Page 216 of Blood of the Stars

Because it had.

“This one.” Aeliana flinched and cried out as her mother wasted no time digging the brand out of her hand, half of her pain from the clear disregard for Mayvus’ desires. But Mayvus’ power had diminished with the absence of her starlock, and Gaeren’s wish for her to cut out the brand was stronger.

Blood sprayed both Aeliana and her mother, and in Aeliana’s pain, she fought to restrain the pull of blood magic to heal herself. Lukai was there in an instant, wrapping his arms around her and placing his hand over hers, healing the skin her mother tore loose.

“Get down,” Gaeren called.

The three dropped to their knees as a gust of wind threatened to pull them to the balcony’s edge. They linked their arms while still managing to completely remove the brand.

“The Sun and Stars are not the only source of power in this world,” Mayvus said, her voice coming out like a growl.

Aeliana turned, squinting against the dust rising in the air with Mayvus’ storm. Blood streamed from her aunt’s hand, which she raised toward the skies. She was beckoning the dark spirits, inviting them in.

Durriken shifted along the edge of the balcony, adjusting his perch to be closer to Aeliana. His wings beat more frantically, and his eyes rolled in panic. Their connection was weak with her starlock gone, but it was still there.

Free me, too. Free me!

The rumble of words was so deep, Aeliana almost didn’t understand them, but her heart seemed to sense their meaning. She took the dagger from her mother and stepped closer to Durriken.

“No, Daisy!” Gaeren called.

She hesitated, sensing the words he shouted from within. It was a command as much as a warning, and she couldn’t resist.

I’m sorry. I just—is it safe? This time his words were spoken only in her mind.

She turned to study him from across the balcony. “Safer than the alternative.” She gestured toward Mayvus, who managed to ward off Sylmar’s and Velden’s attacks while waiting for her spirits to empower her.

Gaeren nodded.

She turned back to Durriken, who struggled to lift his right paw toward her without completely losing his grip on the wall, and his wings beat so powerfully Aeliana lost her balance. Lukai came up behind her to steady her as she leaned out to cut Durriken’s paw.

“What if you take the whole paw?” he asked. “Like Miklous?”

Durriken’s growl was more like a hiss, the heat of his breath sending steam at them both.

Aeliana ignored the question. “Heal him too,” she pleaded, and to her relief, Lukai placed a trembling hand on the dragon’s paw, healing it as she cut.

They hadn’t gotten halfway through before the air around them turned to ice and the Stars above were blotted out. Even cold-blooded Durriken shivered in the wind, losing his grip and plummeting half a story before his wings caught him back up.

Mayvus’ laugh rose above her wind until it shifted to a gurgle and choke. Aeliana turned around and immediately wished she hadn’t. The dark spirit clawing its way into Mayvus’ mouth was twice the size of any Aeliana had seen. It filled every space of Mayvus, pulling color from her while healing her wounds and returning her strength. When her throat was clear once more, she let out a sigh of bliss.

She opened her eyes, and her black irises latched onto Aeliana.

The transition hadn’t ever been this way with Arvid. But maybe this spirit was too big to fit in such a small woman. Maybe it leaked out through every pore and socket.

“You’ve stolen my brand and my starlock.” Mayvus took a step toward Aeliana, the motion so smooth Aeliana doubted her feet touched the stone. Her teeth and tongue were blackened by the spirit’s touch. “And now you try to steal my dragon?”

A growl started in Durriken’s throat.

Resist her. Aeliana tried to push the same thoughts on Durriken that Gaeren had pushed on her, but she didn’t have her starlock. She didn’t know if it would work.

“I had plans for you,” Mayvus said. “But plans can change. Durriken, take her to your cave and hold her there.”

Durriken rose above Aeliana, his eyes glazed over with the command infused with the power of blood magic and a dark spirit.

Better my paw than my life. The pause and the rumbled words were all Aeliana needed to drop her dragger and pull Lukai’s sword from his sheath. It was heavier than she’d expected after only training with daggers and bows, but she could still lift and swing.

The blade sliced through Durriken’s right foreleg, severing it just above the joint. The appendage holding Mayvus’ brand landed at Aeliana’s feet with a sickening thud. Instead of reaching for Aeliana, Durriken let out a cry, then dropped, barely giving her and Lukai enough time to roll out of his way. The entire northern keep shuddered under his weight.

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