Page 30 of Blood of the Stars

For a moment, Cyrus looked like he might argue, but thankfully, he kept his mouth shut.

They followed the shoreline around until it looked like they’d be forced to stop where the water met a cliff.

“A starlock functions like the axle of the Wheel,” Sylmar added. “It gets it turning, allowing the progeny to develop stronger magic along one of the spokes. There’s a constructive and destructive side to each of the three spokes, giving six possible paths out from the axle for each progeny.”

Aeliana’s heart pounded, pushing the blood she’d always seen as a danger faster through her veins. Sylmar talked of it all almost lovingly, but to Aeliana it sounded no better than the magic her guardians had used.

“How does blood magic fit in?” she asked.

His face grew grim as the scars puckered his eyes and lips into an even deeper frown. “Blood magic skips from the hub to the rim of the Wheel, giving half-lights access to uncontrolled elemental magic. It’s a distortion of magic’s design. A cheat. And it comes with great consequences. I’m grateful they didn’t teach you to perform the magic with them, but rather stole your blood for their own use.”

Velden snorted. “They weren’t protecting her. They were protecting themselves. They knew she would grow into a progeny who would surpass their skills.”

Sylmar lifted a shoulder. “And yet I’m still grateful. The addiction to her blood’s release will be hard enough to break as it is. It would be far worse if she were also addicted to the rush of using it. It would be much harder for her to resist the pull of the dark spirits.”

Despite the warm air, Aeliana’s limbs felt like ice. She’d rather give up the minimal good that might come from using her blood’s power than risk giving in to its darker pull.

Sylmar stopped near an outcropping, and they halted with him, water lapping at their heels. He then tapped against thick vines growing along a rock. The leaves muted the sound of his staff until his tapping revealed a small gap in the vines.

“Here we are,” Sylmar said.

From inside the cave, hands split the vines to reveal a man’s shocked face.

“Sun’s fire, you found her.” Morning dew from the vines fell into his golden hair, the short ends curling slightly around the crown of his head. The upturn of his nose gave him a playful look despite the worry pinching his features.

Heat spread across her cheeks when he studied her in return. It was as if he was evaluating her worth, but unlike the inebriated men Arvid spent time with, this man’s pale blue eyes were clear. And instead of drunken lust, his freshly shaved face held admiration.

The longer he stared, the more uncomfortable Aeliana grew, and yet there was something almost familiar about him. Like she’d known him years ago, and if they spent a single day catching up, they’d be the best of friends.

“Welcome home, Aeliana.” His voice softened, as though it were just the two of them standing at the mouth of the cave. He held out a hand, not in greeting, but in invitation. Was he going to pull her in for a hug?

Aeliana bristled at the familiarity, but it also stirred something inside her, unlocking some dormant part of who she’d been long ago.

Cyrus leaned in to whisper. “Do you know him?”

Aeliana blinked, the spell between her and the stranger finally broken.

Velden chuckled. “Aeliana, meet Lukai—your bondmate.”

CHAPTER 13

By the time Gaeren reached town, he had to hunt Larkos down in a tavern to round up their crew and supplies early. The loyal man grumbled at the inconvenience until Gaeren handed over his family ring. The royal seal would open every door as well as every mouth, but Gaeren was more concerned about missing whatever remained at Bamboo Island than he was worried about people’s assumptions and interpretations of his purpose and sanity.

With Larkos managing the final tasks, Gaeren returned home to get his bags packed and affairs settled. Half his wardrobe lay spread across his bed when the dreaded knock came at his door.

Enla barged in without waiting for a reply.

“What is the meaning of this?” She held out a paper with the family’s seal, but Gaeren didn’t bother taking it before stuffing more clothes in a bag.

“A request to procure an artifact.” He had to give some credit to Larkos. He’d worked fast in one night.

“Yes. I can read.” His sister raised her eyebrows. “I already told you no.”

“You said no to Valorian and Lovers’ Falls. Now I want to go to Bamboo Island.” He didn’t care as much about the starbridge anymore. Not if Aeliana had crossed the barrier with it, but Enla didn’t need to know all that.

Gaeren left her standing open-mouthed as he closed his last bag and headed to the next room, where a steaming bath with lilac soaps and fresh night clothes waited.

“Do you think it’s Lovers’ Falls I’m afraid of? I need you here, Gaeren.”

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