Suddenly, her plans begin to make sense.
“Don’t you see, Father? That’s what you get when you underestimate the threat of your flesh and blood. Trust me when I say I never did. While you left me free to roam the camp, I kept a close watch on your men… particularly on their drinking habits. If you live long enough to meet her, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Lo. She taught me how to drug a man’s water and make him fall asleep within an hour. From the looks of how close Brave came to killing them, it seems I may have underestimated my times. I’ll have to keep that in mind, should the need to drug a man arise again.”
Knox grinds his teeth, shoving his magic against her shield with a renewed force. Vivi grimaces under the pressure, barely able to toss a glance in my direction. “Take over, Brave! I’ll get to the men.”
She shoves her ice toward Knox and rolls onto her back, narrowly missing getting burned as he sends another blast of his flame at her. Running toward me, she alternates between dodging fire and throwing ice. It takes a moment for me to realize what she means to do.
She’s going to set them free.
“Hurry,” she shouts. “I can’t undo their promise and shield myself at the same time. We don’t have another choice.”
She’s right. If the men are still bound to Knox when he dies, they could share the same fate. The only way to protect them for sure is break their promise, and the only one who can make that happen is my sister.
Now it’s up to me to keep their owner distracted.
Breaking into a run, I set my sights on the man I’ve been hiding from all my life. Like the perfect father, he opens his good arm, waiting for my return.
Thirty-Seven
“Curious, isn’t it, how our beginning will be much like our end?”
Knox lowers his arm, flicking his wrist to the ground. A line of fire ignites on top of the road, catching wind and heading my way. I throw up my shield, stopping the flames before they can come any closer. They halt within five feet of my boots, banging up against the ice with a vicious roar. When my shield doesn’t budge, the magic changes tactics, surrounding me in a circle and looking for holes.
This time, it won’t find any.
Knox steps through his flames, a wild heat that has nothing to do with the fire shining in his eyes. His lame arm swings painfully at his side, burned so badly pieces of bone peek through his charred skin. Even if he survives another day, his arm won’t.
“Did you not hear me, child? I asked you a question—it’s only polite if you answer.” He swaggers forward, too full of himself to see our battle for what it’s worth.
I wish I could disagree—call him out on his lies—but our meeting today is much like our first. He built a cage of flames around me while I watched Aras turn over his soul. Except today is different, and he’d do well to take notice.
Today, I control the cage.
I shrug, knowing my indifference will bother him the most. “I didn’t think it was a question if you already knew the answer.”
His teeth flash, the beast preparing for the kill. “Watch your mouth, Brave. A sharp tongue is an unbecoming trait.” He cocks his head, lips pressing as they tip up at the ends. “You know, I’ve always wondered why Aras cared for you so much. It’s a pity I’ll never get the chance to ask him.”
The flames fall to the ground with a loud pop, black smoke filling the air and blocking my vision. Out of the dark, a single spark comes to life, connecting to another and another and another, until a thin, straight line of fire leads toward the grass. My eyes jump to its destination, horror filling my bones at what I find.
There, on the edge of the road, sits Aras, struggling to get to his feet without the help of Hammel’s begrudging support. His head tilts up, panic lining his face when he catches sight of the fire. Our eyes meet, a thousand wishes in a single glance.
Shame floods my heart for not thinking of this until now. I thought he was safe, that Knox wouldn’t harm Aras further because he had greater plans for him in the end. For a moment, I took my eyes off the one person who mattered most, and now I must live with the consequences.
If Knox doesn’t think he can bend my will, then he’ll take the only person he knows can.
“Vivi,” I scream, calling her attention away from where she bends down by Hammel’s side. Her eyes blink, coming back into focus, and even though I hope I haven’t ruined whatever hold she had on his mind, this is more important. “Block Aras! I’ve got Knox!”
