Page 70 of The Stars are Dying

Tracking my target.

Draven smirked, bringing his apple to his mouth, and the moment his teeth pierced the flesh…so did the small blade, between his fingers.

The hall fell still. So deadly still.

I wondered if I’d stepped out of line when every set of eyes slowly found me, still poised as the culprit who had sent that knife flying. A fraction off and I could have killed him, and we hadn’t heard the rules to know if that was prohibited yet.

Draven’s eyes turned furious as he lowered the apple. He plucked the blade that looked like a mere toothpick in his giant hand, dropping the fruit. “A lucky shot,” he seethed.

“It’s too bad her accuracy is impeccable,” Rosalind said, and though she didn’t seem one to give praise often, I felt her subtle nod as such.

I reached for another blade as Draven tossed the first aside and stepped forward. Enver seemed to react to his every move, copying him as Draven drew his blade too.

“Your throw was cute,” he said, stepping up into the training ring.“Let’s see how you hold up in real combat.”

Zathrian and Rosalind stepped in front me, and though I knew I wouldn’t match up to them, I tried to angle my blade to give even the smallest impression I knew how to wield it. Draven lunged for Rosalind, who crossed her sword with his twin daggers, and they entered into an exhilarating dance. I stumbled back another step when more clanging sounded and Zathrian became engaged in a fight with Enver.

I felt utterly useless and feeble, cowering back even though it wasn’t my fight. I wished I could move the way Rosalind did. As elegant as the wind, but as lethal as the blade that answered her.

They parried back and back, and I thought to leap out of the way, but Enver had also been forced on the defensive after switching sides, so I had no escape. I didn’t realize how far they’d pushed back until my heels slipped off the platform. I shrieked, but my flailing arms could do nothing to help as I toppled from the height.

I hardly had a second to brace before I slammed to the hard ground. Heat spread across my head at the impact, a tingling sensation dizzying me when I rolled to prop myself up. My temples pulsed and warmed, and I wondered if I was bleeding, but I didn’t check as I pushed myself to my feet and took a hard blink to refocus the room.

Don’t appear weak.

Every choice and movement I made to those who surrounded me now was bait for them to use later.

“Cassia, are you hurt?” Zathrian asked.

I shook my head. It was a mistake. The room tilted, and I had to shift my footing to seem casual as I rebalanced myself. “I think I’ve made my point here though,” I said, daring a look at Draven.

I took a step to leave, and Zath shifted too.

“I’m just heading back to my room. You can stay.” I hoped he’d read my tone and Rosalind wouldn’t. I didn’t doubt she could handle herself, but I didn’t really know her, and while she was the competition it didn’t feel right to leave her alone with these brutes.

Zath’s jaw firmed. He didn’t give Rosalind a direct look, but it confirmed he thought the same. “I’ll see you later?” he asked, even if he seemed reluctant to stay.

I gave him a grateful smile with my nod and left the training hall, sparing one look across that felt like a compulsion. Arwan was already watching me, the unnerving touch of his brown irises still crawling over my skin when I was many halls away.

I hissed, reaching a hand around my head. The wetness on my skin confirmed the fall had been as bad as it had felt. Though I was certain I would be fine without stitches.

Before I turned into the next hall, a tall hooded figure caught my attention. I wouldn’t have given them a second thought were it not for the high braid of honey hair they also guided stiffly along.

My heart stopped with my steps.

I shouldn’t follow. I shouldn’t follow.

I cursed the second voice in my head that commanded movement, the one I’d had to silence painfully on the rooftop with Cassia the first time we’d seen a fae being herded against her will. My adrenaline raced and my thoughts taunted I was mistaken, but I had to be certain.

I hid behind corners, always a corridor away every time the duo dipped out of sight. We headed down then through some less lavish spaces I thought to be the servants’ quarters. When they went outdoors, I cursed my lack of a winter cloak.

My muscles tensed at the freezing night, immediately screaming at me to retreat. Dipping behind a tree, I didn’t think I could follow them any further without being seen by the guards as they glided by without question.

The female fae didn’t fight, but I ached for her stiff walk of reluctant obedience, feeling for her with a strong urge to help. My fingers bit into the bark of the tree trunk I cowered behind.

As they headed toward the dominating black building, my intrigue sparked anew at what could be within. As they started to disappear across the distance, I looked up.

The tree seemed an easy enough climb.

---