Page 36 of Reaper's Ruin
“This is nuts. So, each territory can get to Centralia without crossing another.”
“Exactly. And once inside, Centralia is the one place where fae from any court can travel freely without fear of conflict.”
“So, it’s like... Switzerland of the fae world?”
“I don’t know what Switzerland is, but it’s neutral territory. The city has strict laws against violence, and the courts jointly enforce them. It’s where trade agreements are made, peace talks are held,and diplomacy happens. Centralia is the only location you’ll see fae from different realms mingling freely. And even here, tensions simmer beneath the surface.”
“Why don’t the courts get along? Is there some kind of rivalry between them?”
“It wasn’t always this way,” I said, old memories stirring. “For millennia, the courts lived in relative peace. There were disputes, certainly, but they were resolved through diplomacy more often than bloodshed.”
“What changed?”
“Something shifted about eight centuries ago,” I said carefully, avoiding mentioning that this coincided with the fall of humanity, not wanting to dredge up my own history. “The courts began finding reasons to squabble and fight. Territory. Resources. Perceived slights. Now it’s deteriorated to the point where no fae from one court crosses into another without significant risk.”
“Okay, so we’re going to Centralia, the one place the fae courts don’t want to shiv each other, and the Dark Market is in there?”
I gestured toward the gleaming white towers rising above the walls. “What you’re seeing is the public face of Centralia.”
“Public face?” She looked up at me, curious. “There’s another face?”
“The Dark Market isn’t actually a market—at least, not in the way you’re thinking. It’s a section of Centralia that exists beneath and between its proper streets. A shadow city within the city itself, where none of the laws apply and the court guards don’t patrol.”
Her eyes widened. “Like a fantasy criminal underworld?”
“The city authorities pretend it doesn’t exist, and the denizens of the Dark Market pretend to care about Centralia laws. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for those who profit from it.”
“And that’s where we’re going?” She looked considerably less enthusiastic now.
“First, we’ll pass through Centralia proper. Then we’ll find our way to the Dark Market to locate the weapons trader who might recognize your dagger.”
She walked quietly for a moment, no doubt lost in the memory of her death. I certainly remembered mine even centuries later. Those last moment of your life seem to burn into your memory and refuse to vacate whether you want them to or not.
“Do you think there is even the smallest chance there is a bookstore in Centralia that carries books from the mortal world?”
I furrowed my brow. “What? No.”
With a sigh, her shoulders slumped. “Damn it. I diedrightin the middle of this epic fantasy romance trilogy, and now I’m never going to know how it ended. Ugh. This is the worst!”
“A fantasy romance trilogy?” I asked, curious about this thing that seemed to frustrate her so greatly.
“You know. Fiction books. Love stories. I spent like a huge chunk of my life devouring them. I was a total sucker for a wounded bad boy with a hidden soft spot.” She froze, her cheeks flushing at the words before she cleared her throat. “You know. Vampires. Werewolves. Misunderstood villains. I couldn’t get enough of them.”
“Vampires?” I asked.
“Yeah, you know like immortal humans who drink blood.”
“Oh. You mean Siphons,” I said casually.
She blinked. “Wait. What?”
“Siphons. They drink blood, live forever unless you find a way to kill them, which is tricky, honestly. Some have special powers if they’ve fed recently. Nasty things. Luckily, they mostly keep to the Blackspire Woods.”
Her jaw dropped. “You haverealvampires here?”
“Siphons,” I corrected. “Of course.”
“Oh my god.” She placed a hand to her chest like she needed to calm her heart. “Okay... what about werewolves?”
