers from this world… “Have you met another Sombra demon before?”

If the fae notices that I’m being as careful with my words as he’s been, he doesn’t show it.

“All sorts pass through the Shadowed Woods,” is his answer. Leaning back against the tree again, he adds, “But they’re usually accompanied by members of the Gilded Court.”

That’s the second time he mentioned the Gilded Court. Hmm… “So if I was searching for someone, that’s where I should go?”

“Everyone in Noctavara is brought before Queen Celeste sooner or later.”

I don’t care about a queen. I just want to find out who took Rafe. Anything else can wait. “Thank you⁠—”

He winces.

Binx claws at my shoulder, as though making sure I saw that. Since I did, I ask, “Something wrong?”

“You’re not fae.”

I’m not, and I shake my head. He already saw the horns that are a dead giveaway to my demon heritage, and he seems to know something about Sombra. “No.”

“Don’t thank the fae,” he tells me, his voice full of amusement while his expression is anything but. “Unless you want to owe us a debt. And there are many of us in Noctavara who want more than gold…”

The way he lets his sentence trail off, it’s as though he’s waiting for me to finally introduce myself. I can’t believe I haven’t already. Mom would cluck her tongue at my lack of manners if she were here. Maybe if I’d run off once he took the sword away from my throat, he wouldn’t need to know my name, but I’ve lingered despite knowing I shouldn’t—and all because I can’t bring myself to walk away just yet.

He’s my mate. My mate. He won’t let me thank him for the information he’s shared so far, but the least I can do is give him my name for now. “Alana,” I supply. “Of Sombra.”