Page 28 of Bound By Stardust
The land sloped down then rose again, bringing me to the doorstep of the house in the hill. My fingertips grazed the door, finding it ajar. Whoever lived here had left in a hurry and forgotten to shut the door. Perhaps that meant they were still gone.
Gripping my last vial of stardust tight, I pushed open the door and prepared to hurl it into the face of a demon.
Silver light shone in, displaying an empty, circular room. It was a simple home: a floor made of reeds, a pallet on the floor, and a circle of ash where they probably kept a fire. Directly above shone a beam of moonlight, filling the space with light. I ached to light a fire, but there was no wood, and it would only be a signal, pointing to my hiding spot.
I studied the room again, eyes landing on a chest I’d overlooked. With trembling fingers, I pushed it open, finding thick blankets and robes inside. It only confirmed my suspicions. One of the demons dwelled here. Why? What would entice one to dwell so far away from everyone else?
Quickly, I stripped off my dress and buried it in the bottom of the chest. Shivering, I set about examining my wounds. Slices of the skin around my waist had been ripped away, and I gingerly applied stardust, aware I needed to save some to defend myself. If I were at home, I’d make a tincture to drink as well, but here, I had to grit my teeth and bear the pain.
Wrapping myself in blankets to keep out the chill, I made a nest on the pallet and huddled into it, stardust in hand, watching the door.
20
Drazhan
Acomet of stardust streaked in an arc, bits of it touching every Master assembled. They hissed as they stepped back, red eyes glowing as they surrounded me. I backed away, my eyes scanning the room for weapons. I’d already wasted a vial of stardust on the cup of blood, and I only had one more with me.
“Kill him,” Alder ordered, leering with pleasure at my hesitation.
I leaped back, searching for the exit as the demons attacked. A flurry of claws and fangs filled my vision. Uncorking the last vial of stardust, I hurled it at them, my ears ringing as horrific shrieks went up.
The skin of the demons burned, and smoke drifted toward the ceiling. As I backed up, I discovered the exit, a thin space in the wall that slid open at my touch.
Cries echoed as I pulled it shut behind me, smearing stardust across the door, hoping to keep them trapped.
It was only as I fled down the hall that I realized I’d forgotten my mask. I was certain Alder was still alive, and I only had moments until he sent his elites to hunt me down. I was no match for them without stardust, but I needed a mask so I could blend in, and, most importantly, I needed to find Asira.
Sneaking through the kitchens, I flinched a mask one of the servants had left behind. It did not match my robes, but I had little time to concern myself with fashion.
I burst into the hall, moving down the tables, trying to appear casual as I moved into the dance floor, weaving between the couples, searching.
Where was she? Jabel had said she’d be in Iscariot’s room, but that was before they’d discovered my identity. Alder would go there first. My chest seized, and I bolted out of the hall, drunken laughter following me.
The passageway back to the chamber seemed endless. With my heart in my throat, I burst into the room. It was empty, no signs of a struggle, just the way I’d left it. I dashed into the washroom and scoured the three rooms. Had I beaten them there?
If they’d stolen Asira away, I had to find her. My chest burned at the idea of her being in their hands, and a bolt of fury clouded my vision. I was acting out of fear and not planning carefully. If I were to win, I needed to take a deep breath and make a plan.
Fingers trembling, I went to the wardrobe and packed a bag with necessities. Once I found Asira, I would spirit her away, back to Terrin or somewhere else where she’d be safe from all this hellishness.
Knife in hand, I made my way back to the tunnels. It was no use hiding anymore or pretending to be Iscariot. Bitter thoughts swirled of poisoning their food and drink with stardust, for demons did not deserve to live. While I searched for Asira, I would damn them all.
21
Asira
Imust have nodded off, for I woke with a start, neck stiff, as though I’d fallen asleep at my table again. Blinking to clear my hazy vision, I took in the pale sunlight and the empty hut, the door still ajar, just as I’d left it.
By some stroke of luck, whoever dwelled here had not returned, likely too carried away at the celebration the eve before. I had to be gone by the time they returned and watch out for the flying beast.
My body ached when I stood, and I hesitantly applied more stardust as I snuck out of the home. Fully dressed, with a blanket around my shoulders, I found it almost pleasant outside.
A lush green lawn stretched as far as my eyes could see, and blue waterfalls sparkled in the distance. Sunshine yellow butterflies flitted around pink and white flowers, the trees thick with foliage that hadn’t fallen yet.
I made a fist. The floating islands were a paradise, ruined by those foul demons. A surge of determination rose within, and I marched toward the strip of land. I was going to steal one of their chariots and fly away.
Back on the main island, I snuck toward the palace, grateful for the tree coverage. Aside from the faint thunder of falling water and the occasional wind rustling through the tree branches, nothing else reminded me of home.
At my cottage, I was used to the sound of birdsong, the chattering of the woodland creatures, the sound of footsteps hastening to my cottage to beg me to help. Here, there was no birdsong or woodland creatures, only thunder and that terrible, eerie silence.
