Page 100 of Blood of the Stars

“That’s enough.” Orra’s quiet words from behind Gaeren reached into some deeper part of his soul, pulling him out of his hatred with the shock of ice-cold water. “Even at this distance, the sprites play with your minds, twisting your words and your thoughts until you turn on each other. The food is ready, and then Gaeren needs to rest. If we’re ever to get away from this place and its hateful inhabitants, we must eat and sleep.”

The two men glared at each other until Gullet nipped Riveran’s finger, making him wince and glance down. With a sigh, he released his grip on the hawk, and the bird launched from his arm, making a beeline for the northwest. Gaeren would never admit it out loud, but the hawk was smart. Or he had some small bit of magic in him.

It would take the bird a few days to reach Enla, probably arriving a couple days before Larkos and Starspeed. It would take twice as long for Gaeren to reach Islara. He patted down the bandages on his chest with a grimace. Maybe longer with his injuries.

He watched the sky long after Gullet was out of sight, munching on the food Orra had given him without really tasting it. Riveran settled on the edge of camp to keep watch, and Gaeren’s stomach turned as the food tried settling.

“You think he’s been bringing out the worst in you,” Orra said quietly, tossing her leaf and bones in the fire with a sizzle. “But you’ve chosen to be this way around him. There was a time when he brought out the best in you. It can happen again if you allow it.”

Gaeren frowned. Just how much of their history had Riveran told her? That wasn’t why he was irritated though. He was irritated because she was right. Over the last moon, his mood had soured. He wanted to blame it on Riveran, but it had far more to do with his fear for Daisy and Enla. And now, for no good reason, he’d just thrown away all the progress he and Riveran had made in the cave. He wanted to be angry with Riveran for Enla’s sake. It felt like the honorable thing to do as a brother.

But selfishly, after having his friend back even for one night, he couldn’t help wishing he cared a little less about the young queen’s feelings and a little more about the ex-friend who had been like a brother.

CHAPTER 41

The open grassland soon gave way to woodlands with thick red oak trees and bushy white pines, which gave Aeliana more opportunity to practice archery and made Cyrus more homesick. Days in Vendaras had turned to weeks, and with them the last bit of winter had shifted to spring, leaving their early mornings swathed in fog. That transition meant Aeliana had reached her eighteenth year, a date that had once held potential freedom from her guardians but now seemed far less important than her Awakening had been.

During the day, they trekked northeast toward Islara, and in the evenings, after setting up camp, Aeliana trained with Sylmar or Lukai. When Cyrus wasn’t helping her train, he settled just outside camp to worship the Stars. One day out from Islara, Aeliana felt more equipped but no more prepared.

“What happens after we reach Islara?” Aeliana and Sylmar sat on stumps beside each other. She was supposed to be focusing on drawing energy from one side of her body to the other, but she’d already done it ten times.

“We join the army there and march toward the Myndren Mountains,” Sylmar said, keeping his eyes closed. “They’ll take the wider trade route through the mountains to the north side of Myndren, but we’ll cut through the Pass. It’s a shorter path that will allow us more time to train, but it’s too narrow for the army. After the Pass, we follow the base of the mountains, and it will lead us all the way to the Valley of Krahn, which is the closest place we can gather to Mayvus’ doorstep in the Myndren Mountains.” He opened one eye to peek over at her. “Now, where do you have your starlock sending all its energy?”

She huffed and closed her eyes again.

Sylmar had a textbook approach. He made her map out the Wheel of Magic, plotting out how the ability to grow things would fall under a constructive somatic, or how a destructive noetic could plant thoughts and emotions in someone’s mind. Anytime she struggled with similarities to her guardians’ blood magic, he turned it around to something positive. They spent a lot of time sitting like this while she felt for the energy pumping through her veins, practicing drawing it from the starlock and giving it back. She opened her eyes again, catching the last rays of the Sun dipping behind the mountains.

“And then what? We just start shooting arrows at her gate?”

His left eye cracked open. “Something like that.” His beard shifted in what looked suspiciously like a smile.

Taking advantage of his rare good mood, she pushed further. “So the army swoops in and clears a path for you to go straight to Mayvus?”

He shook his head. “The army is a distraction. We don’t expect to be able to defeat her soldiers or even her. We’re outnumbered. So we’ll sneak in while our soldiers draw them out. Then we’ll steal back your mother and your blood.”

He made it sound so easy.

“Who exactly is ‘we?’”

“The men and women in this group.”

Aeliana watched the others still preparing food. It was the one chore Sylmar hadn’t ever assigned her because her training time only lengthened each night. The more she trained, the more comfortable they all got with her, most likely comforted by the false security that her magic was now under control. Even Kendalyhn had warmed up a bit, though Aeliana was often still the recipient of her icy glares.

“They’re among the most loyal Recreants. Iris served your mother before you were even born, and Holm was often out being your parents’ eyes and ears. Lukai’s family sacrificed much of their freedom to bond him to you as a child. Kendalyhn’s mother was a priestess who worked alongside Emeris for years, and you know Lukai’s family took her in when her parents were killed by Mayvus. Velden and I have spent the last fourteen years training for this moment. And Jasperus…” Sylmar glanced over at the only member of the group who might be older than him before closing his eyes once more. “Well, you should ask him to tell you his story sometime. It’s the only one of his I care to listen to.”

“So it’s this group of nine who will go after the blood?”

“Eight.”

Aeliana snorted. “There’s no way Cyrus will stay back after all this.”

Sylmar opened both eyes, giving up the pretense of concentration. “I was referring to you.”

Aeliana’s heart picked up its pace. “Why wouldn’t I go? She’s my mother. It’s my blood.”

“Exactly. Mayvus will use you to keep Emeris under her thumb. Or she’ll brand you and use you against us. Either scenario is bad.”

“I thought you needed me to rescue her. You said those who are branded need a connection like that to come out of the prison in their own mind.”

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