Page 241 of The Reckoning of Starlight

Aesar’s mouth twitched. “I believe your manipulation succeeded.”

Rimeclaw paused at the edge of the cattails, one blue eye settling on them. “You’ll find us where the bay gives way to the sea.”

Lykor’s throat tightened before he could make it useful. “On another tide.”

Rimeclaw turned and vanished, each step rippling through the water. His wake narrowed behind him, then closed. Only the reeds still swayed where he’d passed.

Aesar sighed. “Against all evidence, that was almost diplomacy.”

Lykor flexed his fists. Frost cracked from his knuckles as he tore open a portal.

Every trace of humor abandoned Aesar’s face in a rush. “Absolutely not.”

“I have another diplomatic mission.”

“You should reconsider calling it that.”

“Jassyn wanted me to find a purpose other than war.”

Aesar folded his arms. “You know that’s a monstrous interpretation of his meaning.”

“Then he doesn’t find out.”

Aesar tipped his face toward the sky. “I will not be a witness to this.”

His outline disintegrated, turquoise light scattering until his presence wound back into Lykor’s skull.

Good. Stealth would serve him better anyway.

He had elves to hunt.

EPILOGUE

AESAR

Three years after the fall of Galaeryn

“Hold still,” Aesar said, tightening his fingers against the base of Vesryn’s skull before his brother could pretend the command had been optional.

Vesryn obeyed, though his posture made a quiet argument of it. “You nicked me last time.”

“You turned your head to watch.”

“I was assessing your technique.”

“By all means, do it yourself. Your last attempt only took six months to grow out.”

Aesar drew two fingers along the side of Vesryn’s head, where the long fall of silver hair gave way to a rough crop. Shadows gathered under his fingertips and thinned to a black razor against Vesryn’s scalp. Silver strands sheared away in a perfect line, lifting free into the highland wind.

Vesryn sat with his shoulders resting against Naru’s flank, a chick already pecking industriously at the polished buckle of his boot. Naru ignored the assault, busy combing his beak through the pinfeathers of another nestling from the clutch.

Beside her mate, Trella’s white chest rose and fell, each slow breath rippling through the meadow grass.

Aesar skimmed the shadow-blade over another strip of hair.

Vesryn lifted one hand toward the newly shorn side, and Aesar snatched his wrist. “Touch it before I finish, and I’ll carve something obscene into your scalp.”

Vesryn perked up. “Really?”