Page 28 of Daughter of the Dark

It made Solana sick to think about. The people who hired her did so because they would rather have her deal with their deceased family members and friends than a stranger. Sometimes they made pacts, like she and Sami had done. Some believed that death was destiny. That reversing the curse wouldn’t bring their loved ones back, no matter what the king proclaimed.

Then there were the Servants of Death, a small group of extremists who believed that the demons belonged to their fallen god, Supay, and to fear or kill them was to disavow their god. They worshipped the muki and welcomed death like a lover so they could be rebirthed and live forever.

It wasn’t much of an existence, but Solana figured they’d learn that for themselves.

They rode back through the gates and to the stables, where a stable boy took their horses with stars in his eyes. Oskar and Nikolas tossed a rope over each of their shoulders and dragged the muki toward a separate entrance that she knew led directly to the dungeons far below. She watched them go and ignored the violent urge to chase after them and shove her dagger through the muki’s spinal cord.

She sighed.

How comfortable with death and violence she was, how dark her thoughts, both waking and sleeping.

Even in dreams, the dark beckoned her closer.

“We have to debrief the king,” Reyes said, the impatience in his tone raising Solana’s hackles. She was tempted to head straight to her rooms just to spite him but knew the king wouldn’t appreciate it. Already, she had caused one problem by killing a muki. There was no need to acquire another mark against her.

With a sigh, she followed Reyes into the castle, down a set of stairs and around several corners before coming to a dark wood door. Reyes knocked and a voice called, “Come in.”

The door swung open to reveal a wood-paneled room with midnight blue velvet curtains hanging over faux windows. Globe lights burned brightly in two corners, casting sharp shadows from the shelves and desk onto the floor. Behind the desk sat King Killian, bright-eyed and fully dressed in shades of blue, a pen in his hand with which he scrawled across documents she couldn’t quite read. The silver crown usually on his head sat empty on the desk.

“Did everything go according to plan?” he asked without looking up.

“One casualty,” Reyes responded. Solana inhaled, ready to defend herself to her last breath, when Reyes added, “It was unavoidable. They seemed to be more aware than others we’ve encountered.”

The shock of his lie almost made her slip. It was lucky the king’s head was down. “Academy students are gifted. Perhaps it alters their demon forms in some capacity.” He turned to her. “And you? Anything to add?”

Solana saw Reyes stiffen from the corner of her eye. He had nothing to worry about—it wasn’t like Solana had any plans to tell on herself. “No, Your Majesty.”

At that, King Killian lifted his head and met her gaze. Solana fought the urge to fidget and held his crystalline eyes. “Good work, then,” he finally said, his attention darting back to Reyes. “A word? In private.”

Knowing when she was being dismissed, Solana slipped out of the room and pressed her back against the wall, heart thundering in her chest.

Reyes had covered for her.

Of all the things she didn’t expect, that was the most unexpected of all. It changed nothing, however, and did not stop Solana from sliding along the wall and tilting her head closer to the door so they couldn’t see her shadow in the gap. It was too thick to properly hear through, but she was able to catch a few random words. Control and gift and demon, the rest of it murmurs too deep and low.

Then she heard the scrape of wood on wood and jumped several paces down the hall. The door swung open and closed with a flourish and Reyes stepped out, his eyes going right to her and narrowing. “Eavesdropping?”

He strode toward her with all of his usual rancor. Solana instinctively shifted back and to the side and placed her hand on the hilt of her dagger. Reyes tracked the movement and stopped abruptly, the lines of his jaw and shoulders softening.

“Why did you cover for me?” she asked sharply. “I can handle the consequences of my actions.”

“Your actions are a reflection of me. It looks bad if I can’t control my unit.”

Whatever notions of gratitude she had potentially harbored fled with his words. “You don’t even want me here. You had the perfect opportunity to get rid of me and didn’t take it.”

“Some of us don’t resort to betrayal and murder to get what we want.” Reyes resumed walking, but slower, each of his steps a thump she felt beneath her skin. When he stopped at her shoulder, Solana was already holding her breath. “I’m entirely certain you’ll get yourself killed or removed from the castle all on your own.”

Then he passed her by, the scent of cedar and smoke lingering in the air long after he left. Solana waited several moments after the sound of his footsteps disappeared before she turned and headed toward the stairs that led to her rooms.

Another encounter where they had both come out alive.

Solana hardly slept in the callejon, preferring to wander and hunt and pretend like she was in absolute control of her life and her mind. But being at the castle changed things. She ate and she slept and she did things like throw open the door when someone knocked.

Reyes stood on the other side dressed in all black, as usual, his face set in careful disdain as he trailed his eyes from her feet to her mussed hair. In his hands was a tray of food.

Solana’s head reared back. “You brought me food?”

“It was on the floor.” He held it out to her, and she grasped both sides quickly. “I simply picked it up.”