Page 99 of Blood of the Stars

Gaeren rolled his eyes. “Not Mayvus’, that’s for—” He cut off, tuning in to his memories. He hadn’t actually asked the sprites to make sure Rhystahn wasn’t united under Mayvus. Is that why they’d suggested he wanted war?

His heart rate picked up speed, his mind flying through their conversations. Which deal had the sprites taken? The one putting Enla at risk or the one sacrificing Gaeren? Would he cross the barrier with Daisy, or would he save Enla’s life?

Or had Riveran’s interference made both null?

“Your family rules over the people, not Mayvus.” Riveran sat back, his brow furrowing. “She’s just a priestess. A servant of the Sun tucked away in the mountains who has an unhealthy amount of influence, but she’s not ruling.”

“For now,” Gaeren muttered. “The House of Elanesse is in trouble. If we’re not overrun by Recreants, we’re soon to be swallowed up by Mayvus’ control.”

“I think we should wait.” Riveran’s voice rose, drawing Orra’s attention. “This is a conversation best had in person. It will be easier for us to see where loyalties lie.”

Something in Gaeren’s chest flared. “We? Us?”

Riveran flinched and looked away. “You.”

Gaeren immediately regretted his anger, but he’d already thanked Riveran. He wasn’t quite ready to issue any apologies. He reached into his pack, pulling out pen and parchment. “I’ll keep it brief. I can’t keep her in the dark even if I wanted to. She’ll sift through my future. But telling her my plans at least shows her why I’m not doing everything she wants.”

Riveran nodded. “You know your sister best.” The words came out hollow, leaving Gaeren less confident in his choice.

His message was short, nothing more or less than Enla needed to know. She’d be too irritated to read more anyway, or she’d read into his words, thinking his actions far more sinister than they were.

Dearest Enla,

Going by land has proved difficult. Riveran has stayed by my side like you asked. I haven’t learned enough to come home yet. We move on to Islara, like you originally asked. I’m sorry I didn’t arrive in time to meet the dignitaries from the Myndren Mountains.

Your favorite brother,

Gaeren

By the time he was done, the meal was ready, and Gullet was cleaning his feathers, the entrails all consumed. Gaeren rose, grabbing a tree in a wave of dizziness, then ambled over to Riveran and Gullet. He bent down and pulled out his starlock, keeping his back to Orra, who still hadn’t seen his starlock’s shape. On either side of the teardrop was a wooden bead, one round and one square. He separated out the wooden sphere, bending even farther to put it in Gullet’s line of vision. The hawk cocked its head, then tapped at the bead with its beak. After a moment, it grew restless, shuffling between Gaeren’s and Riveran’s boots.

“That’s right, you dumb bird; you get to go on a long journey to find Enla.” He tied the parchment to the hawk’s leg, expecting Riveran to protest. But Riveran’s gaze was fixed on the other bead, the square block—the bead Gaeren had used to send messages to Riveran. A strange expression crossed Riveran’s face, and for a moment Gaeren felt embarrassed that he’d kept the beads all these years, like they spoke of an underlying trust he hadn’t meant to convey.

But then Riveran toyed with his bracelet, which held the same wooden sphere for Enla and a pyramid bead that Riveran and Enla had used to direct Gullet to Gaeren.

Gaeren knew for certain that Enla still wore the beads. She’d moved her heart-shaped starlock to her forehead as a show of power when she’d come of age. She didn’t fear people knowing its shape. But the leather cord remained around her neck because it still held their childhood trinkets. The three would always be tied together, and Gaeren didn’t know what to do with that.

“What if we’re both wrong about Enla? What if she really is aligned with Mayvus?” Riveran whispered, one hand on Gullet to delay his flight. Doubt settled in the lines of his face.

Gaeren glanced at Orra, who was busy dividing the cooked bird up onto large leaves for the three of them. If Orra knew what the sprites had said, would she forbid him from passing the message along?

“I thought you said the sprites weren’t telling the truth.”

Riveran’s eyes blazed. “I was willing to say anything to get you out of that cave—alive. Maybe you didn’t realize that whole thing was a trap.”

“A trap?” Gaeren gave a short laugh. “It’s not like they lured me in. I knew the risks. I went willingly.”

“At least you can admit you made a stupid choice.”

Heat flooded through Gaeren, leaving his fingertips tingling, itching to release his energy. “If we’re discussing momentary lapses of judgment, I think some of your actions could stand to be examined.”

“I’ve offered to let you search my mem?—”

“You think I want to see how you betrayed my sister?” Gaeren stood, practically spitting the words out in his disgust. That kind of proof of Riveran’s infidelity would make it impossible to hold back his rage, no matter what promises he’d made to Enla. “It’s like you’re asking me to put a knife in your back while you sleep.”

“Why haven’t you already?” Riveran stood too. “Your status would let you get away with murder.”

“Now that you have that X, it wouldn’t even be considered murder.”

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