Page 215 of Blood of the Stars

Aeliana lifted her eyes to the darkening sky. The Stars were just beginning to show, their faint patterns visible against the purple of twilight. Only tonight they didn’t seem to dance. The few she could see flickered, bundling together. Were they disappointed in her? Did they regret giving her a starlock?

You’ve done well.

Mayvus’ affirmation filled Aeliana’s mind even as her aunt’s ice nearly killed Sylmar. Where did ice fall on the Wheel of Magic anyway? Or did Mayvus’ brands allow her to tap into new magic?

Her mind distantly registered thunderous fire from Durriken. She knew she should be horrified by the things happening, but they no longer concerned her. The shouts of her comrades seemed faded, both in her hearing and in her mind. The dark spirits drawing closer felt harmless. Those things simply didn’t matter anymore. Even the burn that grew and intensified in her left palm didn’t matter.

Daisy, can you hear me?

Aeliana tensed, her hearing perking up like that of a hound on a trail.

She’ll sense me soon. Fight her control. Listen to me and fight her before she knows your loyalty is divided.

Warmth flooded her chest and spread to her limbs, awareness resuming with an awful jolt. The sounds around her magnified, the horror of the grunts and screams of friend and foe echoing in the night air.

Her mother stood before her, Aeliana’s dagger in her hand. Aeliana blinked down at it, trying to think why her mother would try to harm her, then realized Mayvus held Aeliana out like a shield. Her mother was desperate to get to Mayvus. Was she desperate enough to go through her daughter?

Her mother licked her lips, and Aeliana’s gaze shot between the dagger starlock around her neck and the dagger in her hand.

Something was wrong.

Aeliana could feel it even through the haze of not one but two brands. She prayed to the Stars that Mayvus’ distraction would keep her from sensing all the wrongness too.

“Don’t ever harm your mother,” Mayvus whispered in her ear. “I need her.”

The command made her sick with a need to obey, and yet she also felt sick over her desire to go against anything Mayvus might say. Her gaze swung to Gaeren, who crouched halfway across the balcony. Had he really branded her? After all his hatred for blood magic, after her history with it? He was supposed to kill her, but this was more likely to kill him.

He nodded at her.

Resist. Take away the source of her power.

A whimper escaped Aeliana’s lips. She was the source of Mayvus’ power. She couldn’t take that away because Mayvus had commanded her not to. The commands competed in her mind, not perfect contradictions, but still impossible to reconcile.

“Aeliana.” Her mother’s brow furrowed, drawing Aeliana’s attention. “Please, daughter. Don’t stop me from saving us all.”

Her words triggered a response, her body prioritizing Mayvus’ command before her mind could process her options. She tackled her mother, and the dagger flew from her mother’s hand, clattering against stone.

“No,” her mother said, pushing Aeliana aside as she clawed her way toward the blade. But Aeliana was faster, stronger. Her hands raked across her mother’s neck, drawing blood, and the brand on her palm stung. She hadn’t meant to disobey. She hadn’t realized it was possible to. Still, she reached for her dagger before her mother could, then clambered back and stood to ensure she couldn’t accidentally harm her mother more. Just like Mayvus had commanded.

“Good girl.” The words filled Aeliana’s ears and mind as Mayvus stroked the back of her hair.

Now, Daisy. Resist her while she’s comfortable. Take away her power.

Aeliana turned to Mayvus and lifted her dagger. For a single breath, she hesitated, watching as Mayvus’ eyes narrowed before scanning the others, seeking out the source of Aeliana’s resistance.

The brand was still too strong for Aeliana to hurt Mayvus, but Gaeren’s command finally took hold, understanding dawning. In one quick motion, she sliced the leather cord of Mayvus’ starlock and tugged it from her aunt’s neck.

Mayvus snarled and reached for her starlock, but Aeliana stepped back and cut the cord of her own before tossing them both toward Gaeren. Mayvus’ hands went to her chest and neck, patting them down as if she felt the same nakedness as Aeliana, the same weakness.

Cold fright swept through Aeliana, followed by relief. Mayvus could no longer use her power. Her aunt stumbled away, getting lost in the chaos.

It felt like a battle won, but Cyrus still fought on the other side of the balcony, wearing down one of the soldiers. Lukai practically held Gaeren up near its center. Her mother lay at her feet, the recent grapple over the dagger filling Aeliana with shame. Sylmar’s and Velden’s efforts to restrain Durriken came to a standstill as the dragon shook his head as though waking from the same dazed state as Aeliana.

A cold hand circled her wrist and took the dagger from her grip. Aeliana blinked up into the determined eyes of her mother.

“Which one is Mayvus’?” her mother asked, turning Aeliana’s palms up.

Aeliana held her hands up, examining the small red bond mark on her left palm next to a slightly larger black bump that looked raw and misshapen, like a child had tried drawing a triangle. She didn’t remember it from before, so that one must be Gaeren’s. Her right hand held two marks, the first being a much larger portion of raised skin covering a quarter of its surface. That one had to be Durriken’s. But the second was small like Brogdon’s, the skin smooth and the shape a perfect circle, like that brand had been done by the brander a thousand times.

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