Page 33 of Secrets and Starlight

What’s his endgame?

I didn’t dare make my move until I was sure.

For the remainder of the day, I lingered in the shadows, watching and listening, eager to learn any breadcrumb I could gleam. The talks continued, and soon, the Starlit King’s excessive port fees became the assembly’s focus.

Calindra listened to it all with meticulous notetaking, and soon Lord Tallus passed her a hastily written note. She replied just as quickly, their parchment traveling back and forth with their scribbles. Curious, I tried to get closer.

Iona turned to me, her gaze sharp upon my location.

Startled, I lurched backwards, further to the shadows.

Slowly, her attention shifted back to the assembly, but I didn’t dare get that close again.

The day went on.

Every now and then, someone asked Ayla something. They asked her how much value humans had for such-and-such faegood, or if the humans would be interested in something that had never been sold before. She handled it with ease, lying just enough to pretend her knowledge was that of a merchant and not a palace education.

Over lunch, they argued about what sort of port fees the Starlit King could be talked down to. Meanwhile, the Starlit King himself was careful to stay to the prepared script and there were no slips for me to pry from. Little caught my attention as the day yawned on.

At least, until the late afternoon break.

Queen Reina of Wisp approached the Starlit King, her dragon wings revealed, making a fierce display.

What does she want from him?

It surprised me she was even present. The dragon fae tended to stay on their distant volcanic island. She had been quiet through the proceedings, huddling over a table with her mate, taking notes, and referencing ledgers of her own.

After all, Wisp had been trading with humans far longer than anyone else, and they had their own ways about it. Despite their limited ports—their isle more volcano than land—they remained the only other isle who could claim proximity to Valterra.

“You wearitso proudly,” she addressed the Starlit King without preamble.

“Ah, Reina, it has been too long. Would you like to reconsider using the Starlit Isle’s ports? Once, they served you so well—”

“You stole that dagger from Wisp.”

Ah.I’d heard rumors of the dragon blades, divine weapons that Wisp never intended to make. They’d been scattered before Reina ascended, and she’d spent the last century hunting the blades down.

I’d seen the dark dagger the Starlit King wore my entire life, but I’d never given it a second thought. It was always with him, and I assumed it belonged to his bloodline.

If the blade was one of Wisp’s lost dragon blades, it was something he kept secret.

The Starlit King shook his head. “We’ve been arguing about this for a century.Ifound the blade.Iwent on a grand quest to find it. While I’m sorry that the dragon fae lost it, what’s done is done.”

“It’s valuable, we’re in agreement,” she leveled with him. “But tell me, what can I give you in exchange for its return? Our treasure rooms are far more splendid than the last time I offered.”

The Starlit King sneered, his face fiercer than I had ever seen as he gripped the hilt. “Never. It’s mine, Reina. Accept that and leave me be. The dragon blade will always bemine.”

Chapter twelve

Damnable Dancing

Zayne

“So that accounts for six shards,” Ninti mused.

I’d just finished recounting exactly what had happened the night before as Ayla prepared for tonight’s dinner. The rest of the crew lingered in the living area, Rhett lounging on the couch as I ate the provisions they’d snuck to me.

“It leaves only one shard unaccounted for,” I concluded. The firewolf nodded. She and Rimu had settled on an armchair, their rumps cuddled against one another. The two had spent the entire day together, prowling the palace grounds. “I don’t have a clue where the last one is. I had hoped to hear something helpful today, but I’m not even sure Calindra knows we’ve taken her shard.”

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