Page 115 of Blood of the Stars

Gaeren frowned, noting for the first time that Daisy favored her left shoulder. She cried out, then slumped to the ground. Despite her bonds, Orra stepped around Riveran, crouched, and placed her hands on Daisy’s shoulder. The younger woman flinched, then gasped. Several of the strangers started forward, but Daisy rotated her shoulder, raising her eyes to meet Orra’s.

From this distance and angle, Gaeren couldn’t see her expression, but he imagined it mirrored the sensation he often got around Orra. Surprise, distrust, hope, curiosity, wonder…confusion.

“I would have healed her if I could have.” Orra whispered, but her voice still carried through the silence. “I wasn’t truly there. For that moment, I was even more ethereal than the dark spirits your blood summoned.” She shut her eyes, the pained expression making her look far older. “I did the only thing I could and sang her to sleep. I sang her to the Sun.”

“The song of the Stars.” The awestruck words came from a man with unseemly long red hair, his face covered in freckles. His eyes took on an understanding that passed through the others listening in, and he dropped to his knees in a bow.

Gaeren held back a snort. Orra? A Star? She’d hardly left his side, let alone taken to the skies. And if communing with a Star was the same as talking in circles with that woman, he wasn’t interested in regaining that benefit in the Sungazers.

Orra wiped her eyes, then stood, awkwardly pulling the freckled man to his feet.

“I deserve no such honor.” Her clipped words seemed to wake everyone up, but the damage was done. Reverent and curious gazes followed her every move, even the swipe to catch the stray tears on her cheek.

“You have my honor and gratitude anyway,” the freckled man said. “If you sang Gams to her eternal sleep, her end was far more peaceful than I imagined.” The man’s throat bobbed as he swallowed again and again, the skin around his eyes turning red.

Orra refused to look the man in the eye. If anything, that made Gaeren consider the possibility more. Having her secrets exposed might be the only thing powerful enough to subdue her.

“Why do you travel with the Prince of Elanesse?” The old man hobbled away from Gaeren, his inquisition shifting to Orra.

Orra straightened under his scrutiny. “When I saw Aeliana use the starbridge, I knew it would take her to Bamboo Island. Gaeren agreed to give me passage. We’ve been working together to find Aeliana and the starbridge ever since.”

The man with the scars turned his glare back to Gaeren. “Is that true?”

He nodded, sitting up a little straighter. “When did my parents put out the reward for Dai—Aeliana?”

“Half a moon ago.” The man frowned as if disappointed that Gaeren couldn’t possibly know about the warrant.

For a moment, Gaeren felt relief that his mother was well enough for his parents to issue an edict.

“They’re falling further under Mayvus’ control,” the man said.

“Control?” Gaeren’s heart pounded. “What are you talking about?”

Several others exchanged glances. The old man hobbled back. “Don’t you pay attention to your politics, boy?”

“I do when they matter. It’s always been more of Enla’s thing.” He knew it was the wrong answer the instant the stranger’s face twisted into a deeper sneer.

“They always matter. It won’t be long before your parents relent to Mayvus, and then your sister won’t have any throne to succeed. Or if she does, it will be in name only. Mayvus will see to that.” He bent down and untied Gaeren.

Others in the group drew weapons, but Gaeren merely rubbed his wrists.

“What? You trust me now?”

The old man let out a snort that reminded Gaeren of Skunk’s whinny. “Hardly, but you weren’t part of that decree. You’re foolish and young, oblivious to the ways of the world and the things going on in your country, right beneath your crooked nose. Stupidity isn’t a crime… yet.” His glare softened to pity, which was somehow worse. “Kendalyhn will still sift your soul’s past, but you’re as harmless as your critics say.”

Humiliation flooded Gaeren, trapping him amongst the strangers more than the rope had. The moment the old man turned his back on Gaeren, the others slid their weapons back in place, shifting their attention to Daisy, who removed Orra’s binds, then Riveran’s. Orra and Daisy stepped to the side, clearly planning to have a private conversation, but the freckled man joined them. Maybe this had this been part of Orra’s plan all along. To get to Daisy before Gaeren could. What did Orra want with her? And where was the starbridge?

The short woman with braids whom he’d accidentally saved planted herself in front of Gaeren, arms crossed. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Get what?—?”

She grabbed his hand and closed her eyes. Gaeren automatically threw up mental shields, blocking her invasion with his starlock’s energy the way his progeny mentors had taught him.

This must be Kendalyhn.

“If you don’t cooperate, the shackles go back on,” she murmured.

“Right.” He closed his eyes, pulling back on his starlock’s power, willing the shields to recede. He tried opening up his mind for her to excavate, but his self-defense training had almost been too thorough, and it took a few attempts. Once she made it in, he squirmed as he waited for her to finish her perusal. His mentors were the only ones who’d had this kind of access to Gaeren’s mind, and it felt backwards to give in so easily.

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