Page 188 of Blood of the Stars

“Who’s…” She trailed off. “Oh. Did you—do you have a mate?” Daisy stumbled over the word.

“She’s the one who wanted to rescue me.” Pride leaked from his words even as more tears fell from his eyes. “And she was the first to stand down when you saved my life.” He used his shoulder to wipe his cheeks.

Apparently Gaeren had missed even more than Daisy had.

Daisy patted his shoulder. “Maybe we can help you get her back.”

“I hate to agree with the other guy,” Gaeren said, jabbing a thumb in the general’s direction, “but we can’t really take on another agenda for this mission.”

Daisy’s sympathetic frown shifted to a glare that pinned Gaeren down. “I meant that we could help each other. This could be a way in, both to save Lilik and to find my mother.”

Gaeren opened his mouth to argue, but she had a fair point. He’d let Sylmar fight that battle. Besides, anything that potentially upset Sylmar’s plans could also prevent the need for blood magic or sacrificing soldiers.

He still couldn’t understand why these people were so willing to attempt branding, not when they knew the consequences. Especially for Daisy.

“We should ask Sylmar about this other entrance,” Gaeren said. “He had a map of the layout of Mayvus’ fortress. The entrance he wanted to use was closer to the back. I don’t remember seeing anything else. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” he rushed to add. “In fact, maybe it’s more reliable than his, which hasn’t been verified for over a decade.”

“If it’s more reliable,” Daisy mused, “he’ll be more likely to agree.”

“My clan also brought a peace offering.” Felk backed away from Daisy, nearly stepping on General Nels. Felk held out a hand, keeping Daisy at bay until he was a dozen paces away. Then he howled, the forlorn sound raising the hairs on Gaeren’s arms.

General Nels straightened, lifting his sword once more and holding it out toward the various shadows surrounding them. Even Daisy tensed, her gaze flicking between Felk and the shadows. Within moments, the shadows shifted, then glinted as moonlight struck the silvery skin of more winex. The general swore as half a dozen emerged, but Gaeren placed a staying hand on the other man’s arm.

The winex joining Felk were smaller, their bodies more hunched like the predators Gaeren was used to seeing. They shifted from one foot to the other, slowly closing in on Daisy, Gaeren, and General Nels. Their lips curled in snarls, but they made no move to attack. One by one, they each brought forward a bundle of purple fabric on bolts like ones Gaeren had seen the seamstress hauling through the palace. A wave of homesickness hit him—a startling sensation since he had no desire to be home.

“Um, thank you?” Daisy placed a tentative hand on the pile of fabric.

“We know you plan to attack tomorrow,” Felk said. “We hear your sentries talk.”

General Nels stood straighter, and Gaeren felt sorry for whichever men had been on duty the last few nights.

“My clan will help you,” Felk said, “if you also help them.”

“How does purple cloth help us?” Gaeren asked, and General Nels snorted.

Felk stepped forward, tore a strip of fabric from the nearest bolt, then leaned over Gaeren to tie it around his arm. “In battle you will all look like our enemies. This way we know who we shouldn’t kill.”

Daisy’s smile grew until she let out a light laugh. She stepped around the fabric and reached for one of the winex, drawing him into a hug. The general took a step forward, and Gaeren reached for his sword, barely holding back a protest that would earn him yet another glare.

“Thank you,” she breathed out.

The winex didn’t hug her back but sniffed her shoulder and ear, his teeth far too close to her neck for Gaeren’s liking. Even Felk tensed beside him, poised to intervene. But Daisy went down the line, hugging and thanking each of the creatures. A couple hugged her back, but most took the opportunity to learn her scent, the occasional growl sneaking out.

“It does seem like a genuine offer for help,” Gaeren admitted, though his hand remained on his sword’s hilt.

The general grunted but finally sheathed his weapon. “Six winex against an army of thousands isn’t much of an offer.”

“Then you haven’t seen them in action.” Gaeren smiled, recalling the way Felk had protected Daisy. She seemed to attract defenders wherever she went. “Besides, they said they ran into a few clans. I bet they have more like thirty to fifty out in the woods.”

“How did you get so much fabric anyway?” Daisy asked, gathering up bolts and shoving them in Gaeren’s and General Nels’ hands.

Felk let out another small tinkling laugh, which the other winex echoed. The effect was spellbinding, and Daisy, Gaeren, and the general all paused, blinking heavily as they fought to focus.

“We stole it from a trader passing through,” Felk said. “If we can’t find old nests, we have to make new ones for the eggs we plant. Then we save the rest for our rebirth.”

Daisy hesitated, then sighed. “I suppose there’s nothing to be done about it for now, but in the future, we’re not going to steal, is that understood?”

It was odd to see the massive winex hunch over in shame, as if her words had physically wounded him.

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