Running forward, I leap into the air, throwing a spray of ice toward the line of fire as I bang into Knox’s chest. Together, we fall to the ground as mess of tangled limbs and burned flesh. The heat of his skin stings my own, and I slam back, kicking his stomach with my boots in an effort to free myself from his touch. Thankfully, the blow has distracted him, and with it, he loses his control. The fire sputters out, seconds from scorching Aras’ boots.
I turn my head on the grass, relieved to find Vivi crouched beside Aras, shielding him with every ounce of our mother’s blood. I start to roll to my feet when a heavy wave of heat blasts against my chest, singeing my tunic before I can throw up my shield. An elbow lands across my throat. I choke, eyes widening as I try and fail to reach for Knox’s arm.
“What’s wrong, Little Bird?” he purrs, edging closer until his cruel face is all I can see. “I heard Aras say that to you once, before he gave his life over to me.” He turns his head, calling the flames and sending them on their snaking path to where Aras and Vivi wait. “I always wondered where he heard it, but now I think I know. Too bad she couldn’t be here to see how far her little bird has fallen from the nest.”
I grunt against his hold, digging my heels into the ground and pushing with all my might. It’s not enough. I can’t call on my fire if I don’t have the strength to fuel it.
“What’s that? Do you disagree?” He laughs, the sound cold and hollow against my cheek. “It’s no matter; there’s still time. I don’t plan on burning you yet. First, I want you to see this.”
He lifts his head, eyeing his promised men where they lay passed out in the grass. He frowns, brows tugging together as he releases some of the pressure on my throat. I cough, air scraping in and out of my lungs. “Where is he?”
“Right here,” Ian yells, slamming into his back and throwing him from my chest.
I gasp, sputtering for air. My hand flies to my neck, feeling the burn where his flesh touched my own. It would have been much worse had my mother’s magic not held strong. I crawl onto my knees, still too weak to stand. From behind me, Vivi yells my name. I turn, falling back to the ground as I do. A muffled cry leaves my throat at the sight of the flames that wrap around them like a vise, stealing their oxygen and fueling their panic.
My sister strains against the fire, beads of sweat running down her forehead. Her lips quiver, eyes searching mine for help. The magic is too strong, too much. She’s spent most of her life suppressing it, and she never practiced enough to gain full control before we left.
I didn’t think there was a need. It was supposed to be us, fighting this together.
Together.
I try to call out—coach her on what to do—but my words come out in a fevered whisper, stinging my throat with pain. My vision blurs as I prop myself up on my arms, begging my strength not to abandon me yet. My lungs heave, drinking in the air as fast as they can, pushing awareness back into my blood. Slowly, the heat of my magic returns, a stalled river about to be set loose by a dam. I try to call the fire to my palms, but like my body, it needs more oxygen to fan the flame.
I drag myself onto my knees, pawing at the dirt with my hands. Several paces away, Knox and Ian roll in the grass, kicking and punching while Knox tries to blast Ian with his fire. But Knox is too distracted by Vivi and Aras, and his magic is weak compared to Ian’s shield. For now, Ian has the advantage, but it won’t last for long.
“Brave! The dagger!” I whip my head, regretting it when the dizziness returns. Vivi nods toward my boot
, willing me to find the strength to use it. While the blade itself isn’t enough to hurt him, it could help to slow him down until we can end this for good.
As quickly as I dare, I reach for the dagger. Pulling it between my fingers, I rise to one knee and then the other. Each step, each ragged breath, gives me courage. Strength. I’ve made it within three paces of their side when Knox looks up, freezing me where I stand. His eyes catch sight of the dagger, its silver blade glistening in the sun.
He laughs, wicked and unhinged.
I dive, holding my weapon straight and true.
Thirty-Eight
The landing is hard, a direct hit against my shoulder. A sharp sting runs the length of my arm, making my fingers go numb. I grimace, holding up the blade with my good hand. Its tip is stained with a red the color of rust. I release a shaky breath, glad I’ve at least hit my mark even if I’ve popped my shoulder out of joint.
Beside me, Knox growls, taking in the small cut that crosses his upper arm. It’s not deep, and Ashen help me if it’s not enough to at least slow him down.
