Page 4 of Blood of the Stars

Aeliana shook her head and crossed her arms. “They would have let us in. They’re letting everyone in. You didn’t have to?—”

Arvid grabbed her arm, making her wince. “You think they would have let us rifle through their artifacts? No. This is the fastest way. You’ll have access to everything now. The sooner you bring us the golden arrow, the sooner we can take you home and leave all your precious humans alone. Don’t waste the girl’s sacrifice.”

He snatched the bag and papers from Vera before shoving them into Aeliana’s arms, forcing her to take a step back. She glared at him, hating the way he put the blame on her shoulders, the way it even felt right. He’d used Aeliana’s blood—her magic. The reminder stung, but it also gave her hope. He needed her blood. He needed her magic.

She slung the leather bag over her bony shoulder and folded the papers, tucking them inside her sleeve to keep them from getting too wet. She gripped the strap against her cloak, hoping her guardians wouldn’t notice how her hands shook. “I’ll find the golden arrow.”

“The one that hums at your touch,” Vera reminded her.

“And then we’ll take you home,” Arvid said. “We’re giving you two weeks to do this your way, but if you haven’t found it by then, we do things our way.” He didn’t have to explain how many would suffer in that scenario. By then, without any bloodletting, the Sun would have filled her blood with energy ten times over. She’d be so bloated with her magic, releasing its valve would create a deadly geyser.

Aeliana clenched her jaw and nodded, turning her back on them.

She would find the arrow, and she would take it home to Vendaras without them.

She prayed to the Stars for strength. Celeste never should have been killed, but Arvid and Vera were right about one thing: Aeliana wouldn’t waste the girl’s sacrifice.

CHAPTER 2

Three hours into the party, Gaeren eyed a fork near his parents’ anniversary cake, weighing the risks and benefits of stabbing himself. A significant enough injury could get him removed from the obnoxious crowds filling the palace rooms, but it would be hard to make it look like an accident.

Besides, he hadn’t found his sister yet. If Enla didn’t see him, he wouldn’t get credit for attending. And he needed credit before he could leave. He glanced out a window, eyeing the angle of the moon. He was running out of time.

Dozens of familiar faces, plus many others he didn’t recognize, swam before him, all decked out in their finest suits and dresses as they mingled in the main hall. Enla had spared no expense. Lanterns lined the hall, making the extravagant floor-to-ceiling windows gleam like obsidian, reflecting and doubling the already full room. Calla lilies, native to their swamps, were placed strategically throughout the room. Chrysanthemums, symbolic of loyalty and honesty, lay nestled in the dual purple vases Gaeren had fetched all the way from Andel. Fish, fruit, cheese, and several delicacies that had likely given their cook grey hairs filled the tables. More lanterns floated through the room, a display of both power and opulence, highlighting the royal family’s abundant access to magic—their blessing from the Sun.

Gaeren closed his eyes, blocking out the flashy fabrics competing for attention. The buzz of nobles attempting to outdo one another put him on edge, so when he opened his eyes again, he focused on the door his sister should walk through.

Lenda pressed up against him, wrapping a possessive hand around his arm.

Gaeren held his breath against her noxious perfume, but his attention veered from the doorway, lingering on her blonde ringlets and red lips. He scratched at the bond mark on his left palm as if he could pick it off and break the connection that had been forcing them together since childhood. One of the many curses of royalty.

“Hardly anyone is dancing,” she said. “And the desserts are melting. Do you see how awful they look?” She peered around a noblewoman to examine the contents of a table and shuddered.

“I’m sure they’re still delicious. There’s chocolate in them.” He reached over and grabbed a piece of candy, popping it in his mouth. He hummed his satisfaction. “See, it’s perfect.”

Lenda didn’t even pay attention as she scanned the crowd, offering judgmental frowns for the gowns she didn’t like. “It’s a wonder everyone’s still here when your parents haven’t even shown up.”

“You’re welcome to go home if you’d like,” he offered.

She stuck out her lower lip. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“No,” Gaeren agreed. “But what you really meant sounded a bit judgmental of the king and queen, so…”

Her face blanched.

“I just—I wish they’d come, that’s all.” She stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to see the dais at the edge of the main hall. “Oh, Enla’s dress is to die for.”

Lenda’s voice grated on his nerves, even as another part of him was drawn to it. He followed her gaze across the dancing guests until he found his sister. She’d finally arrived and was, in fact, wearing a stunning gold gown, symbolic of the crown she would one day inherit from their father.

Her bondmate guided her up to the platform, where they sat, barely touching, to watch the remainder of the event. Croft’s stiff black hair, rigid limbs, and hovering attention gave him more of a guard’s appearance than a bondmate’s—unlike Enla, whose grace and beauty practically embodied a glowing Star.

Enla and Gaeren shared their father’s Sun-kissed brown hair. Gaeren kept his tucked away under his ridiculous hat, but her chin-length strands were intricately braided away from her face. It left the heart-shaped charm of her starlock exposed where it dangled across her forehead on a delicate chain.

Gaeren frowned, wishing she kept the source of her power tucked out of sight.

Only two other chairs graced the dais, confirming that Enla didn’t expect him to fulfill any hosting duties. He sighed in relief.

Enla and Croft scanned the haughty nobles lining the room as if looking for someone worth their attention. Really, they waited for the King and Queen of Elanesse to arrive for their own party. Everyone did.

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