Page 2 of Midnight Kingdom

“A lot of people could have read this book,” I finish for him. “Could have beenforcedto read this book,” I correct myself. Cambion nods as I continue. “There will always be those who believe Variant’s lies and support him.”

“He’s completely rewritten history, Dragan,” Cambion says in awe. “Not even I would have imagined he’d do that.”

“I’m not that surprised,” I respond with a shrug.

“It’s no surprise that Raflamir told the soldiers where to find us,” Cambion continues, mostly to himself at this point. “If they’ve all been fed this bullshit and they believe it…” He looks up at me and shakes his head. “He’s completely turned the tables on us, Dragan. He painted us to be the criminals here, not him.”

“The only option we have is finishing this quest and trying to repair the damage Variant has done,” I offer.

Eilish nods. “Even if this book didn’t exist, there would still be people who prefer the realms the way they are now. Anona and her ilk aren’t the only ones who profited from the collapse.”

“At least she’s dead,” Cambion says.

I glance up at him, surprised. “Anona’s dead?”

Cambion looks up from the book at me and then immediately at Eilish, as though he’s said something he shouldn’t have. He clears his throat as he looks at me again. “Yes, Anona’s dead.”

“And how do you know that?” I demand.

Eilish answers for him. “I told him.”

I face her. “And how did you know that Anona was dead?”

She refuses to look at me and I can see the rise and fall of her chest increasing. She’s nervous but I’m not sure why. “I saw a vision of it,” she answers.

There’s something about the way she answers or maybe it’s the interaction between the two of them, but I’m left doubting what she tells me. Of course, I wonder why either one of them would lie about Anona’s death. “Well, this is a very good thing then,” I say.

Cambion nods. “Yes, very good.”

Flumph floats over our heads, having a hell of a time remaining airborne when the book he carries appears larger than he is. “The lexicon say that humans were extinct durin’ the Singularity. Maybe that Singularity be happenin’ all overs again? With the way Variant be rulin’, who’s to say elves ain’t next on the choppin’ block or gargoyles?” Then he looks at Eilish. “He already got all the angels.” Then he pauses for a moment before correcting himself. “Almost alls the angels.”

“You are the last winged angel and the last of the Succubae,” Revenant says to Eilish as he appears directly behind her. I feel my hands begin to fist at my sides, though I can’t say why. “That alone means two species will fade from the realms if anything happens to you,” he continues.

“Nothing’s going to happen to her,” I grind out.

Revenant looks at me and I return his stare. The two of us are going to have it out. I don’t know when or where but it’s going to happen. And I can’t wait for that moment.

“Nothing’s going to happen to her,” he repeats.

Cambion begins ripping the pages out of Variant’s history book one at a time with a taunting smile on his face. “There have been kings like Variant in the past. And they all fell to their knees eventually.”

“And when he’s down, I’ll take his head,” Revenant adds.

“Variant will get what’s coming to him one way or another,” I start. “But the only way that’s going to happen is if we build our own army. That needs to be our first goal, our first focus.”

“Is I the only one worryin’ ‘bout the fuckin’ Unseelie King?!” Flumph announces, throwing his hands on his hips. “We gotta big problem with him too, in case you fergots! Aima an’ Kolvar still be prisoners in the Unseelie Kingdom!”

“Trust me,” Cambion says as he glances up from destroying the book. “I haven’t forgotten about my brother. But one step at a time.”

“Do you think that’s the tome Pyre wanted us to find?” Eilish asks as she motions to the history book in Cambion’s hands.

I nod. “Most probably.”

“I would agree,” Cambion adds. “Pyre wanted us to see what we’re up against—how far and wide Variant’s lies have spread and to what length he’ll go to see that they do.”

“And it was a good lesson,” I finish.

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