Page 26 of Burning Star

Riven draws his sword, staying close. I do the same with my dagger.

Ahead of us, the Tides part, revealing a shimmering tower rising from the depths of the abyss. It’s unlike any structure I’ve ever seen—a colorful turret made of crystallized starlight, stretching upward through the gap in the Tides like it’s trying to touch the sky.

Riven and I exchange a quick glance, and then we move as one, hurrying toward the tower.

There’s no door. Just an open archway that leads to a spiraling staircase that seems to stretch infinitely upward. So, we climb what feels like hundreds of steps, our joined magic swirling around us, until finally, we reach the top. We’re standing on an open platform beneath a domed, crystal ceiling, gazing up at the swirling cosmos above, infinitely vast and breathtakingly beautiful.

Riven exhales sharply, running a hand through his dark hair as he surveys the platform. “All right, Universe,” he calls out to the cosmos. “We climbed your celestial staircase. Now, where’s our prize?”

I barely have time to roll my eyes before a streak of golden light tears through the night sky.

A meteor—or a falling star—hurtling straight toward us.

SAPPHIRE

As the blazing light nears,it slows—no longer wild, but purposeful.

The Star Disc. Ithasto be.

My breath catches. My pulse stutters. Every bone in my body screams for me to take it.

So, I do.

The moment my fingers extend forward, the Disc closes the distance. Not like an object, but as a living thing that’s been waiting for me.

I gaze down in awe. Because it’s not just beautiful—it’stranscendent.Forged from celestial metal that glints with impossible color, its sharp, star-cut edges shimmer with ancient, swirling designs. It’s also heavier than it looks—like holding fate itself—but somehow weightless.

At its center, a large, deep sapphire pulses like a living heart.

You have claimed your fate.

The words don’t come from Riven. They don’t come from me. They’re not the haunting voices of the Tides, trying to slither into my mind. Instead, they come from everywhere and nowhere, threading through the air like a cosmic decree.

You will be the light that burns the darkness away,the voice continues, and a smile spreads across Riven’s face—not his usual smirk, but something genuine and filled with pride.

“They got that right,” he says, reaching out to touch the Disc. “You’ve always been the brightest thing in any room.”

The compliment warms me from within, and the Disc responds to my emotion, its sapphire center glowing brighter.

“I think I’m in love,” I murmur as I stare down at it.

Riven’s brow lifts. “Should I be jealous of a celestial weapon?”

“Never.” I laugh, feeling the Disc laugh with me. “You’re still my favorite deadly object.”

“High praise, coming from you.” He steps forward, and thatenergybuzzes between us—the one that’s been there since I fused our souls.

His breathing slows, and the air bends around us, chilled and charged.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he says, mesmerized, his fingers grazing my cheek.

“You’re saying it like it didn’t already happen.” I take a sharp breath inward, pain shooting through my heart all over again. “Like you didn’t justdie in my armsless than an hour ago.”

“Yeah, well, you almost died in mine first. So let’s call it even.” His fingers skim my jaw, his touch softer than his words, his eyes studying me with such raw devotion that butterflies go crazy in my stomach. “But let’s not make this whole dying in each other’s arms thing a habit, all right?”

“That’s not a habit Ieverwant to make.” I let out a bitter laugh, pressing my palm against his chest—against the place where his heart stopped. “But if you die on me again, I’ll bring you back just to kill you myself.”

“You’re the only thing keeping me alive now, anyway.” His forehead presses against mine, his breathing uneven and his eyes closed, as if he’s soaking in every moment we have together. “You own my heart, Sapphire. And my soul.”

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