Page 67 of Dark Sun (Wicked Lovely 6)

Devlin nodded. “My sister has allowed you or I to go with the girl. Not both.” He paused. “Balance cannot be absent from Faerie. If you’d rather, I can go. I am more--”

“Diplomatic? Or more capable of fighting?” Ani grinned.

“I shall not debate which of us is more adept in a fight, but diplomacy . . .” He gave her a look that made Katherine think she best look away.

But instead of swooning, Ani let out a chortle. “I might not be a diplomat, butoneof us is more welcome in the Dark Court, and it’s not you, love.”

He nodded. “I will expect your safe return.”

The words sounded less like politeness than an order, but now, Ani did look swoony-eyed. She went up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. A visible prism of energy flooded the room. Ani tensed, and in that moment, she looked so much like Callisto that it hit Katherine.

Callisto is a Hound.

“Always, my love. Always,” Ani whispered. “They can burn the world, and I’d still come home to you.”

And Katherine felt both awkward and like she had learned more about the world of faeries in the last two days than in her whole life.

“Let me grab some weapons!” Ani trilled as she darted away. “I haven’t seen anyone over there inyears.This is awesome!”

Katherine looked at Devlin. “Is Callisto . . . like Ani? And what was . . . why is Ani . . .giddy?”

“Ani was a child of the Dark Court,” he said by way of explanation. “So she misses them. And the Summer Queen was her friend.”

“But if the Summer Queen is the one who has Urian . . .”

Devlin gave her an openly sympathetic look. “The courts are complicated, child. Urian had to have done something to anger Summer, but if the Dark and Sunlight are at odds, Ani will pick the darkness. Loyalty is everything in a Hound.”

“And you?”

He flashed a rather terrifying smile. “Depends on which path is most advantageous. My loyalty is to Ani, Rae, and Faerie.”

“Rae?”

“Long story,” Ani said as she came in with a clattering bag of weapons. “Do you need a sword? Mace? You don’t really look like a poleax kind of woman. . .”

And all Katherine could do was nod, because she was more confused than not. “Swords are nice. Dagger? I have some weapons in my bag, though. Steel blades.”

Ani let out a low whistle, and at the same time, Devlin started, “Ani . . . if she . . .”

“I know, love. I got this.”

Despite the apparent oddity of their relationship, the quieter faery nodded. “If you prefer.”

She looped an arm around Katherine. “So Urian’s mate likes closer combat. Makes a weird sense. We ought to also pack some wounders. Not so much with the steel, right? Wounders are the thing. Not as fatal, but it hurts like it will be.”

“Not fatal?” Katherine echoed.

Ani nodded. “We live for ages, Kat. Can I call you Kat? It’s funny, right? The Hound and the Kat . . . We’re going to have fun. I’ve never really had a girls’ weekend.”

“Girls . . .” Katherine looked over her shoulder at Devlin, who was no longer looking their way.

“They’re a thing in books. Go away, refresh and recharge.” Ani clapped her hands. “Let me get you a little armor, too. Come on!”

Katherine wasn’t sure how she felt about any of this, and no one answered her question about Callisto—who was now missing.

But there was something about Ani that she liked instinctively, and for that, Katherine was grateful. Maybe being brought to Faerie wasn’t the worst thing ever.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

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