Page 201 of Blood of the Stars

It was a solid plan, but would it prevent them from getting to Emeris? Would it keep Aeliana alive? Would it stop Orra from getting the golden arrow?

“Good idea,” Marnok said. “They’ll want to defend Gaeren, and we could use the extra hands.”

Orra resisted the urge to search out the possibilities. It was a waste of magic, effort that relied on her own power. She knew now that she should seek out the Sun. She didn’t need to see all the possible paths if she saw the path the Sun wanted her to take. But it had been too long since she’d truly communed with the Sun. She wasn’t sure she’d see the right path. Not after all her years of failures.

Kendalyhn grumbled but followed the others as they wound their way through the battlement stairs and past servant’s quarters. Thanks to their stolen uniforms, they didn’t get a second glance from the soldiers they passed—not until they reached a lower level near the main hall.

“You don’t want to go down there,” one soldier said, gesturing behind him. “They set winex on the fortress. Don’t know how they did it. Winex!” The man shook his head and kept walking, not bothering to notice whether or not they took his advice. Orra and Marnok exchanged glances, then all four of them adjusted their purple bands, ensuring their visibility.

Another hall and staircase later, the frenzy of the winex feasting echoed across the stone. Orra’s stomach turned, her thoughts aligning more with Mayvus’ soldier. She didn’t want to go down there.

Sweat dripped down Holm’s face as they approached the south entrance to the main hall.

“I think we should find a way around that room,” he whispered.

“I’ll check,” Kendalyhn said. “If the sailors are still there, and if I can get their attention, I’ll have them come this way. If not, maybe I can see where we can reach them faster.”

Holm’s quick nod sent Kendalyhn through the door, leaving Orra with Marnok and Holm.

“They’re probably not even in there,” Marnok said, voicing Orra’s thoughts. “They’ve probably already headed toward the northern keep. It’s not like they’d sit around in the hall with all those winex.”

With each moment that passed, Orra hoped they’d made the right choice. By now, they could have been in the northern keep, aiding the others and finding the golden arrow.

When Kendalyhn slipped back through the door, she was on her knees. She pulled the door shut behind her and stood. “The banister barely hid me, but the slats allowed me to see the entire room. They’re not there.”

“Then we go to the northern keep,” Holm said. They all turned back toward the passageways, gauging which way might get them there the fastest.

A click rang through the hall, followed by a hiss erupting from behind them.

When Orra turned, she caught a glimpse of a winex down on all fours as he slinked his way through the doorway Kendalyhn had just vacated. His licked his lips before baring his dozens of sharp, pointy teeth.

“We have purple bands,” Marnok said, lifting his arm toward the winex. “We’ll honor our agreement if you honor it too.”

“Felk made a promise,” the winex said with a cackle. “He does not speak for me.”

Kendalyhn frowned. “We’re helping to free you from Mayvus.”

“Or we helped you.” The winex shrugged and continued advancing.

Kendalyhn pulled out her dagger, but before he got within range, Marnok loosed an arrow. At that short distance, the arrow drove deep into the winex’s belly, making it hunch over and groan in pain.

“Let’s go.” Marnok led the way up the stairs as the winex fell to his knees.

The winex let out a soft howl, and they all paused, holding their breath. A returning howl sounded from the main hall. Kendalyhn’s eyes widened, and she raced past Orra, through a servants’ door instead of the standard halls. The cramped passageways felt like a trap, the darkness in favor of the winex—but only if the winex had seen and followed.

The rumble of footsteps sounded behind them, occasionally fading as they gained distance, then rising as the crowd of winex likely grew to a stampede. The grunts and howls grew more muffled, but soon they couldn’t tell if the winex were only in the main rooms beside them or if they were also in the tight passageways following them.

When the servants’ corridor finally spilled out into a larger hall, they all blinked against the light streaming in through the window at the hall’s end. In the back of Orra’s mind, she breathed a sigh of relief that the Sun still shone. They still had time.

The faint scuffling of the winex grew louder.

Before them, the passageway split around a large iron door. As Holm pulled them to the right, the door’s hinges creaked, and it opened.

A tall soldier with skin so pale it seemed translucent frowned down at the four of them, taking in their disheveled uniforms and fast breathing, his eyes narrowing on the purple bands. A dozen others stood behind him, their polished uniforms showing no sign of battle, though all their palms held deep black branding marks.

“What are you doing up here?” the first man asked. “Only generals are allowed in these quarters, and you can’t all be messengers.” He pulled a sword from his belt, and the rest followed, brandishing their weapons as though ready to run the newcomers through without hearing an explanation.

Orra closed her eyes, searching through the possibilities ending in life, but she was too distracted by the feral growls hitting her ears. She turned to see silver skin rounding the corner and the frenzied winex picking up their pace.

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