Page 63 of A Court So Dark
Daniella shrugged one shoulder.
“You were simply supposed to find out where Cardian was keeping him so we could all rescue him. You could’ve been killed.”
“I know,” Daniella admitted, “but things didn’t go exactly as planned. As soon as Cardian heard, he started to transfer by himself. I couldn’t let the opportunity slip away.”
“And then you got infinitely lucky, it seems.” Kryn looked me up and down as if I were the resulting miracle of Daniella’s recklessness.
“There was no luck involved, I assure you.” I had to make this clear. No one should think of Daniella as anything but capable. “But let’s do as Jeondar suggested. We’ll tell you everything over breakfast.”
I started trying to usher them out of the chamber so that Daniella and I could change into proper attire when Shadow—who had remained quiet but for the whir of her wings—cleared her throat.
“Is Cardian Adanorin dead?” she asked without a preamble of any sort.
Her question made me bristle, especially because she seemed terribly eager for an answer.
“Shadow of Sunnar,” I said, pressing a fist to my chest and bowing my head. “I find your inquiry inappropriate.”
To my right, Kryn shuffled from foot to foot, finding the rug very interesting. The sprite showed no signs of chagrin, however. Instead, she raised her chin higher, unapologetic.
“I have made no pretense that I want him dead,” she said. “He murdered my queen. For that, I wish death upon him, preferably at my hand. Am I too late?”
The reaction that assailed me was unexpected. I couldn’t believe she would dare to ask such a thing. That was my little brother she was talking about. I still remembered him crawling at Mother’s feet, still recalled the way he looked up to me when he began his sword fighting lessons and promised me he would be as good as me. Despite the horrors he had put me through in Nerethien, why did I want to spare him?
Despite everything, this reaction showed me I didn’t wish him dead. Mother and Father would not want that either.
I took a step forward, an involuntary growl rumbling deep in my throat.
“Kalyll.” Daniella placed a hand on my elbow. “Shadow and her network of friends were instrumental in your rescue, as I’ve already explained.” Her voice was soothing and diplomatic as she, once more, demonstrated the qualities of a true leader.
Inhaling deeply, I relaxed my shoulders and regarded Shadow with ill-gotten composure. “I will beg you to refrain from expressing yourself in that manner in front of me. In fact, I wish for all of you to do so. I can understand your reasons for wishing Cardian dead. By the gods, until this moment, I thought I wished the same. But despite everything, I do not find solace in the prospect of his demise.”
“Apologies, my king.” Shadow inclined her head. “It will not happen again.”
The sprite had always been direct and a creature of very few words. I knew I could trust her to refrain from ever discussing this matter in front of me again. “Thank you, Shadow, and I also thank you for your help to my friends and to me.”
Another curt bow from her.
“Well, now that that’s out of the way,” Silver said, “Naesala mentioned something about a full delicious breakfast. I’m quite looking forward to it, even if I don’t know what it is. The food here is always interesting.”
The tension leaked out of the room. It was Silver’s specialty to diffuse a situation with some nonsense or another, and in this instance, I could only be grateful to him.
CHAPTER 23
DANIELLA
Fifteenminuteslater,wewere sitting at the dinner table in front of a lavish breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, biscuits, gravy, pancakes, and more. Larina and Shadow also sat at the table, literally, legs crossed in front of tiny pieces of diced fruit.
“What is this called?” Silver dangled a square of bread from the trip of his fork.
“French toast,” I said, buttering a piece of toast.
“French? I thought this was supposed to be an American breakfast.”
“I think the creator’s last name was French, but he was American.”
“So shouldn’t it be French’s Toast?”
I shrugged. “It beats me.”
