Page 61 of This Shattered Star

I hummed in agreement. “Sleep is for the dead.”

“You’re alright, though?” he asked, noting the hardness of my shoulders. The way my fingers tapped a frustrated beat against the sheets.

With a one-shouldered shrug, I nodded half-heartedly. I still couldn’t shake that strange urgency. Still couldn’t remember a thing about my dream, save for the eerie war drums, no matter how hard I tried. “Just tired. And you?”

He winked. “Best shape of my life.”

True to my exhaustion, I laughed, having to cover it with my hand in order to stay quiet. His smile grew until his own laugh entwined with mine, bouncing off the four walls holding us hostage.

A heavy knock pounded on the door at that moment. It stunned us both into silence.

In one smooth motion, Kodhan shot to his feet, hefting the chair over his shoulder by its legs, ready to swing it. I was right. He hadn’t been asleep after all.

My boots were already on the ground.

Brannon and I helped Theia to her feet, though she barely needed it. She wordlessly wiped at the sleep in her eyes but demonstrated an exemplary alertness despite just waking.

The door burst open to reveal one of Maverick’s guards, clad in a steel-plated black and gold uniform with the Starlight Trials insignia etched into the sleeves.

Battle could break out at any moment,Maverick often said. He expected his guards to dress as such. Always.

“His Majesty has requested that all competitors are to follow us to the next trial immediately,” the guard ordered, eyeing us all like we’d interruptedhisgood night’s sleep.

“Not before you tell us what those are for.” Brannon gestured to the guard’s hand. Four pieces of blue material dangled from his fist.

“Blindfolds,” the guard answered bluntly. Arrogantly. Already bordering on impatience. I could already tell that Gideon likely hated him.

“Not for us, they’re not.” Kodhan warned, chair still hoisted over his shoulder.

“King’s orders.”

“Fuck the king’s orders.”

The guard reached for the sword at his hip. Though he only drew it a few inches out of its holster, it still sang. “Careful what you wish for,boy.Jareth’s son or not, I’ll wrap this blindfold around your neck and hang you with it if you speak about His Majesty like that again.” He added, with a crooked smile, “Your father can light you a nice pyre—stuff your corpse into the flames for all to see. Just how you like it, isn’t that right?”

Kodhan took all but one step before Brannon intervened, taking hold of the chair before Kodhan could swing it. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The blindfolds are an obligation for the trial, correct?”

“And what if they weren’t? His Majesty gave gods-damned orders, and you’re expected to obey,” the guard sneered.

Low murmurs filled the hall behind him. Likely other guards, though it was hard to tell how many.

I approached the guard and put my back to him. “This is ridiculous, and a waste of time. Just put the damned thing on.” If Maverick wanted theatrics, I’d give him theatrics. Anything to make this go faster.

“See?” he crooned, tying one around my eyes. He was far from careful. Pulled it tighter than necessary, enough to hurt. “At least the king’s mutt sees reason.”

The contents of my stomach turned to lead. Despite seeing nothing at all, tiny red spots danced behind my closed eyelids.

Asshole.

A loud clatter startled me, accompanied by a sickeningcrack.

Ripping the blindfold off, I gasped as I found Brannon physically holding Kodhan back from the guard who now stood plastered against the wall, eyes glassy, nose jutting out at an odd angle. Blood dribbled down both his nostrils, painting his upper lip.

“For gods’ sake,” Theia hissed at the fire-wielder. “You couldn’t have let it wait?”

“He is lucky that’s all he got,” Kodhan snarled, his rage peeling back his upper lip to reveal his teeth.

It should have terrified me. Should have sent me running as far as my legs could take me. In that moment, he barely even looked human. But all I felt was a twinge of intrigue, daring me to step closer to him. To see what, exactly, he could do if he focused all that dark energy into something else. Teeth and all.