Page 68 of Of Stars and Lightning
“I said no.”
The tattoo filled completely, and Cas wiggled from her grasp, turning away to look at the inside of his cell.
She knew the pain remained. He had let the detail spill a few years ago. His forearm ached perpetually, a reminder that the blood used wasn’t from the original spell caster. But Irene was dead. Her siblings were dead.
Sol was the next best thing.
“She might be able to make it stop hurting,” Sawyer whispered.
Footsteps sounded outside the dungeon entrance. “I’m not telling her about this.” He cut a glance to her. “And neither are you.”
She stood, her temper rising. “She owes you that much, you know. Her mother did this.”
“Exactly, Sawyer. Her mother. Not her. Not you,” Cas told her as he settled into a solid metal cot by the side stone wall.
Sawyer peered at him. “You know only one of you can survive the Vows, right?” She tapped her fingers on her thigh. “Unless we find out how Irene made that exception years ago.”
He was silent for a moment, as if truly thinking about it. But then he closed his eyes. “I don't really care.” Sawyer sighed and shut her own eyes.
Fool.
Twenty One
THE PROSPECTS
THE RULES WERE SIMPLE:If Sol won, she could rule alone. If she didn't, it meant she was dead.
This wouldn't have been too terrible if Cas wasn't one of the people she was now meant to “eliminate”. She also hoped she wouldn't have to “eliminate” anyone at all and would somehow find a way to end the whole thing before it had a chance to begin. It didn’t seem likely.
The whole night, Sol tossed and turned, haunted by one of the stupidest decisions of her life. How was she to save people she needed out of the way? It was an impulsive decision, propelled by anger and disgust, and the desire to beright.
At least her court was just as baffled.
Nina chastised her to no end the rest of the celebration, sobbing and begging Alix to find a way to get Sol and Cas out of the Vows. Alix had obliged and left to the libraries, if only to calm Nina for a while. Sawyer merely told Sol she succeeded in showing her inexperience at ruling to the entire South, then stalked to the dungeons after Cas. Which was fine–she wasn’t wrong.
When her cousin returned, she slept on the sofa while Nina spent hours pacing the room, muttering what could have been either curses or prayers.
Between self-deprecating thoughts, Sol stared at the ceiling beneath her duvet. Cas's face was imprinted in her eyelids everytime she closed them, followed by Semmena’s vile smile at the reveal.
Although it wasn't her fault, Sol couldn't deny she had gotten them both into irrevocable trouble.
“You need to learn to sit the fuck down and let others win sometimes. You’ve only shown the South your rashness.”
Sol flicked her gaze to her cousin. She played with a string of fire around her fingertips, her braid hanging from the side of the sofa. She had not said a word since returning from the dungeons.
“Perhaps if one of us takes her place—” Nina started, rubbing her temples. “Maybe??—”
“You’re going to think yourself into a panic,” Sawyer sighed. “Sit down for a second.”
“How are you so calm about this? Cas alone would have survived, but now with Sol too??—”
“It was her choice.”
“She didn’t know??—”
Sol sat up. “I can hear you both.”
The women looked at her, both washed in amber hues from the fireplace. “That’s the point.” Sawyer said, standing. “Listen to the aftermath of the worst decision of your life.”