“Is that all you’ve got, girl? I’ve given you my blood; I’ve given you my fire. But at the end of battle, when the win counts the most, you choose the blade? You choose to settle for a tool of the weak?” He stands to his feet, towering over me as his ruined tunic billows in the wind like a ghost. A reaper looking for my soul. “You’ve chosen wrong.”
A flash of genuine hurt haunts his face. A look I’ve never seen. And now I know this isn’t just about the magic and my blade. This is about him. This is about Papa.
This is about me choosing love over blood.
I crawl to my knees, willing him to see past the anger. Past the desire to control. Willing him to see me. “But you never gave me a choice, Father. From the very second you married my mother, you had my life planned. Perhaps if circumstances would have been different, we could have worked together. We could have found some common ground.”
He looks up to the sky, a rare moment of indecision stalling his words. Quickly, I seek out Vivi and Aras in the grass, relieved to find that the fire has fallen to a low smolder. Vivi slumps back on her hands, exhaustion calling for her to rest. I know she won’t be able to hold out much longer, but now the reality of going this alone doesn’t seem so bad. Between Knox’s distracted mind and the cut of my dagger, his concentration is starting to fade. I knew the dagger wouldn’t knock him out as it would any other man, but it would help to dull his senses.
And while his senses dull, I’ll be sharpening mine.
“A choice?” He laughs, low and harsh. “Your mother took away any choice we had the day you were born.”
Slowly, I rise to my feet, moving as close to him as I dare. He watches me, torn between torching me with his flame and using me for his reign. With each step, my magic begins to build, finding its strength. Preparing for one final fight.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way.” I twist my hands behind my back, keeping my features calm and cool. The fire is almost here. I can feel it heating up my veins, pounding in my heart. “I could be the daughter you’ve always wanted.”
Knox smiles and teeters to the side, righting himself before he can fall. He takes a deep breath, knowing the effects of my dagger are finally setting in. His good hand reaches out, landing heavy on my shoulder. I try not to cringe.
The fire builds.
“I agree, Brave. We can have a fresh start, but first, I need you to understand why I must do this.”
Before I can speak, he’s dropped his hand and turned to where Ian stands behind him, watching the scene unfold and waiting for me to make a move. I scream and lunge forward, barely missing Knox’s hand as fire shoots from his palm. Ian, not expecting the blow, tries to throw up his shield.
But there’s no way. It’s too late. He can’t protect himself, not from this.
Vivi cries out, her strangled plea slowing the strands of time. Flames spiral. Smoke billows into the air. And out of nowhere, a silver flash dives across Ian’s chest. A strangled yelp cuts the silence, stopping the flames from hitting their mark.
Ian falls on his back, a whimpering mound of sleek fur covering his chest. I see the moment clarity hits his heart. The horror-filled eyes. The frantic scramble to do something. Anything.
Please, no. Not our sweet Sara.
Ian draws her into his arms, rolling over on top of her to protect her from Knox’s assault. He whispers something to her, soothing and calm, but all I can see is her mangled leg.
When her curse is broken, she won’t walk again.
Knox, shocked by Sara’s appearance, clenches his fist. The flames come to life once more, dangling dangerously on his fingertips. He steels his jaw, raising his chin. “You would have been of use to me, wolf, but now I’ll have to take you both.”
No. No.
I call on the magic, feeling the pressure as it pushes against the block from within. My head pounds, and for a second, Knox’s figure doubles. Two haggard men. Two burning flames ready to explode. From the corner of my eye, the trees begin to move. Darcy and her people make their way to the field, their whispers all but background noise to the roaring power that swirls in my head.
I have to end this. Now. Whether my magic is ready or not.
“Goodbye, Father,” I say. My words startle him, faltering the power held tightly in his hands. He turns back, eyes catching mine. For once, our emotions are the same—sorrow. Knox, because he won’t share my reign. Me, because I’m the one who will take his life. Now, as the darkness tugs at my vision, pulling at my strength, I’m not so sure I’ll survive my destiny. “Perhaps we’ll meet again in the stars.”
