Standing before them was a group of Fae in the black and silver of the House of Shadows. Each held a different color orb in their hands. Kerrigan’s gaze shifted from one to the other in confusion and then realization. These were illegal magical artifacts. The same ones that Basem Nix had been selling last year to make him rich. The ones that Clare Rahllins had claimed they sold to Lorian Van Horn. And now, they were here.

She didn’t know how that was possible, but illegal magic had never meant a good thing for her in the past. Basem had used orbs just like that to do all sorts of horrible things. Not to mention to make quick escapes in the way that Fordham did. The last thing they needed was for an easy escape for the House of Shadows.

Fordham straightened. “I am your crowned prince. Surrender, and I will be merciful.”

The leader stepped forward. She was a beautiful female with raven-black hair and a cruel expression. “You were exiled for your involvement with those beasts, and here you stand, with one of them against us. You are no prince of mine.”

Kerrigan didn’t dare look to Fordham to see his reaction to that comment. She could feel the knife go through her own heart, and she had never truly belonged to the House of Shadows. But she knew abandonment, and this had the same shape and feeling.

“That’s the thing about royalty,” Fordham said, low and lethal. “You don’t get to choose who your betters are.”

Then, the shadows surrounded him. A second later, he was behind the lead Fae. He had her head in his hands. The snap of her neck pierced the air, and then she collapsed dead.

The fear in the rest of the group’s eyes was beautiful. Kerrigan rushed in after him, drawing her sword at the same time as he did. She engaged the first soldier, feeling the hours and hours of practice snap into focus. Lorian had beaten her over and over again. He’d called her weak and pathetic. He’d spat on her confidence. But he’d also molded a fine soldier out of the dirt he ground her into.

She got inside the guard of the first, slicing through his ribs before he had a chance to use his magical artifact. The second one was ready for her, using the magic in her orb to cast terrifying monsters. Kerrigan stumbled as the first black creature came for her. She sliced through it with ease, and it dissolved into smoke. They were… illusions. Scary, potentially dangerous illusions but nothing more. She pulled deep from her well and blasted the illusions off of the docks and then ran the soldier through.