Page 108 of A Flame of the Phoenix

The dark fae came into view, shadowed mostly right outside his cell.Maverick,Zaiana had called him. But Tarly knew him by a different name.

“You’re a traitor,” Tarly said. It had been burning in his throat ever since he laid eyes on the presumed dead Prince of Dalrune.

The only reaction he gave was a mild flex around his cold, black eyes. Once a vibrant cobalt blue like his lightning, now they were completely soulless. But it was enough to wipe the small kernel of hope Tarly harbored that he didn’t remember who he was. Only then could Tarly understand his aid of the enemy.

“You don’t know a thing,” Callen said resentfully.

“By all means, explain to me how you’ve been killing innocents and siding with the ones who collapsed your kingdom all this time you weredead,” Tarly hissed.

He couldn’t help it—part of him was reeling with betrayal. They weren’t all that close personally, but their families had hosted one another, their parents been friends, respected and loved by each other. To see what had become of Callen washed him with horror.

“Now you’ve come to do the same?”

“Your family wereslaughtered by them!”

Tarly’s rage kept building, yet Callen remained so emotionless, and it only riled him more.

Dakodas’s proposition of Transitioning Tarly to dark fae recoiled in him even more now. Would he become just as heartless? Would he look at Nerida and forget all the dead pieces of himself she’d brought back to life? Would it all be for nothing?

He couldn’t let that happen. He wouldneverchoose that.

“You think I don’t know that?” Callen seethed.

“It’s been over a hundred years, and you’ve been helping your family’s killers. Your mate’s killer?—”

Callen’s hand slammed the bars, silencing Tarly’s reel of outrage. The stare he locked on him was nothing short of a deadly warning. Callen took a few calming breaths before he spoke.

“Like I said, you don’t know a thing. So before you go pointing traitorous fingers, why haveyoubetrayed them all to come here? Like father like son?”

Tarly would have lunged to strangle him were those bars not there. Though he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance. Callen was stronger as dark fae now, and Tarly hadn’t forgotten he was powerful in his Firewielding ability. Tarly was once again reminded how weak of an heir he was compared to the rest ofthem. Shit,even ahumanhad risen from the ashes to become something capable of taking kingdoms if she wished.

Tarly chastised his mind for the pitying comparisons now. This wasn’t the time for reflecting on himself.

“As if I would tell you anything,” Tarly grumbled.

“Then let me tell you, if you’ve come as some spy or on some heroic endeavor, you’ll be snuffed out before you can get close.”

“By you? Is that why Dakodas sent you—to keep an eye on me?”

“Yes.”

“What a good lapdog you are.”

“Careful, Wolverlon.”

“Nik would kill you without a thought if he saw you now.”

In their younger years, Tarly had been jealous of the quick bond between the two other princes. Any parties or meetings, the princes of High Farrow and Dalrune found enjoyable company in each other.

“Probably,” Callen agreed.

“I want to speak to Jakon and Marlowe,” Tarly said.

Callen scoffed. “Could you make your false allegiance here any more obvious?”

“They’re making Phoenix Blood. I can help. My mother was a healer, and I know how to make the potions for Marlowe to spell.”

“Is that so? Well, in that case, let me set up three of Faythe Ashfyre’s closest allies in a fucking tea party.”

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