Page 171 of The Stars are Dying

“I-it was a mistake, my lord! I-I swear it! I never would have if I’d known—”

“I understand,” Nyte said in a low taunt.

He reached for the discarded bow, examining it for a second only to grow the suspense. Then Nyte moved fast. All I heard was the snap of the wood and a strangled choke before my eyes fell to the source.

The broken bow was now lodged fully through the guard’s chest.

“Unfortunately for you, my mistakes are a lot more accurate.” Nyte pushed against the wood and the guard fell back.

Dead.

The other two backed away slowly as though Nyte would lunge for them with the same lack of hesitation.

He didn’t. Instead he shuffled back, sitting on one of the steps, reclining to prop his elbow a few steps up as though he were lying there observing the end of a disappointing show. Crimson pooled out from under the guard, and the others dragged him away.

“Was that really necessary?” I asked blankly. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. Numb. Shocked. Maybe afraid.

Nyte cast me a bored look over his shoulder. Without company, he didn’t wear his arrogance. He looked tired, like he’d lost so much more than a few nights’ sleep. It was in these glimpses I continued to fall for the guise of somethingreal.

“Your judgment of me is still yours to make. But the moment someone harms you, they die. If it’s while I’m not there, they’d best enjoy their borrowed breaths.”

Once again his expression firmed, but it was like every new time he had to slip on the mask it wore him out more, and I feared what would become of him if he lost the strength to take it off. If he fell prey to the beast he could portray.

The next victim to be dragged in swayed my vision, and I braced a hand on the throne. It only added to my spike of nerves and adrenaline to remember I was sitting upon it and how laughable I must look to him.

To Hektor Goldfell.

The rage that coated the room in ice sent a tremble through me. Nyte rose as Hektor was hauled in casting colorful curses to his captors.

“What is the meaning of this? I have a deal with the king!”

I stood slowly, frightened by the shadows snaking around the corners of the room like looming death.

“Nyte,” I whispered, hugging myself, but he didn’t even flinch.

Instead he slipped one hand into his pocket as Hektor was shoved to his knees.

“He had an oath to the king,” Nyte said, pointing a careless finger at the blood left behind by the dead guard. “It didn’t help his case. In fact, every time my father is mentioned it makes me far more murderous in my judgment on how to kill.”

Finally, Hektor’s pride and outrage blanked completely as he took in the sight, and when he cast his green gaze up to me I could have collapsed under the stroke of terror. It would never fail to catch me with his attention no matter how much bravery I tried to grasp.

That seemed to invoke something in Nyte, whose hand lashed out to Hektor’s jaw, tilting it back awkwardly until he yelped.

“Wait! Astraea, please let me—” He yelled again at the added pressure Nyte squeezed around his throat.

“You dare to speak her name?”

“I loved her,” he panted.

A skittered beat moved in my chest. Green eyes of pain tried to slip to me.

“I lost my temper sometimes, but it was only because I feared your recklessness would get you found, and there were so many who would do you harm. I wanted to give you everything. I did everything for you.”

The conflict in my mind was almost too much to bear. Seeing the man who’d sheltered me for five years confess his wrongdoings even with a morsel of desperation…it was enough to drag me back. I wanted to forgive him, thinking he could change…

“Is he telling the truth?” I whispered to Nyte.

Maybe it was vile of me to ask him to search Hektor’s mind, but I had to be certain.

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