Page 120 of Blood of the Stars

She’d been as trapped as Durriken, but now, instead of being held back by fear of being made a brand and fear of her own power, she felt free from everyone’s expectations. She was free to figure out who she could be with her magic.

The metal fell away from his neck, leaving behind a strip of raw skin where the scales had been rubbed off, exposing a leathery expanse of flesh. Her mind flashed to her Awakening, her visions. She’d seen this moment. This had always been a part of her future. Somehow sensing that truth made her giddy with relief. She had always been meant to free Durriken.

“Daisy!”

She flinched, then turned to see Gaeren drawing his sword. The other men had been too scared to startle the dragon, too afraid of putting her at risk. But now they followed suit.

“Move,” Gaeren shouted as he ran toward her. “It’s his only vulnerability.”

She turned back, taking in the sight of Durriken’s neck, the exposed skin creating a clear target to behead the creature.

“Fly,” she whispered, momentarily forgetting the beast no longer had functioning wings. “Run! Get out of here!” Even as her voice rose to a shout, Durriken summed up the situation and pulled at the ropes tying him. He breathed out tiny sparks, disintegrating the ties, then tucked in his wings, rolling back out of Gaeren’s reach.

His hiss came out like steam, and he opened his mouth, but Aeliana stood in front of Gaeren.

“Go. Please, just go!” she begged.

The purple irises flicked their focus between the two of them. At first Aeliana thought he was debating whether to stay or go, but then she saw his wings slowly healing, like a tapestry’s gaps being repaired and tightened.

“What are you doing?” Gaeren growled.

“Saving your life,” Aeliana said.

Durriken spread his wings, then ran at both of them. For a moment, Aeliana thought she’d been wrong.

Gaeren pulled her down to the ground, wrapping himself over and around her until she was tucked beneath him, as if his body might be made of armor. But his self-sacrifice was unnecessary. Over his shoulder, she glimpsed Durriken wink before taking to the darkened sky.

CHAPTER 49

Gaeren waited for the flash of searing pain, expecting to be engulfed like the memories he’d experienced on Islara’s streets. A rush of air brushed over his back, ruffling his clothes and hair, but the heat didn’t come. He became aware of the soft body beneath him, the short breaths in his ear, his arms wrapped around Daisy’s neck, pulling her in to his chest.

Heat rose to his cheeks, and he released his grip, leaning to the side to give Daisy space to scoot out from under him.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood and brushed off her blouse and skirt. The men around them still watched the skies, wary for the dragon’s return, but the beast was long gone, and only the Stars still darted through the sky.

“You let him go.” His statement came out defeated. He’d meant to ask why, but the absurdity of it all left his tongue tied. His heart still thudded at their dance with death, and his head still swam over the fit of Daisy in his arms. The mark on his palm itched.

“He wasn’t mine to hold back.” She reached down to grab his dagger.

Gaeren couldn’t stop the scoff from rising in his throat. “He was a murderer.”

“He was a pawn, played by Mayvus.” Her words took on a dangerous tone even as she held the dagger out for him.

If she’d been Enla, Gaeren might have been smart enough to shut his mouth, but she wasn’t Enla. She was supposed to be his little Daisy.

But she wasn’t her either.

He grabbed the dagger, shoving it in his belt. “He razed this entire town. He killed thousands.” He swept his arm out, forcing her to take in their destitute surroundings. His throat grew tight as the people’s memories flooded through him again. “I felt them die. He’ll kill again. But this time you’ll have played a role in it.”

Something flickered on Daisy’s face, but too quickly her face became passive once more, every part of her remaining a mystery. For all he knew, she’d used blood magic to keep the dragon at bay.

The man who had guarded her earlier came to her side, gently checking her over for injuries, but she ignored him, even brushed him aside to refocus her glare on Gaeren. “Kendalyhn says you’re coming with us. Why?”

He opened his mouth, ready with his automatic response. He had vowed to protect her. But watching Daisy face a dragon and live, hearing her scold him for wanting the dragon dead? Her power was beyond anything he’d seen, and he’d been a fool to think she ever needed his protection.

His promise now felt childish. Even showing her memories of their childhood would seem like a pathetic attempt to sway her. And what were his memories? The leftover pain of an eight-year-old boy who’d watched a toddler get taken. Those memories would mean little to her now that they were adults.

But he couldn’t just walk away. He finally had proof that Mayvus was the enemy he’d believed her to be. As long as they were against Mayvus, he would fight with them.

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