Page 95 of Born of Starlight
Shrieks wrenched from unarmed nobles being struck down. Some put themselves in front of the podium to block the path to their Queen, facing soldiers in the name of loyalty to their royal line. The smoothed stone ground was now stained red. Fenris was still on the other side of the courtyard with Vangard, protecting a large group of nobles.Safe.I tried to cross the courtyard toward him.
More northern soldiers stormed the entrance—at least fifty of them now overwhelmed the Luz guard.
Fury pounded in my temples. My whole body radiated energy that begged to be set free—the stars called for me to unleash them. I’d never felt so charged, so on edge. Something was glowing. I looked around before realizing it was coming fromme.
It felt like a hum against my skin—exhilarating.
I stepped out into the center of the courtyard in front of the podium.
“Stop, or I will make you stop.” My voice was otherly—charged. But the northern soldiers that were storming toward the Queen did not heed my warning.
Closing my eyes, I felt myself tear apart. It didn’t hurt.No,it felt like I was part of the sky—a homecoming. Each part of me could travel in different directions. It was as though I could see the whole courtyard yet stood nowhere.
A combustion of a thousand glimmering lights swirled through the air…then through the hearts of my enemies. Those who remained standing shielded their faces from the light. But as Fenris watched the fragments of me collide with flesh and bone, he looked in awe and unafraid.
The northern soldiers dropped to the ground in gasping heaps.
All of them.
Then I heard a voice, familiar and soothing.
“You must return. You’ve been here too long, starling. Go back.”
“But who are you?”
The names of everyone in the room began to slip away. They were no one.“Return, young starlight. You are fading.”
“But I don’t want to leave.”
It was growing painful to be in this form—whatever it was. On the other hand, it felt so right and addictive. Darkness began to cocoon me, and I saw only the light of the stars I had become.
“Asterie,” a voice called out.Who was that?“Count with me, beauty. Ten…nine…”
The sound of his voice washed over me. He wanted me to return. A feral part of me wanted to fight it, but I listened.
“Eight…seven…six.”
He kept counting to me.
I came back together so abruptly that my knees hit the stone. There wasn’t enough air—my lungs were gasping for it like I’d been held underwater. It hadn’t been water. It was somewhereelseentirely.
What was that place?
The courtyard was quiet, save for the muffled cries of those grieving and the groans of those wounded. The sounds were heart-wrenching, and tears sprang to my eyes.All the lantern flames had been knocked out, and the moonlight alone captured the horrified faces staring at me. I’d protected them, but the magic they witnessed seemed only to make them uneasy. It mademeuneasy too.
Fenris worked quickly to throw fire to the lanterns and tea lights that lit the courtyard. Sobs coated the air with melancholy as the nobles covered the fallen with table linens, awaiting healers to arrive for those wounded.
As the feeling in my limbs returned, I was finally able to stand. Fenris approached me at a jog, but I held out a hand against his chest to stop him from embracing me.
“Stop,” I snapped. “Do you still have ties to her? Tell me now.”
The maid, the attack, his connection to Firose. His connection to me.I wanted to vomit.
“Asterie,” Fenris whispered as his arms slackened at his side. “No. How could you think—”
“How could I not?” I let my hand drop between us before turning to gaze up at the podium. “And you.” I pointed at Queen Wymark as I approached the podium to speak to her privately.
Emmerick still stood by the young Queen with his sword raised. He was still ready to take on anyone who dared touch her. Including me.
