Page 115 of Magic Forsaken

But Callum would have enough to deal with. He’d accomplished what he came here to do, but in the process, he’d probably lost the trust of the Idrian community. Not to mention he would be furious with himself for failing in his promise to keep the delegates safe.

Did he hate me now? He hadn’t sounded angry, even after he learned the truth. He’d actually apologized. And then I’d lashed out, feeling hurt and desperate to distract Blake.

But whether he hated me or not scarcely mattered. He was the king of the shapeshifters, and I was a wanted criminal. He could neither harbor nor befriend me without breaking his own laws, and I would never ask him to betray his principles. I even hoped he would be able to forgive himself for not keeping his promise to protect me.

So as much as it ached to know that I would probably never see his grumpy, gorgeous dragon face again… it was undoubtedly for the best. For both of us.

My steps lagged as I fought back tears, and I wandered for a bit, not wanting to face Kes and the kids until I’d pulled myself together. I needed to be calm and steady when I explained what had happened, and what was likely coming for us next.

Kes would be devastated to learn of Blake’s treachery and his future plans involving her. She’d already suffered so much for this magic she hadn’t asked for, and I hated that she might be forced to relive her past because of his twisted ambitions.

But she was resilient. We all were, and we would get through this. Together.

It was just after midnight when I stumbled back through the front doors of the hostel, weary and sore and still not quite sure where we would go from here. I didn’t think anyone would be up, but I was being quiet just in case, so I nearly jumped out of my skin when I tiptoed past the dining room and heard my name.

“Raine Kendrick.”

It was not the voice I expected, or even the one I desperately wanted to hear, but it was also not one I could ignore.

“Faris.” I turned around and found the owner of the hostel sitting alone in the otherwise empty dining room. I checked the corners—surprised to find that he’d brought none of his people—then regarded him with a sense of weary resignation. Was this my official firing? Or had they sent him to capture me, out of a show of respect for his sovereignty in this city?

“Sit.” He indicated the chair across from him.

But I was not the same person who had walked cautiously into his office only a few short weeks ago. “I’ll stand, thank you,” I replied coolly.

“Suit yourself.” His green eyes assessed me, his expression giving no hint of his thoughts. “But don’t blame me if you fall over from sheer exhaustion.”

“Noted.” I waited for him to go on, and when he didn’t, I gave up. Pulled out a chair, and flopped into it with a groan.

“Why are you here?” I demanded. “Did they send you to do their dirty work? Ask you to clean up the mess because it’s your city?”

One of his eyebrows rose a fraction. “Why do you think I’m here?”

“To arrest me? I don’t know.” I threw up my hands. “It’s the middle of the night. I know there are bigger things going on right now, so it must be something important.”

He just shrugged. “The mess is Callum’s problem. And I’m not here to arrest you.”

“I know what the law says,” I insisted stubbornly. “And I don’t expect you to break it for me. I knew the consequences when I chose to act, and I will accept them. But I’m going to request leniency for Ari and for Logan. They’re just children, and they don’t deserve to be exiled or imprisoned.”

“And you do?”

“Does it matter?” I snapped, suddenly feeling irritated and heartsore. “The law is the law.”

Faris just leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “It is for those who signed it.”

Wait…

“Are you saying…”

His expression hardened, and his green eyes flashed. “I offered neutral ground for the Symposium, but that doesn’t mean I changed my mind about getting involved in court business. I already make the laws for the Shadow Court. It’s not like I need anyone’s permission to bury my enemies alive, with or without stolen magic. And if they don’t like my methods, I’ll be happy to remind them of exactly how I’ve protected my autonomy all these years.”

My whole body began to shake. I tried holding on to the arms of the chair, but then there were tears flooding my cheeks and I had to let go to swipe at them with the backs of my hands.

“Sorry,” I finally managed to say, my voice hoarse and trembling with relief. “I just… I thought…”

“I know.” His voice was deep and rough, and yet somehow comforting. “That’s why I came.”

“So, we can stay?”

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