Page 21 of This Shattered Star

“I did not insult you. Nor did I run away.”

“You underestimated me. I take that as an insult. Also…”

Impatience had me turning around to face him.

It was a terrible mistake.

I tilted my head back to look at him fully. And suddenly found myself out of breath. “Also, what?”

The question stretched taught across the almost inexistent space between us.

Too late did I notice he was searching for something in my eyes—his own darting from my left iris to my right, lingering on the latter far too long for my liking.

Forcing my eyes closed, I turned my head away, shame burning through my middle like a gaping wound. Tearing further the more I tried to sew it shut.

His fingers gripped my chin, firmly but gently. “Look at me.”

When I slowly pried my eyes open again, his expression had gone soft. Almost wistful.

I wrenched my chin from his touch. Shoved him away with as much strength as I could muster, and crossed enough steps that even if he reached out, he’d grab nothing but air.

For a moment, both of us watched each other, saying nothing. Any words I thought to conjure hid behind the pounding of my heart.

Then his features hardened back into a casual mask.

It wiped away any trace of that softness like it had never been there at all.

With a jerk of his chin, he gestured to where I stood. “Watch your feet.”

In the short span of a blink, the tower lit up with the flames of a thousand forges.

And there was nothing I could do to escape.

CHAPTER SIX

“Lay my soul to rest in the Hearth of Song, the stars’ blessed kiss—”

My feet no longer touched the ground.

“You’re fine, little viper. There’s no need to pray. Your soul will remain just as it is.”

Hard, unyielding muscle pressed against my side. Kodhan cradled me to him, his arms wrapped underneath my legs, my back. He held fast as he slowly began the winding descent leading back to our wing.

“Are you mad?” I gasped, wrapping my own arms around his neck, desperate to get as far away from the flames as I could manage. As though pressing closer to him would somehow allow me the same invincibility from their hungry, blistering touch.

“Just listen.”

Screams began to echo from almost every wing.

“The fun thing about fire,” he mused, “is that it can go anywhere it wishes. Of course, I don’t know exactly where their rooms are. But they don’t know that.” He winked.

“You’re sick,” I hissed.

“I’m efficient,” Kodhan corrected. The screams grew louder. “They’ll find a way to avoid getting burnt if they’re smart enough.”

As we passed each blazing wing, I reminded myself that those competitors would’ve done the same to us, were the roles reversed. Or worse.

The thought sucked any ounce of sympathy out of my chest.