Page 13 of Blood of the Stars

Gaeren glanced at the queen, whose eyes had glazed over once more. “What’s wrong with?—?”

“I’m sorry, Father.” Enla said, dragging Gaeren toward the door. “We’ll let both of you rest.”

“It’s not you who should apologize.” The king scowled at Gaeren as they headed back into the hall. “The Sun knows you’re not the reason our rest has been interrupted. Send him out to spar with Dantoran. He needs to burn off more of his youthful arrogance.”

The door slammed shut, cutting off any reply Gaeren might have had. His father’s rejection had been filled with the passive aggressive statements he expected, but there was an unusually blatant bite that delved too close to Gaeren’s heart. Why did his father always blame him? Why did he always see Gaeren as the plague on their family?

His chest burned with the battle cry held within. “Well, Father seems to be doing fine.”

“Is that how you test his health?” Enla asked. “Push him until he snaps?”

“That’s pushing? Showing up and asking a question is pushing? I’m surprised he didn’t break my arm to keep me from sailing.” It wouldn’t have been the first time their father had used his destructive somatic skills for discipline.

All four guards stared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact.

Enla turned her back on Gaeren, walking away. She hadn’t been wrong about their mother seeming sick.

“Maybe I can find some of that red bush tea Mother likes when I make port in Valorian. On the way to Lovers’ Falls,” Gaeren offered as he followed.

“I have not approved that voyage,” she threw over her shoulder. “It’s too far. We have too many important events in the coming moons. You’re needed here.” Her chin raised higher with each objection.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, preventing her from walking away, then gently turned her to face him. He bent until they were eye level. “You have too many important events. You’re needed here. I’m more useful out there.”

He waved a hand in the general direction of the city of Elanesse, the harbor, the rest of Vendaras—all the places and people he felt burdened to protect. In the back of his mind, he included all of Rhystahn, but he couldn’t include the lands on the other side of the barrier until that was breached. Until he’d proven himself capable of protecting one little girl.

“I’m better at observing, interacting, changing things with my hands,” he continued. “What you do is valuable. But what I do has a different value. I want to protect all Vendarans, not just the House of Elanesse. I can’t do that unless I learn more about them.”

Enla took a step back. “You should be here, courting Lenda, befriending the council members, wooing the nobles.”

Gaeren shook his head, too spent to argue further. She’d never see things his way. Not unless he got her out in the world. She rarely left the walls of the palace, let alone the city of Elanesse.

“Come with me,” he begged. “We can discuss all the council matters you wish with the sea breeze in our hair and filling our lungs.”

The noise in her throat reminded him of a wild animal ready to charge. “Don’t make me ground Starspeed.” The abruptness of her threat left him speechless. “If I search your future, will I find you disobeying your eventual queen?”

He frowned. “You might find me disagreeing with a selfish and obstinate sister.”

“Selfish?” All anger drained from her face, along with her color. “Everything I do is for the good of this land, our people. You don’t even know everything I’ve had to give up.” She scratched at her palm once more—the scar, not the new bonding mark. She couldn’t possibly consider Riveran something she had to give up for the throne. He’d broken their bond. He’d chosen someone else over her.

He shuddered as he remembered her pain, the way he’d tried to take those memories from her before he understood his magic, before he knew how he could damage her mind. His progeny mentor at the time had saved both their lives that night, but even his mentor’s skills hadn’t been able to erase the shared pain from either of their minds.

“Maybe you’re right.” The half apology exited Gaeren’s mouth from habit. “Maybe I would understand if you told me more. If you could. But maybe part of the problem is that this is your burden to bear, not mine. I should be free to serve our people in different ways, not be penned up here as your shadow.”

“You think you’re my shadow? You think you could do better if our roles were reversed?” Her voice shook, but Gaeren couldn’t tell if anger or pain fueled the emotion in her voice.

“No! I want nothing to do with the throne. I want to sail away from it.” He gestured toward the docks far beyond the royal land, wishing he were already there. “I’m grateful it’s yours.”

Her eyes closed, her face tinged pink. “I need you here.”

Her lids opened, the apology in her pools of blue not enough to compensate for the loss he felt. She left without another word, making it clear he couldn’t ever expect support for this mission. Maybe not any mission anymore.

Larkos had been exactly right. They’d be sneaking out of the harbor in the dead of night.

CHAPTER 6

“How exactly is this helping me become a priestess?” Aeliana spun in a half circle, wrestling to pull the bow from its sling on her back.

Cyrus laughed and helped her retrieve it. “Servants of the Stars still need to eat. Gams and Gamps will likely spend more time teaching us how to bake and garden rather than have us reading the holy books or meditating on the Stars’ light.” He pulled an arrow from her quiver, passing it over with the ease of familiarity. “Besides, many times while out on a hunt, I’ve had my deepest conversations with the Stars, alone amidst all they’ve created.”

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