Page 194 of A Thief Among Fae

I don’t feel any sympathy for the guilt that consumes her face.

“The girl is right,” Neiro groans. “The plan has failed. We must return and face judgment from our king.”

Forget that. “Desmond, we can’t let them go,” I argue. “She’s Gashil’s general, isn’t she? She’s the one who sent him after us. Nikolai is dead because of her! They need to be imprisoned to face trial.”

There’s a halberd across the balcony, and I’m ready to corner them both. If they try to escape, I’ll stop them.

I step toward it, but Desmond grabs my hand to stop me. “We are in no condition to fight,” he says.

“Even with your Gift?” Neiro asks, her mouth curling in a smirk.

Desmond dismisses the comment with a raise of his chin. “Your people will return to the Underearth, and you will take a message back to your king. Let this night be proof that Avedor and the Hollowlands won’t stand by and let you take our homes. Next time, I won’t let a fomorian body walk off the battlefield that isn’t controlled by me.”

His frigid warning sends a shiver down my spine. Even though he’s breathing heavily with exhaustion, he’s undeniably speaking as the Prince of Death that our kingdoms fear. No one would dare to take his threat lightly.

But I still don’t understand. We’re going to let them go? After everything they’ve done?

Desmond meets my gaze, and I remember what he told me when we packed the carriage. It feels like a lifetime ago. “Just imagine a world where words speak louder than violence.”

Maybe he’s letting them go to save Maeve’s family, but I know the real reason. This is what he believes in. Even after everything, he still chooses peace.

The thieves’ guild members, Desmond, Auri, and I watch as the remaining fomorians gather in the center of the ballroom. We’ve all survived. We’re injured, but alive nonetheless. The relief I feel can’t be described in words. Meeting each of their gazes makes me smile until my cheeks hurt.

Brandur and Auri detest the idea of letting the fomorians go, both growling as the fomorian hopper utters commands. Min has shifted into her lynx form, lacking clothes to change into. Finnian has woken up and kneels beside her, looking like he’d challenge the world for her. I think he’s the one who needs Min’s protection, but it’s a sweet sentiment.

Maeve stands in the outer ring. She looks at us, her brows furrowed and lips tight with a torn expression, wistful and longing. Her lavender eyes shine with teary regret.

The fomorians and Maeve disappear with a bang and a flash.

Then reinforcements from Avedor’s military arrive, along with a team of healers. I notice that the guards circle us, blocking off the exits like wolves cornering prey.

“This is ridiculous,” I mutter to Min. “We saved Avedor. The least they could do is⁠—”

Ronan and Evie walk into the ballroom, flanked by a dozen guards. I fall silent, relieved that not a hair is out of place on Evie’s head despite her mask being gone. The safe room had held.

At the sight of the carnage, Evie’s cheeks puff out. She stares at the broken bodies, bones protruding from severed tissue and flesh, and her face turns green. She fists her hands as she swallows. Weeks ago, I would’ve hugged her and teased her to no end.

Now, I don’t know what to do. It’s as if we’re strangers, the way I stay rooted in place. She doesn’t look at me, either.

“Your Majesty!” an Avedoran guard shouts. “These are the fae who plotted against your family. And that one there!” The guard’s face twists with disgust as he points at Desmond. “He’s a necromancer.”

“Who saved your lives!” I yell back.

“And defiled the Queen by turning her into a draugr!”

Desmond flinches. His voice is remarkably steady as he says, “I did what I had to do to defeat the fomorians.”

I know him too well to think he’s unfazed. Regret is hidden in every tense line of his body.

I look at Ronan. “Avedor would’ve fallen if he hadn’t used his magic.” Gods, please let him see reason.

The guards ignore me. They draw their weapons.

I expect Evie to cry out for them to stop, but she doesn’t. Ronan shouts, “Halt!” and moves in front of the guards. “Where did the fomorians go?”

“A hopper took them back to the Underearth, but I’d recommend searching your kingdom just in case,” Desmond answers.

“And the guests?”