Page 80 of Stolen Star

I set the pen down and walk the perimeter of the room, taking in more details as I process the reality of my situation. The patterns in the rug match those from my chambers, the books are titles I’ve mentioned enjoying, and even the scent in the air is reminiscent of the perfume I favor.

“You prepared all this for me,” I realize, turning back to him. “Long before I asked, didn’t you?”

“I’ve been preparing for this since the moment I first saw you,” he admits. “Everything in this room—fromthe bed linens to the books—was chosen with you in mind.”

“Wow. That’s…” I say, unable to form words. “You really always knew.”

“I did.” The words sound almost strained when he says them.

I should feel manipulated, maybe even trapped by his absolute certainty. Instead, I feel strangely honored that he knew me so well, and that he saw what I would become before I could see it myself.

“Now, there’s one more thing I want to show you,” he says, leading me to the spiral staircase. “I want you to see the Night Court from above, for one last time through your human eyes.”

ZOEY

Moonlight filters from above,growing stronger with each step, until we emerge onto an open platform at the top of the Tower.

The Night Court spreads beneath us like a dark jewel, thousands of lights glittering against the blackness. From this height, I can see everything—the blood moat circling the palace, the courtyard where I drank Aerix’s blood, the towering barns, and dark expanse of forest that marks the boundary of the court’s territory.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, moving to the edge to take in the view.

“This is my favorite place in the palace,” Aerix says, coming to stand beside me. “Whenever you feel alone, I want you to come up here and think about me.”

“That won’t be hard.” I scoff. “I’malwaysthinking about you.”

His lips twitch up into a smirk. “Good,” he says. “That’s how I like it.”

Before I can reply, his expression shifts, his eyes darkening as he takes in the view alongside me.

“There are rules when it comes to the transformation,” he says, his voice taking on a formal edge. “Traditions that must be respected.”

“What kind of rules?” I ask, watching him, waiting for him to continue.

“Control is paramount in the Night Court.” His wings shift behind him, betraying tension his face doesn’t show. “Members are expected to maintain composure at all times, especially during feeding. If you kill your pet by draining her completely, you will have failed the test.” His eyes lock with mine, deadly serious. “You’ll be deemed unworthy of our court.”

The air around us grows colder, and I wrap my arms around myself, understanding the unspoken threat.

“Execution,” I whisper.

He nods once, confirming my fear. “The same fate that awaits you if you leave the Tower before your month is complete.”

I step back from the edge, confused. “But you told me I’d be locked in.”

“Exactly.” His head tilts toward the ledge, frost patterns extending from his feet across the stone floor. “When they leave before the month is up, it’s never been through the door.”

The implication hits me like a gust of wind, and I move closer to the edge, looking down at the dizzying drop. The ground seems impossibly far away, dark and waiting.

How many have lost control while transitioning—of their hunger, of their minds—and chosen this way out rather than face execution?

I reach for Aerix’s hand, lacing my fingers through his. “I won’t fall,” I promise, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

His wings flare, sending a rush of cold air that makes my dress billow around my legs. And then he’s pulling me away from the edge and against his chest, his mouth finding mine in a kiss that’s desperate and possessive at the same time.

When he breaks the kiss, his eyes are nearly black with intensity. “No,” he agrees, his voice rough. “You won’t. Because I won’t let you get close to that ledge.”

His hand traces the curve of my face, and I lean into his touch, drawing strength from his certainty.

“I’m stronger than you think,” I tell him.

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