Page 83 of The Stars are Dying

Then I remembered Drystan tucking something into my tunic. Hastily I opened his note. No, not a note—a map.

To my horror, he’d switched the city map given by the king to one displaying the whole continent. This wouldn’t help me.

My panic smoothed only when I became fascinated by the elegant details of the map. The Realm of Solanis scribed along a beautiful scroll at the top. Following the swirling lines, the border was breathtaking. Four animals were illustrated in the corners: a panther, a crow, a dragon, and a serpent. I couldn’t begin to wonder what they meant.

A new urge struck in my chest. Determination to discover more of the lands and not have this city be another cage, a final one. I would not die here.

I looked around but the frosty, dark morning was still. Silent.

“Where am I?” I thought aloud—a habit that made me feel less alone.

My brow lifted when the ink on the yellowing parchment began to erase itself. Lines moved, reforming with blots of ink, and I gasped as I watched small buildings appear as though the map had zoomed in on them precisely.

Then the scroll at the top no longer scribed the name of the realm. It read “Elgalon’s Road.” I blinked a few times as if it would go back to being ordinary.

“Have you figured out your riddle?”

I leaped at the silvery voice cutting through the silence. “Stars above,” I breathed, willing my heart to calm down from the fright. “You have to stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Sneaking up on me!”

“It’s rather amusing,” Nyte said, now right behind me, and I almost shivered at his proximity.

“That’s me, the source of Vesitire’s entertainment right now.”

“Let me see.”

I looked over my shoulder as he tipped his chin in the direction of the riddle. My stubbornness was beginning to grow around him with the cool arrogance I wanted to wipe from his face, but this wasn’t the time to refuse help. I showed him the clue.

“Hmm,” he said.

Only my breath clouded the frosty air as though I couldn’t draw it fast enough.

“What do you make of it?” I asked.

“I don’t think this is a team game.”

My eyes didn’t get the chance to fully express their incredulity before his grin dimpled one cheek, showing off his brilliant teeth.

“Then you only serve to distract me,” I huffed. Stomping away, my boots crunched against the frozen grass.

Nyte’s soft chuckle followed me. I’d had more violent thoughts about that sound than anything so trivial in a long time.

I kept reciting the riddle in my mind, tuning out the footsteps that continued after me. Dawn finally spilled across hill, making the frost glitter and diffusing the grass with hues of pink and orange. I wanted to still this moment of tranquility before the city awoke.

A loud chime disturbed the quiet morning. My steps faltered and I winced as it stole the silence.

“That’s it,” I said suddenly. My gloved fingers fumbled with the parchment until I read it again, and the answer seemed glaringly obvious. “Silence.” I watched in awe as the words scribed themselves below the verse. Holding it against the glow of dawn, I beamed in triumph.

“Very good,” Nyte said with genuine admiration.

“Maybe this won’t be so hard after all,” I said, more as a way to lift my spirits.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. And never let your guard down.”

I dropped my arms to give him a scowl. “You’re not very fun. Or helpful. Why are you here?”

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