Page 90 of Voidwalker
“Yeah,” he said slowly. “We did.”
“Are you sure you want to know?” Void have mercy, nowshewas the one asking dumb, stalling questions.
“Of course, Fi. What’s wrong?” He gripped her shoulders, gloved hands a calm and reassuring clamp, making Fi feel impossibly small.
In the tree, Antal stiffened.
“Don’t freak out,” Fi said. “I think there’s… someone you need to meet.”
Boden scowled. “SomeoneI need to—”
A shadow flicked through the corner of her eye.
Boden shouted, tackled to the snow with a snarling daeyari atop him.Shit. Fi lurched into the fray, dodging the lashing tail, grabbing antlers before any teeth got involved.
“Off!” she ordered. “You useless beast, that’s not what I meant!”
Antal growled like a hawk mantling over prey. Beneath him, Boden sprawled in frozen horror.
At a yank from Fi, Antal released his quarry. Boden scuttledbackward through the snow on hands and ass, wide eyes never leaving the daeyari, curses fogging his breath.
“Fi?” he demanded. As if he automatically assumed this was her fault. Granted, it was largely her fault, but she didn’t appreciate that ice pick of guilt.
Fi stood between them, hands raised to broker peace. She’d done this before, played intermediary between rival black marketeers, at least until one side could pay her. This was no different. She told herself it wasno different.
“Boden. This is Antal, former Lord Daeyari of this territory.”
“I’m aware.” Boden’s retort was half hysteria, half chiding older brother.
“Antal,” Fi continued. “This is Boden. Mayor of Nyskya.”
The daeyari stood stone still, glowering. “I’m aware.”
“Mybrother,” she clarified, with a strong undertone ofnot to be eaten.
“Brother?” Antal looked slowly between them. Then, a scowl. A dramatic exhale. “Veshri’s teeth. Of course, stubbornness runs in the family…”
“Fi,” Boden said. “What thefuckis going on? What is thatthingdoing here? Why are you so calm?”
“No, no.” She waved a hand to silence him. “This is a conversation for indoors. Let’s go.”
By the time Fi pulled her panic-stricken brother to his feet, Antal was gone. Boden spun a circle, scouring the dusk-lit forest, but they were alone with trampled snow and dark pines. Static pricked her tongue. Once. Then again.
“Fi.” Each time he hissed her name, it grew more urgent.
“Shhh…” She pressed a hand to the back of his coat and steered him toward her cottage. “It’s a lot. I’m aware. Believe me, I amsoaware.”
Maybe this was a horrible idea. Fi made her best and worstdecisions under duress, with frustratingly little middle ground. She just had to avoid Boden’s eyes. That way, she couldn’t see how angry he was.
They kicked snow off their boots and stepped inside. A warm furnace greeted them, soft overhead lights and… of course Antal waited in the rafters. He crouched on a beam, tail coiled, watching like a panther.
Boden grabbed Fi’s arm, leaning in to whisper, “I’m not used to seeing one of them so… close.”
“Heis a person,” Fi said at full volume, “not a circus exhibit.” She tipped her glare up and her voice louder. “And he canactlike a person by coming down and sitting properly.”
“Kasek aza…” Antal grumbled.
Despite having demonstrated his ability to drop from heights on several occasions, he made a dramatic show of snapping out of sight then reappearing upon the sofa, cross-legged and rigid, tail swishing the fabric.
