Page 21 of The Stars are Dying

As we lay back down, Cassia’s fingers lacing through mine made me sigh with contentment.

“Let’s make a promise,” she said.

I nodded though she couldn’t see it.

“If we’re lost or apart, we’ll look up and know we’re mapping the same stars. And should death part us, we’ll know the other made it to the skies when the star that shines the brightest gives three blinks.”

Nothing had ever wrapped me so wholly in peace but inspired such despair. I gave her hand a squeeze, allowing my eyes to close for just a moment.

“Three blinks,” I promised.

6

Ijolted awake, the urgency of knowing I was not where I was supposed to be surging through my mind. I scanned the view through the tall balcony doors. It was dark, but the first signs of day would break within the hour.

“Shit,” I swore, scrambling to my feet.

“Can’t we lie in for once?” Cassia groaned, rolling over from where we’d fallen asleep by the dwindling fire.

“Why did you let me fall asleep?” I threw my cloak over my shoulders, fingers fumbling with the clasp in my hurry.

“You needed it. Look at you—there’s more color in your cheeks already.”

“I told you I needed to be back.” I couldn’t stop the panic from slipping into my voice.

As I hooked my cloak shut, warm hands took my trembling ones.

“What are you so afraid of?” Cassia forced my eyes to hers, but I couldn’t voice what truly stormed in my mind. The fear of Hektor arriving at the manor before me.

“I just promised Hektor I would be home before nightfall. He’ll think something happened to me.”

“Damn, I’m sorry. I thought he would have had enough sense to guess you’d stayed. That you’re safe here.”

I gave my best convincing smile. If Hektor knew I came here… If he found out thereigning lordknew who I was… I didn’t want to think of what he would do.

“Two more days,” she said, pulling me into an embrace. “I’ll send instruction, and I’ll see you in two days.”

The reminder that the world was about to burst before me in such a short time shot a wild thrill through my stomach. “Yes,” was all I could say, but my smile lifted to a genuine grin.

“Okay, now go, before your overprotective—”

“If you call him my husband again…”

Cassia giggled as she shoved me toward the door. “Let me get Calix to escort you back.”

“I made it here fine by myself. I know the route.”

A silvery voice floated in my mind, paired with golden irises that reminded me I wasn’t entirely alone. Shadow or not, I had some comfort in his company.

“Day is only breaking. Be careful.”

* * *

I raced out of town, slipping on the ice that made my pace a danger, but I had to make it back before him, and so I raced the sunrise. The woods made my skin crawl with unease, sparking an irrational fear that there could be soulless—or worse, nightcrawlers—lurking. The fading colors of night made this journey more challenging than the last.

I thought I heard wings; mistook the charcoal barren branches as them too when the wind animated them. Or perhaps some wild animal would launch out of the many hiding places to devour me instead. I couldn’t decide what terrified me more: losing part of my soul, my blood, or having my flesh torn.

I shook my head to dispel the panic gathering from nothing more than tales that had been told to scare me. Tales that made me so compliant in Hektor’s bonds I may as well have tied them myself.

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