Page 106 of This Shattered Star

For all his faults, Kodhan didn’t hesitate. Near-blinding light flashed from a wave of fire taller than the trees. Another wave immediately followed. They wouldn’t hurt the dragons, but they covered our movements while we sprinted between the trees to follow the shimmering thread.

The branches would shield us from enemy eyes, but contrarily kept almost all light from the moon and stars from breaching the forest. I could hardly see five feet in front of me, and the thread was even harder to spot now that our only source of light was limited. Using fire to light our way wasn’t an option—the dragons would spot us immediately.

Ear-splitting roars shook the trees, vibrating deep within my bones.

“Thank you,” I said. “For distracting them. For not killing me. For saving me countless times. All of it.” I would never have the chance to thank Theia or Brannon. But it wasn’t too late to thank Kodhan.

His mouth curved into that insufferable smirk. “Careful, little viper. Someone might think you actually mean that.”

Wings cracked like thunder above our heads. They were already on the hunt.

“I wouldn’t mind taking it back. I wouldn’t mind tripping you, either.”

Despite it all, his laugh brought a smile of my own.

“There’s one.”

We were surrounded by nothing but roots and darkness. “What do you mean?”

“I said you could bring me to my knees with one look alone. The one you’re wearing is one of them.”

Before I could fight the rising flush in my cheeks, Kodhan braced an arm across my middle, slowing us both. A much smaller clearing spread out before us, littered with brambles of thorns and a running creak that breached its center, winding in twisted curves until it disappeared further into the forest. Moss covered everything else, filling the air with its earthy scent.

A woman, clad in heavy white robes, stood with her back to us. Ink-colored hair hung limp down her back, swaying in tandem with her lifted hands. She weaved and curled her fingers, each one wrapped with shimmering strings. A puppeteer manipulating her dolls.

“Looks like we’ve found our salvation,” Khodhan said grimly. The thread we’d been following led right to her. It broke down into two sections, then again into ten equal parts.

“The dragons are puppets.”

He nodded. “She’s the one we need to kill.”

“Then we kill her.” I made to step around him. But he held out his arm again.

I glared up at him as he shook his head. “There could be traps laid anywhere in the clearing.”

Fine.

I placed my free hand flat onto his chest. Against the steady beat of his heart. Let it slide lower, until it reached the plane of his stomach, then lifted myself up on my toes. Our noses ghosted across one another. His lips parted as I brought our mouths closer.

“You’re in my way,” I whispered, brushing my lips over his. Just that small contact raised goosebumps along my arms.

Before my hand could go any lower, Ishoved at him, relishing his stark surprise. He stumbled back a single step. It was all I needed.

He’d been too focused on my wandering hand to notice me palm one of my daggers with the other.

Whirling to face the woman, I threw it.

My cheek hit moss before I could see where it landed.

Kodhan wasn’t the only distracted one, it seemed. I hadn’t felt the pressure wind around my ankles until they were pulled out from underneath me.

The blade sunk into the bark of the tree nearest to the woman, narrowly missing her back.

She twisted, and I choked in equal parts pain and horror. Milky, iris-less eyes bore into me, identical to the dragons’. Her mouth opened on a silent scream which drew my attention to the abnormal purple and blue tint of her lips. She was terrifying.

Immediately, her fingers began weaving again. Summoning her puppets.

Thorns pierced my skin—digging deeper as I slid across dirt and grass. “Not this again,” I seethed, kicking at my restraints.Roots.Gnarled, splintering roots. They wouldn’t budge no matter how hard I kicked.