Page 167 of The Stars are Dying

“What are you doing?”

Nyte’s voice snapped me out of my memory. He advanced for me, but I shuffled back, my heels close to slipping off the edge. He paused. Rage fell to deep concern as he watched my feet and read my expression.

“Astraea, come down. Please.”

“What is he talking about?”

“I’ll explain everything, just—” His jaw locked when he tried to reach for me again and I moved a fraction. Behind him, Drystan chuckled breathily, getting back to his feet.

I watched war wage across Nyte’s face.

“I’m seconds from turning around and killing him.”

My heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t even the prince’s life I cared for most; it was the thought of the regret that would forever plague Nyte if he killed his brother. I didn’t know their history, but something in the way Nyte had winced—if only barley-there—when he hit Drystan… What was pouring out of him now was a century of being wronged, and it was volatile to everyone in his path.

So I took his hand. Watched his face relax and his shoulders loosen when he was able to slip an arm around my waist as if I might change my mind in a split second.

“You’re making a mistake, Astraea.”

I wished I could expel the pang of sympathy I felt at meeting the prince’s final look before shadows stole us away.

Nyte placed his hand on my waist, and I followed his line of sight to watch him slide my stormstone dagger into a belt on the dress I hadn’t noticed before. I didn’t have the mind nor the minutes to ask how he’d retrieved it.

“Use it. Even on me if you ever feel the need. The key is volatile even to you right now.” His hand cupped my cheek, a thousand words swirling in his irises, but time was slipping away too fast. “You are safe.”

I met Nyte’s golden gaze and couldn’t be sure why I felt the urgency to kiss him one last time. Like this had all been pretend and our globe was about to shatter.

When everything stilled we pulled apart. I dared to glance at where he’d taken us, but it wasn’t close to anywhere I might have expected. I’d hoped he’d take us far, somewhere we could pretend a little longer.

Not here.

A grand hall with pillars lining each side. Iridescent black marble floors and a red carpeted center leading all the way up long stairs to…

Nyte had taken us to the throne room.

“Why are we here?” I asked, my words filled with foreboding.

Guards began to flood the room, but they faltered when they took in the sight of us.

Nyte took my chin, almost like he wanted to say something else, but our time was up. Coolness wrapped around me as he stepped away, and I watched his face, his poise, seeing how the room darkened with his demeanor as it slipped into something of nightmares—stripped of any warmth, and least of all…mercy.

Nyte turned, scanning the guards with purposeful threat, daring them to challenge him.

They didn’t. The guardsbalked.Seeing their reaction inspired the same fear in me, but I couldn’t be certain of what it was for.

Until one of them spoke. One word.

A name.

One that shook dormant stars and announced to the world nothing was safe now.

“Nightsdeath.”

49

It had been right there. And he had tried to warn me.

You need to get better with your words.

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