Page 69 of Sunsplitter

Apet. Antal’s fangs ached from clamping. “Distinguish myself? How?”

“Come with me.” Avroz stepped closer. Spoke low. “Help me hunt this aedari, earn your bands. The council has never refused membership to a Sunsplitter.”

If Antal had a functioning heart, it would have stopped. He scoured Avroz for any hint of this, obviously, very bad joke. Some tasteless taunt at Antal’s expense.

“You want me to hunt an aedari?” Antal laughed. How could he not? From fifty years of neglect, straight into this bullshit?

“The timing is perfect,” Avroz said.

Thetiming? Antal went Void cold, as the pieces clicked together.

“Yme said you’ve been in urgent meetings for two weeks,” Antal accused. “The council has known about this aedari? Forweeks?”

“Claims of aedari sightings aren’t unheard of,” Avroz said. Perfectly level. “We needed time to verify them.”

And in that time, he’d used his insider knowledge, had summoned Antal home to ensure he was in place when the information went public. The question of “why now?” finally answered: Avroz, always an opportunist, seizing this moment to force Antal back on track.

“I’m afraid I’m busy,” Antal said. “I have a territory to run.”

“That was never permanent, Antal. Territory governance is a dead end.”

“Not to me.” Antal turned to leave.

“It will be,” Avroz called after him. “When the council finds out what you’re doing.”

Antal froze with half his thoughts turned toward the teleport, the image of home so tauntingly close. Wary, he looked back at Avroz. “Meaning?”

His father gave him a long, disapproving look.

“Corpses, Antal?”

Ice jolted down Antal’s spine. Energy, writhing hot in his chest. Avroz knew.

Of course he knew, always one step ahead no matter how much Antal clawed and maneuvered. Had Yme told him? No, they’d spoken too recently. She’d warned Antal against discovery, not threatened to reveal his secrets.

“Syvr?” Antal asked, betrayal bitter on his tongue.

Avroz hummed. “Oddly, Syvr was always otherwise occupied when I asked them to check on you. You think I have no other resources? To stay informed about my own son?”

Tospyon his own son. How long had Avroz known? Why wait to reveal his hand?

Because he wanted something. Curses stuck to Antal’s teeth.

Avroz watched every tick of scowl and tail. When Antal said nothing, his father softened, back to that low tone that almost sounded like he cared.

“You’ve done well in your post, Antal. You’ve shown resourcefulness, ambition—all wasted on a territory. Now is your time to apply yourself somewhere better.”

Antal heard the threat beneath the words: one report from Avroz, and Antal could be deposed. Daeyari ruled their territories as they saw fit, so long as they followed a system approved by the Daey Celva. Standard edicts ensured humans stayed in their place, ensured prey remained afraid and docile.

Just days ago, everything had seemed perfect. Antal’s territory was thriving, his people coming to accept him. All he’d wanted was a little more time, enough to show the benefits of his newsystem. Perhaps, enough to petition the Daey Celva to formally approve it.

Now he had no time. Antal saw his two worlds colliding, the humans of his territory depending on him. He saw Avroz waiting for a single slip to dig his claws in. Mere seconds to weigh the pieces on the table.

Antal knew what he had to do.

A compromise that would give Avroz what he wanted, and that was the part he loathed.

But maybe this wasn’t ruined yet. Maybe Antal could get what he wanted, too.