Page 40 of Crown of Ashes and Desire

Shock rippled through the room.

I stared at Hakan, trying to process his words. "Your father knew about the children?"

Hakan's jaw tightened. "My father knew Azad was plotting against me. He didn't share the... specifics." His tone turned deadly. "I had to discover those myself."

Another twist of the spear. More screams.

"You were never subtle, Azad," Hakan continued, his words calm. "All those questions about the ancient prophecies, your sudden interest in forgotten rituals. My father warned me you were planning something. But this..." He gestured toward where the children huddled. "This exceeded even my expectations of your depravity."

Azad's eyes widened. "He promised me?—"

"He lied," Hakan cut him off. "He wanted to see how far you'd go. How useful you might be." A vicious smile touched his lips. "Congratulations. You've proven utterly expendable."

My stomach dropped. Despite everything, despite his moment of gentleness with the girl, he was still planning to use them.

Hakan turned to me, his expression amused. “Did you expect redemption, Ada? Some dramatic change of heart because you exposed this little…indiscretion? These children have beeninfused with shadow essence,” he carried on talking before I could respond. “That cannot be undone. They will either learn to control it, or it will consume them entirely.”

He held my gaze, and for a moment I glimpsed something beneath his coldness—not warmth, but a bitter understanding.

“The world isn’t divided into simple light and shadow, no matter what your father taught you.”

The truth of his words stung because I could see the logic in them, even as everything in me rebelled against it.

“Yes,” he agreed easily when I remained silent. “And you, my brave, foolish wife, would do well to remember that.”

With a gesture, shadows wrapped around Azad, lifting him from the floor.

“I’ll deal with my cousin personally. Lady Narin oversees the children’s treatment. The rest of you are dismissed.”

As the shadow lords filed out, Hakan’s voice cut through the air with deadly precision. “Lord Kenan, find Captain Vural. I want to know exactly how my security protocols were circumvented.” His gaze swept the room. “And review all access permissions granted in my name over the past six months. Someone will answer for this breach.”

Several lords exchanged nervous glances. If Hakan was conducting a security purge, no one was safe from scrutiny.

Hakan paused beside me. “Your heroics have earned you nothing but my attention, Ada. Was it worth it?”

“Every child saved is worth it,” I replied, refusing to show fear despite the ice in his gaze.

“How noble.” His tone dripped with contempt. “Return to your chambers. We’ll discuss your trespassing later.”

“Punishment?” I laughed bitterly. “For saving children?”

“For disobedience,” he corrected. “For wandering where you don’t belong. For involving yourself in shadow business.”

I stepped closer, my anger matching his icy posture. “I won’t apologize for having a conscience.”

“A conscience,” he repeated, as if tasting a foreign concept. “Is that what drives you to repeatedly defy me? To risk everything for strangers?”

“Someone has to stand against the darkness.”

His smile was blade-sharp. “And you think that’s you? The broken light-bearer who couldn’t even save herself?”

The words struck exactly where they would hurt most, reopening wounds from the dungeon night when he'd witnessed my madness, my despair.

“I saved those children.” I clung to that truth. “Whether you acknowledge it or not.”

“You exposed a plot against me,” he countered. His eyes held mine, searching for something. “For that, I’ll overlook your trespassing. This time.” His shadows pricked my skin, cold as grave dirt. Then he leaned closer, his breath grazing my ear. “You play a dangerous game, Ada. One you don’t fully understand.”

I stiffened. What game? What was he implying?

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