Page 29 of Sunsplitter

“So. Your dad’s a piece of work.”

“Fi.”

“What’s with the gold on his antlers?”

Antal considered her wide stance, hands on her hips. His sigh crumbled in defeat.

“Avroz is a Sulskenen.”

“Sun… splitter?” she translated. Whatever it was sounded much cooler thanantler-less.

“A mark of highest honor. He’s faced mortal combat with an aedari, the immortal foes of all daeyari, and emerged victorious. The gold signifies his achievement.”

Fi frowned. This was becoming excessive. “What’s a—”

“And soyoung.” Antal sneered. “Just in his second century. He decided to extend his travel years, explore farther into the Contested Planes.”

“Antal—”

“How was I ever supposed to match that? I returned after my travel years, the normal five decades, and Avroz turned his nose up. As if I hadn’t gone to distant enough Planes, not worldly enough for—”

“Antal.”

“What?” he snarled, tail a tense arc.

“Theimmortal foes of all daeyari?” she said, putting extra weight on that question mark.

Daeyari werepeople of dusk. Which made aedari…aed…ari… people of gold?

As Antal studied the floor, his tail slowed to a warier sway. “As I’ve said before, there are many dangers on the far Planes. The aedari are—”

He stiffened.

So did Fi. Static hit her tongue, the sign of a daeyari teleport.

Antal wasn’t facing the window. He had no time to spot glowing red eyes over the sill.

No chance to brace before the figure lunged.

They struck Antal in his side. He fell with a snarl, a flash of dark skin and ice-white hair, bared teeth and two lashing tails as they rolled across the floor.

Antal tried to right himself. His shoulders hit the tile, pinned down by hands on his antlers. Once, he’d told Fi that daeyari didn’t go easily onto their backs, yet this useless predator always seemed to end up on his.

Fi dug under her coat, grabbing the sword hilt she’d hidden in case anything went awry. She’d hoped it wouldn’t be so soon. Weapon drawn, she pulled energy out of her arm muscles, poised to Shape her blade as the attacking daeyari leaned into Antal—

And licked him.

Her black tongue traced long and slow up his exposed throat. Her thighs caged his waist, tail tangling with his upon the floor.

Fi froze, stunned.

Antal’s wide eyes, equally so.

“Ixli?” he breathed.

May Antal’s claws grow crooked in his next life.

May Veshri drag him to the deepest reaches of the Void.