The same thing that Kerrigan had always wanted when she was pushed aside. When she was called a leatha in a dark alley and abused for her half-Fae heritage and abandoned at the foot of the mountain for the state of her ears, the human side of her blood. For all of those times that people had told her no and the one time she’d looked back at them and demanded her place in front of the entire world. People were here because of that moment when she’d told the Society that she belonged and they’d agreed with her.

Hope swelled in her chest. An unfamiliar feeling that flickered to life, tentative and unsure. For the first time, she saw what the world was capable of if they all looked at those who oppressed them and demanded their due—freedom.

19

The Assassin

ISA

Isa crossed her arms and leaned against the pillar in the back of the courtyard. The woman with the shaved head had been yammering on equality for an eternity at this point, and she couldn’t process any more of this propaganda. Humans and half-Fae were treated poorly. Sure. But they were beneath Fae. So, why was that a surprise to anyone?

If she didn’t have to be here, she would have avoided it all together. But no, Daddy’s orders.

“And when we finally had a witness, when we finally had the leader of the Red Masks in jail, they allowed someone to murder him.”

Boos rose from the crowd. Isa smirked at the depth of her dirty work.

“Basem Nix died inside the mountain, which means our enemy lurks within those hallowed walls. If we don’t fight for what is right, they will never listen!”

Isa tuned the leader back out. She wasn’t wrong. There were Red Masks in the mountain, but they had no hope of stopping the movement. So quaint.

At least something interesting had come out of being here. She’d noticed Kerrigan’s friends amid the crowd. The little blue-haired Fae and the human indentured to Dozan Rook. She had no idea what the former was doing here. He was a full-blooded Fae. He’d been selected into Galanthea tribe by a former tournament competitor. What more could he want? Obviously, growing up with Kerrigan and befriending this loch addict had addled his brain.

There were a handful of other Fae in attendance but mostly humans and half-Fae. She’d never understand what they were doing here. But then again, she’d grown up with Father.

“Thank you for your time, and I’ll see you next week!” the woman at the front said, projecting her voice with some kind of magic. She was only half-Fae but had enough magic to do that. It was almost impressive.

But that was Isa’s cue. She’d done her job. Now, it was time to get out of there.