Page 203 of The Stars are Dying

“Because of me,” Drystan said bitterly. He kept his eyes of hatred on Nyte. “You haven’t been here,brother.I’ve been the one leading this army.”

“A pup running ahead of the pack is not a leader; it’s a damned fool.”

Drystan stepped forward with a flash of darkness I’d never seen before. Tarran intercepted while a few others shifted at the tension between them.

Nyte went on. “It took tricking me to try toprovesomething. Yet have you told them how you had the star-maiden right before you all those years ago? And you let her escape.”

My throat was tightening, my chest heaving. Why would he say this?

“Is that true?” Tarran asked.

“Of course not,” Drystan spat.

Tarran’s eyes slipped to me as if I would confess for him. I knew Drystan was lying, yet the decision not to tell this vampire was sealed in my mind. I didn’t know what was happening, nor how Nyte intended to get us out of this, but right now I couldn’t even feel comfort from him. I wanted away from them all and whatever feud this was that had placed me in its center.

“She won’t remember,” Nyte said for me.

I wanted to shake myself awake from this nightmare. How cold and distant he was as he spoke of me. How he shielded me not like he cared, but like I was a prize those before us wanted.

“Your brother has promised many things in your absence, Nightsdeath.”

Nyte laughed dryly. “He doesn’t have the power I do. He doesn’t have the star-maiden.”

My step shuffled back—only an inch before Nyte’s hand reached back to hook itself around my waist and a large, warm wing curved to prevent any retreat.

“Let me go,” I breathed, panic shooting through my nerves. I blinked against the memory of being in Hektor’s office the day he showed me off to the vultures who wanted toownme.

I thought I felt the tightening of Nyte’s fingers, maybe a wave trying to calm the storm gathering in me, but I couldn’t accept it.

“I will have power to contend with you,” Drystan said with a challenge. “Once I am Ascended.”

“You swore you never would,” Nyte growled.

Drystan only smiled as if he’d won. “Times have long since changed. And I am done being in your shadow.”

“No vampire has ever survived their attempt to be Ascended.”

I wondered if Drystan could hear the note of concern beneath the rage Nyte emanated with. It didn’t look likely as the younger brother only shrugged, enjoying the reaction he’d invoked.

“Like you, I am not just anyone. I might have been born here, but I still have the blood of another realm. I’m willing to take the risk and try.”

“What is an Ascended?” I dreaded to ask.

“Many have tried it before,” Nyte said to me. “Vampires die trying to reach the Realm of the Death God. Not a place of passing, but his realm of dark blessing.”

Where Nyte had been. What lived within him from the Death God’sblessingI thought he carried more like a curse.

“Drystan is willing to prove himself dedicated to a vampire reign. He is already one of us,” Tarran drawled. “Who knows what our god might bestow upon him as he did you?”

“I have giveneverythingto your damn cause,” Nyte growled.

“Except…”—Tarran’s eyes slipped to me with deliberate slowness—“her. They say we almost lost everything because of your weakness for her.”

Nyte shifted, his anger weighing the winter night air so tangible I could choke on it. “Then you are all fools,” he said with a low threat. “If none of you can see that keeping her alive is what gives us the advantage and making her believe she was safe was only to keep her content. The next time someone wants to challenge my methods, they can step forward and face me themselves.”

“Nyte,” I whispered. This wasn’t him. He didn’t mean it, yet within me was a voice crying out that I never should have believed him so easily.

“You let the king get away with the key,” Tarran diverted. “He may very well become more than either of you if it’s true what he hopes to do in summoning the God of Dusk and the Goddess of Dawn. I hear their blessing combined could triumph what Death could give alone.”

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