Page 33 of Bound By Stardust
“So, each year stardust falls, but no one can explain why. There might not be monsters, and the Masters are telling a lie so the people of Terrin will worship them?”
“I think the so-called monsters the Masters are saving us from are, in actuality, the fae.”
Asira pressed her lips together. “Did you know about their demonic appearance?”
I shook my head. “I did not. If I had to guess, the drug they gave you is to help them retain their glamour, making them appear like myself, or angels. The stardust displays their true form, and when they touch it, it burns them.”
“Yes, I discovered that yesterday. Going back to my earlier question – why me?”
“The Masters are well aware that stardust is used in Terrin, that it has magical healing properties. I believe they called you here because you know the secrets of stardust and you are a healer.”
She looked at me. “But why? Who needs to be healed here?”
“In the coming months, two children will be born. I believe the Masters wanted you to be present for the births, to ensure the babies are born healthy.”
Asira’s eyes went wide, and she sat down her bowl. “Oh.” She wrinkled her nose. “We have to find the mothers and save them, whoever they are.”
“We will.”
“Drazhan, I’m concerned about Terrin. From what you’ve told me, when the Masters are gone, the stardust will disappear, and there will no longer be a need for a Stardust Collector.”
Asira saw truth so quickly. I moved to her side and squeezed her hand. “Correct.”
“If there’s no stardust, the magic that heals the people will be gone.”
“Yes, Terrin will become like other lands that don’t have magic, but you said it yourself: there won’t be a need for stardust. You have a book of herbs and mixtures that will help others to heal.”
“True, but a pinch of stardust does far more than anything else.” She touched her side. “In less than a day, my wound has closed. Even though I still feel pain, it is healing much faster than it would without stardust.”
“Then you must make a choice for Terrin. What is worse? Living under the thumb of the Masters and their hideous secrets, or a life without stardust?”
She sighed. “The Masters are the greater evil.”
“Then you have your answer.”
Asira faced me. “I do, although the weight of that knowledge sits heavy on my shoulders.”
“That is the flip side of power: it comes with that weight of responsibility. I will gladly bear that weight with you.”
“It’s still heavy, even when shared,” Asira said, and then, in the most surprising move, she leaned over and kissed me.
25
Asira
Silver moonlight shone in as Drazhan pressed a knife into my hands. “Just in case. We don’t know what we’re walking into. If all goes well, we enter a tomb and need to do nothing more than set the prisoners free.”
I squeezed the blade and nodded. I’d used a knife plenty of times.
I followed Drazhan outside, glancing at the skies in case the dragon bird, Egon, was awake and choose to pounce on us. I’d seen giant birds, but from the distance, I’d assumed they were eagles or hawks, just unnaturally large. I hadn’t believed in dragons until now.
Recalling Drazhan’s story about the Sky Watch, I wondered if Egon was the kind of dragon that breathed fire, although it was unlikely any would dwell on an island where dragon fire might doom them all.
I expected to creep across the strip of land connecting the islands, but Drazhan had other ideas. He moved further into the island to a statue. At the base, he slid open a secret door, revealing a step of steps into the ground.
“These stairs lead to the tunnels,” he explained. “I use them to sneak around the islands unseen. The network of tunnels also leads to the palace, and while the Masters use them, they dislike the cold and dark. It reminds them of where they came from.”
I stared at the darkness, my fury rising again.
