Page 54 of Starchaser
The king must have thought himself clever, forcing me to wear this gown—parading me in front of the court, tainted with the blood of an Underling. But by the slight curl of his lip, and the way the queen, standing to his right, places a calming hand on his shoulder, he must have realized his mistake.
As a human, Iamdifferent. As a pirate, Idon’tbelong here. And the nobility can’t seem to get enough of me.
Titus is nowhere to be seen, but as Flynn and Gabriel escort me down one of the twin staircases, the crowd clears just enough that I spot Will standing in the center of the dance floor, his ivory jacket trimmed with scarlet thread that glitters like gold dust in the candlelight, as if it were imbued withManan.
A few nearby partygoers sigh as Will extends his hand to me, teeth bared in a rare, brilliant smile that reveals dimples in either cheek.
I hesitate as the orchestra begins to play. I try to look up, in the direction of the king, but I can’t see past the gilded banister. Still, I know he’s watching me. I know this is another test I can’t afford to fail.
I take Will’s hand, and he pulls me close, his warm fingers gripping my waist with such desperation I have the fleetingthought that he might never let me go again. And as the nobility converge on the dance floor, the music competing with their indulgent laughter, I don’t want him to. My fingers grasp his shoulder, clinging to him as if I’ve been swept away in a flood and he is my only means of staying afloat.
Will’s lips brush my ear, his hair tickling my cheek. “The king never intended for you to gain favor with the nobility,” he whispers. “You were meant to be a symbol of submission to the humans—nothing more.”
I think about Charlie and Lewis—how the king wanted me to see how easy it would be to get to my family, and my gut twists. “What can I do?”
Will exhales, his hot breath on my neck sending shivers down my spine. “Perhaps I can talk Titus into giving you the medallion now. We can arrange passage for you and your family—”
I try to pull away from him, to look him in the eye, but his grip on my waist tightens, almost painfully. A moment later, we reach the edge of the dance floor, and he seizes my wrist, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one sees us as we dart behind a cluster of potted trees and outside, onto a small balcony overlooking the city beyond.
Will releases me, and I whirl to face him, ready to argue his plan to send me away before we’ve found a cure, but the softtut tut tutto my right gives me pause.
“The Shadowslayer,” Titus drawls, pushing off the balcony railing with fluid grace. “I must admit, it has a nice ring to it.”
Gentle flurries of snow drift down from the starless sky and land on his golden hair, tousled from the crisp ocean air. Behind him, just beyond the ship-laden waters that separate Castle Grim from the city, the towering spires of Jade sparkle like a glitteringtapestry of gilded light, silhouetting him, dressed in all black, in a faint haze of amber radiance.
“Shouldn’t you be inside?” I ask.
“Shouldn’t you?” he counters, toasting me with the half-drunk bottle in his hands before taking a swig. Red wine stains his lips crimson as he flashes me a teasing smirk. “Guest of honor and all that.”
Will clears his throat, shivering against the cold. “We were wrong to bring her here,” he says as he moves in front of me, blocking my view of Titus. “It’s too risky. The king—”
“Stop!” I step out from behind him, my back to the banister, facing the two of them. “Stop talking about this like it’s your decision to make! Stop talking about me as if I’m not right here! Both of you!”
Will’s brows lift, as if surprised, but Titus’s lip quirks as he takes in the sight of me, my cheeks flushed from the cold, eyes blazing with defiance. My breath catches as his gaze roves the bloodstains on my gown, his expression hardening. Still, I don’t back down, my spine straight, teeth clenched.
Chin up, I imagine Flynn would tell me. I lift my head, meeting both of their stares with a measured look that I hope conveys all the determination I feel.
“Even if I wanted to, I can’t leave.” I hesitate when Titus’s jaw tightens, and he looks as if he’s bracing himself for what he must know I’m about to say.
“Leo isn’t possessed,” I declare, and as the words leave me, it’s as if a weight lifts from my shoulders, only to settle in my gut.
Titus takes a step back, his brow furrowed as he rubs his bottom lip, eyes glossy with unshed tears. “No,” he says softly, and then again, with such conviction his body trembles with the word. “No. She has to be. That’snotLeo. It’s—”
“I told you that my ability to see the Sylks might not work,” I hurry to add, my chest aching as Titus runs his hands over his face, shaking his head. “But today at the execution, I sensed that Winona was possessed before the Sylk made itself known. I saw the shadow, just as I have before.” Gingerly, I step toward him, my voice gentle. “Leo isn’t possessed,” I repeat.
He laughs, but the sound is cold and cruel, and he turns away from me to face the city, his fists pressed to his eyes. Will places a hand on his shoulder, but Titus shrugs him off.
“Listen to me!” I say quickly, urgently. “I do believe Morana is here. The Changeling, the one from the train station—he attacked me last night. He said—”
Titus whirls, his eyes wild as he looks at me then, emotions flashing in his gaze that I can’t even begin to name. His expression turns murderous as he meets Will’s stare. “Did you know?”
Will lets out a harsh breath, but before he can say anything, Titus must already have his answer, because he advances another step, within striking distance of Will. And I think, for a moment, that he might plunge his fist through Will’s rib cage and pull out his still-beating heart.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, his voice lethally calm.
A muscle in Will’s jaw feathers. “I was going to.”
Titus’s lip curls, and he barks out a sharp laugh. “I’m sure.”
