Page 142 of Blood of the Stars

The stranger frowned, taking the information in without comment.

“We’ll discuss this at another time.” Sylmar changed the subject so quickly it felt like a reprimand. “I admit we can’t prove him to be the enemy. He saved one of ours, and we saved him, so we owe him nothing. We’ll treat him as a guest in our camp for now.”

Sylmar’s eyes swung to Gaeren. Maybe he had somehow moved up in the ranks with this new stranger beneath him. Or maybe Sylmar was simply taking stock of how many enemies he was keeping close rather than setting loose.

“We’ll take him as far as Elanesse,” Sylmar said, turning back to the stranger. “He won’t follow us from there.”

The stranger slowly nodded his agreement when it became clear Sylmar waited for a response.

“What about Felk?” The question slipped from Gaeren’s lips before he could think it through.

Sylmar glanced at him in surprise, then turned to check on the winex, who was patiently sitting a respectful distance from the camp. “He’s shown a commendable loyalty to Aeliana,” the old man admitted.

Daisy shot Gaeren a surprised look of appreciation. “It could work in our benefit to have a winex with us. He showed restraint.” Her hands twisted in her lap while Sylmar considered her words.

The old man frowned, his scars shifting with his mood. “Very well. He can stay for now too.”

Sylmar, Lukai, and Velden all threw their dinner remains into the fire, suspicion still marking their faces as they left, but Daisy grinned, beckoning Felk over. He sat next to her, his wide grin revealing his dozens of teeth, now full grown. His body wriggled like that of a child needing to relieve himself.

Kendalyhn studied the stranger as if still parsing out his past. “I know you’re telling the truth. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“I wish it made sense to me too,” he muttered.

Daisy’s smile resembled more of a grimace as Kendalyhn walked away, leaving Gaeren, Daisy, Orra, Riveran, Cyrus, and the stranger by the fire.

“I’m sorry we almost killed you,” Orra said, “but don’t give up hope, Marnok.”

His eyes brightened. “You think I can get my memories back?”

Orra frowned. “I’d hoped Gaeren could tune in to your past memories and give them back to you.” Her gaze strayed to Gaeren, making him feel like a boy caught sneaking in the kitchens for extra cake.

Gaeren shook his head. “I couldn’t make sense of them.”

Orra hummed, her brow furrowed in concentration. “It seems more like your soul is lost. If we could piece the memories together, they might provide reference points for you to find yourself, but it also might not be enough. We’d almost need to find a way to piece your soul back together before someone could sift through the essence of who you are.”

Gaeren winced. Everything about the process sounded painful, especially after tuning in to what was left of the poor man’s memory.

The man only nodded. “In that case, I accept the name.” He paused, the hint of a smile on his face. “And the apology.”

CHAPTER 57

Orra watched as the others settled into their bedrolls. Holm gave Marnok an extra blanket, but Felk denied needing one and volunteered to help with the watch instead.

The stranger settled himself several feet away from the others, keenly aware of their distrust. An itch started inside Orra, a nagging sensation that she could help them be better. If they knew who he was and what he’d done, would they treat him differently? If she restored his memories, would that help their mission?

His ability to heal went far beyond Lukai’s. He could be an asset to their team if they knew. But stirring up his past would be painful. So much loss…

She frowned, turning her back on him. Interfering wasn’t her way. She couldn’t even see the possible paths before him if she interfered, because it was expected that she wouldn’t.

And yet her throat ached with the held-back offer. Her hands tingled with anticipation. A single touch could restore his past, good and bad, leaving him free to move forward and to deal with the consequences.

She clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing the temptation. It wasn’t her way. And yet, wasn’t that exactly what she’d felt the Sun urging her to do by sending Skunk to aid Gaeren? Would helping Marnok be a ripple or a stone?

She settled under her blanket, watching the Stars above, identifying each one by their pattern of dance until her breathing slowed and her muscles relaxed. Did the Stars applaud her self-control? Or was this merely the expectation that she was finally meeting?

It shouldn’t matter. It only mattered what the Sun saw in her. Still, it took a long time for her to get their accusing voices out of her head.

Orra played with the braid on her wrist, eyeing the others as they slept. The longer she was with them, the harder it was to focus on her true purpose. Retrieving Aeliana’s blood and rescuing Emeris was their cause, their fight, but it had become her own.

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