Page 7 of Bound By Stardust
Drazhan continued, seemingly not noticing my internal battle. “I assumed the Sky Watch would be full of action, with monsters to shoot out of the sky and people to save. In reality, aside from training, there was very little to do, other than walk the walls of the keep. In order to prevent boredom and to entertain myself, I started sneaking out. I grew careless, and many followed my example, which led to a mutiny against those who led the Sky Watch. It could not have come at a worse time, for a great dragon attacked the city and burned it to the ground. We were so busy sparring amongst ourselves, we were not prepared when the time came to take up arms, kill a monster, and save the people. As the leader of the revolt, I was imprisoned, an outcast for years, until I was given a unique opportunity: death, or work for the Great Commissioner.”
I rested my elbows on the table, whisked away by his tale of another land. I imagined the young men, all rowdy and dressed in armor, ready for battle, watching the skies for monsters. Then, I felt the sharp disappointment settling in their bellies as they realized the monsters weren’t coming. There were no battles or wars, nothing but endless pacing and drills, waiting for something, anything, to happen.
I could relate to that, to the monotonousness of the everyday, waiting for something,anything, exciting to happen. “What is the Great Commissioner?” I asked.
“Whois the Great Commissioner,” Drazhan corrected. “He oversees all, and he gave me a second chance to amend my mistakes. He sent me to the kingdom of High Terrin to find out what’s wrong with the Masters and destroy them.”
The dream shattered.
“You can’t destroy the Masters,” I protested. Holding up my hand, I ticked off reasons with my fingers. “They are at the very core of Terrin. They keep us alive, bless our crops, and protect us from the unnamed monsters who dwell beyond the clouds. If they are gone, Terrin cannot sustain itself.”
“Terrin doesn’t need the Masters to sustain itself. The people just need freedom and a good Stardust Collector.”
4
Drazhan
Asira’s dark eyes flashed as she stared at me, a mix of disbelief and frustration crossing her face. Everything was clicking together now, and I wished I’d seen it before. All this time, I’d tried to work using my own strength, unwilling to seek help when the burden of guilt lay heavy on my shoulders.
It had been tempting to lose myself in the pleasures of the floating kingdom, but I was all too aware of the watching eye of the Great Commissioner. What would happen to me should I fail? In fact, hadn’t I failed already and been given a second chance, along with a helper?
An insidious plan formed, risky and terrifying. My gaze flickered over the bottles of stardust. How many of them could I steal away without her noticing? More importantly, withoutthemnoticing? A wave of exhaustion overcame me. She was right; I needed rest and the conversation made my head hurt. “I’ll take you up on the offer of that bed after all,” I relented.
Her mouth went tight yet she nodded. “Go ahead, but this conversation isn’t over.”
I grinned at her. She was a woman who wanted something. Of course, this wasn’t over. “As you wish. To be continued when I’m more awake.”
My ribcage hurt as I stumbled to the room, velvet blackness overtaking me as I sank onto the bed. It was small, and whatever the mattress had been stuffed with was lumpy and poked at my back. How comfortable I’d been up in the floating kingdom, comfort and bliss at my fingertips, a bath I could actually fit in, delicious food. Was that what she was after?
From her perspective, the floating kingdom would be a dream come true, for that was how the Masters painted a picture of their kingdom. It was everything one could dream of or desire, coming together into one beautiful, perfect nirvana.
I shivered.
It was a world she did not belong in, but I could not sway her from her desires. It was a relief, at least, that I was not in charge of who was chosen, but she was right. I owed her for saving my life and introducing me to the power of stardust.
* * *
I woke sometime laterand pulled back the curtains, a chill washing over me. The fire had gone out, and the room was silent, black, as though thieves had come in the night and taken everything. Barefoot, I stepped into the main room, letting my eyes adjust.
Asira was slumped over the table, asleep. Bottles of stardust stretched from her fingertips across the table. How long had she worked before she collapsed? Loathe to wake her, I kneeled in front of the fireplace and stacked up wood, then whispered “Elothe. Burn.”
The fire flickered to life, licking at the wood, slowly then eagerly. Burning. Burning. Burning.
I closed my eyes against the reminder of burning flesh and screams. It had been a mistake, all one, terrible mistake.
The door was ajar, and I slipped outside, noticing the empty wheelbarrow and jars scattered around the front door. A glimmer of stardust sparkled in those empty vessels, but nothing more. I walked through the trees – I needed meat.
It had been a while since I’d been on the earth, and walking barefoot across the cold ground gave me time to think. What, exactly, had happened up in High Terrin?
Try as I might, I couldn’t recall what the clue was, nor who’d discovered my identity. Once healed, I had to find answers, but for now, it was peaceful to walk the land again with no agenda and enjoy the company of someone beautiful and smart, someone who did not wear a mask and pretend to be someone she was not.
Asira didn’t believe me, and how could I fault her? My own memories were shaky, just a strong sense that something was wrong. Part of me was tempted to return and take her with me. She could help with my investigation and get a taste of the glory of that haunted kingdom. After the tithe, I’d return, find out what had happened, and, if it was safe, bring her along with me. Six months was a long time, and with a disguise, I could easily blend back in without mishap.
Sucking in a cold breath of air, I lifted my face to the sky where a quilt of stars watched me like a thousand eyes. The dark shapes of the three floating islands blocked out portions of the sky, and I shuddered, unable to shake my suspicion.
Nowhere was safe, especially not up there.
5
