Page 19 of Blood of the Stars

“I know what you are.” Arvid waved a hand through her form, the vague parts of her disintegrating before reforming, like a cloud trying to retain its shape. “You can’t do anything to us. You’re not even here.”

His taunts only made the woman calmer, quieter. “Perhaps not.” She turned to Aeliana. “But you can.”

Aeliana hesitated before turning to her guardians, tucking the arrow in against her chest. “Why do you want to go back?” She’d never asked them, but suddenly it mattered. Did they have far worse things planned for Vendaras?

“You think you can cross on your own?” Vera’s laugh grated on Aeliana’s nerves. “What will you do when you get there? You’ll either bleed to death or summon the dark spirits, and then who knows what kind of havoc you’ll wreak?”

Her words stirred up a different fear in Aeliana, fear that she could never be free of her guardians, not even in Vendaras. Her magic could be monstrous, but at least her guardians managed it enough to keep her from unleashing its full power.

“Don’t go with them,” Cyrus pleaded.

Everyone assumed the choice was up to her, but she had no choice. If she didn’t bring them, it would be Cyrus and his family who had to pay.

Della stood tall, gently pulling Aeliana away from Arvid and Vera. “The decision isn’t up to you or Aeliana. She has made a commitment to the Stars and is under my care as a priestess-in-training. Her training will best be completed if she travels to Vendaras alone. I’m sending her as an ambassador from the people of Lorvandas. May her path bring glory to the Stars.”

Cyrus inched to his left, ignorantly stepping in front of Aeliana as if his mortal body could defend whatever onslaught her guardians might bring.

Tears pricked at the back of Aeliana’s eyes at Della’s words and Cyrus’ tangible show of support. Della didn’t know what she was saying. She didn’t really understand what Aeliana was, what terrible things her blood could do, but her words held a depth of love Aeliana had never experienced before. She wished it was enough to keep them all safe.

Before she could turn down the offer that had been more of a command, Arvid shoved Cyrus to the ground, then yanked Aeliana closer. He nearly pulled her shoulder out of its socket as Vera tugged on her sleeve and sliced Aeliana’s free hand without ceremony. More cries echoed around them as the servants of the Stars once again scattered.

Aeliana winced, but as the blood pooled out, she sighed, the relief overpowering all her fear and concern. The tightness of her skin and muscles slowly abated, as if the pressure her blood had been building was released like with an opened valve. She tried to tamp down the euphoria that built in its place, horrified as always as the relief grew to satisfaction. She didn’t want this, and yet…it was exactly what she wanted.

Arvid cupped his hands under hers as Vera squeezed.

Aeliana blinked, dimly aware that Arvid lost more blood to the floor than he gained, but their sloppy efforts were an act of desperation and impatience, not calculated precision. Arvid had no interest in being careful as he turned to the boy curled up on the floor.

Arvid’s eyes rolled back in his head as the energy of her blood seeped through his skin.

Aeliana snatched her hand back from Vera’s grip to tug on Arvid’s wrist and draw his attention back to her. “I’m going with you.” Her words spilled out in a slurred rush. “Take me to Vendaras without harming him, and I’ll do whatever you want. Please.”

His lips curled in a snarl, and Aeliana knew she’d lost. He’d already tipped over the line of sanity. Aeliana launched herself on top of Cyrus, lying face down and spreading out as far as possible, bracing herself for the pain that was sure to come. Instead, she heard a high-pitched scream that cut off abruptly.

She turned back to find Arvid’s bloody hand grasping Della’s throat, her eyes bulging as she clawed at his grip. The sight was sobering, pulling Aeliana from the drunken stupor of her blood being spilled.

“Gams!” Cyrus pushed Aeliana aside so he could rise, but Aeliana pulled him back down. He would only get Della and himself killed.

Even if the handful of remaining people all worked together, they couldn’t stand against Arvid using her blood.

“Let me help her,” Cyrus ground out.

Aeliana latched onto his legs, nearly dropping the arrow, then turned to Orra. “Please, stop this!”

Orra’s eyes grew troubled, the crease returning to her brow. “Even if I could, interfering is not my way.”

If the woman had been solid, Aeliana might have slapped her. As it was, it took all her effort to hold Cyrus back, and still he was making ground, dragging her across the dirt with him.

“Arvid,” Aeliana called, her voice hoarse as fear crawled up her throat. “Leave Della alone. She’s a simple priestess who can’t harm you. She can’t enforce the authority she claims. It’s me you want. Take me with you to Vendaras, and be done with this part of the world. Killing her won’t gain you anything.” She held up the golden arrow, now splattered by her own blood, fearing how close the dark spirits might be, how eager Arvid would be to let them fuse with his soul.

Cyrus broke free from her grip, but before he could reach Della, Vera’s hand snaked out around his upper arm.

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Vera’s other hand reached for the arrow. “You need a reminder of what we’re willing to do.”

Arvid released his grip, and Della fell to her knees, gasping in air and rubbing her neck. She looked old and frail, nothing like the strong priestess Aeliana knew. But then Della’s gaze landed on Cyrus, her focus intensifying until it seemed Cyrus would combust.

“Protect her,” Della rasped out. “Don’t let—” Her words cut off with gasps as Arvid smeared Aeliana’s blood down the front of Della’s robes, his touch almost gentle as her body convulsed with pain. Her gasps turned to cries as her body flopped to the ground and fresh blood seeped through her robes.

This time the blood wasn’t Aeliana’s.

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