He opens his mouth, urging me to stop, but I’m too far gone. Too overcome. The magic rules me now. Seeps through my skin, washing over every pore. Fire and ice meet, breathing deep within my lungs and pounding against my heart. My body washes cold, and then hot. A violent convulsion racking my limbs. At last, the fire bursts from my palms, hot as the midday sun.
I feel it the moment my magic finds its mark.
I hear his voice, anguished and full of malice. Shock at what his living blood has done with her power. Her gift. After a few seconds, the sounds fade, and I feel the push of another magic—cruel and greedy—along my skin. His final fight against his daughter. My shield slips, too caught up in the heat to worry with the cold. A hot sting bites at my left arm, and I cry out.
I’m scared.
Skies above, I’m shaking. Whether from the burn or the magic or the idea of killing my father, I don’t know.
But I have to keep fighting.
I fall to my knees. Magic and pain steal my breath. A wave of nausea stabs at my gut. I clench my teeth, begging my body to hold it together. To stay in control. Another blast hits my right shoulder, but this time, I don’t cry out. I don’t make a sound.
My mother named me Brave, and that’s exactly what I need to be.
So I push, and I push, and I push… until the voices stop, the pressure ends, and the pain in my arms is too much to bear.
Then, and only then, do I welcome the dark.
Thirty-Nine
I’m trapped in a space of nothingness.
I can’t move. I can’t see. I’m not even sure I can think.
I don’t know how I’ve come here. I don’t know who I am. I only know that I exist. I breathe. I ache.
I would speak, if I knew the words to say.
Instead, I simply sit… stand… lay… I can’t tell. And I wait. I wait for my memories to explain to me why I’m here. I wait for my body to wake up and take me where I’m supposed to live.
The wait is excruciating. The void so vast, yet so empty all the same. I’m not sure how long I stay here until the first rational thought hits my brain, followed swiftly by another.
I’ve put myself in the stars.
I think I’ve put my father here, too.
Forty
On the second day—or maybe the third—I discover something new.
I can hear.
Before, it was only the dark. A black, twisting sea that never settled long enough for me to think. But now, there are voices. Specks of light. They brighten the nothingness around me, give me a point to which to swim.
I glide through the waters, each voice a different beacon to call me in.
“How is she?” the first voice asks. Heavy, gruff. Possibly afraid.
A low sigh. “She’s doing better, I think. Last night, she started to respond to the sound of my voice. I could see her eyes moving underneath the lids, like she was looking for the source, but she couldn’t wake up. Not yet.” A pause, something like a sob, but I can’t understand why. “I’d do anything to see those bright green eyes look at me. Skies above. Glare at me even! I’d trade everything I have just to see one sharp glance.”
“Watch your words, friend. She’ll wake up soon, and when she does, she’ll have plenty of glares for us all.”
There’s a strained laugh, then, “Do you mind if I try to speak with her alone?”
Silence, followed by a low shuffle.
It takes several seconds before the first voice decides to speak. “I know you’re in there, cousin. You’re too strong and bullheaded to let your magic take you down.” The voice quiets. When it speaks again, I find it nearer. The beacon of light shines right by my side. So close, I imagine I could touch it. “You have to wake up, Brave. I mean it. You can’t leave me to run this kingdom on my own. If you don’t come back for me, at least come back for your sister. For him. He’s lost without you. He hasn’t left your side since you fell, and he has barely been healed by the medics himself. If you come back for anyone, do it for him.”
The voice stops. Draws a ragged breath. “Please,” it whispers. “You’re my family, my blood. I need you.”
I don’t have to have my sight to know that tears blind the voice’s eyes.
Forty-One
The days come and go, each one passing like the next. The dark skies of oblivion. The empty shell that has become my home. The constant voices, allowing the briefest bits of light.
The Reigning Star Page 20