Page 109 of Blood of the Stars

Orra rode Walnut but kept her eyes closed, watching the events play out in her mind as if she were present for them all.

Islara’s eastern gate was almost in view, but she was still up on the forested ridge, slowly making her way around the destroyed valley. Orra had seen Gaeren and Riveran rush out the southern gate. She’d sensed more than heard Durriken long before she’d caught his shadow. It had all happened faster than Orra had expected, and yet as it happened, the possible paths grew narrower.

When Gaeren had run back, she’d smiled at his perfect timing.

He wasn’t a mere boat or lily pad needing to be placed in the path of a ripple.

He was a stone, about to create a new ripple. One that might form a tidal wave as massive as her own. Only this time she sensed the Sun sanctioning it.

Now, Skunk came up behind her, huffing as if he’d worked hard to catch up.

Orra opened her eyes and hummed her disapproval. She pulled Walnut up short, then reached for Skunk’s reins.

“He needs you. You know that, right?” she murmured. The horse whinnied, pulling against her grip. “Yes, you knew. Now go get him. Go get Gaeren.” She dropped the reins and let Skunk go free.

Orra smiled as the gelding disappeared down the trail leading to the eastern gate. “This is how we put things in the paths of ripples.”

CHAPTER 45

Gaeren held his breath as the fearless woman left her hand on Durriken’s snout, eyes closed as if she fully trusted that the beast wouldn’t snap her hand—or head—right off. Her long brown locks blew out around her in the breeze of the dragon’s breath, like she was a Star dancing in the wind, her cheeks pink with the heat of it. In the mere moments he’d been watching, she’d stepped forward, eyes fierce with determination and a steadiness that held more courage than any man he’d seen preparing for a pirates’ skirmish.

This couldn’t be Daisy.

Gaeren shifted in the rubble where he hid, his gaze scanning the rest of her companions, but the only other woman whose age seemed right had short black braids and an upturned nose. Enla’s description came back to him: russet brown waves, piercing green eyes, regal grace. The woman attempting to tame a dragon was a perfect match in one sense, but in another she was all wrong.

Daisy had been a child, an innocent toddler who needed saving. Someone he was ready to scoop up and dash to safety.

This woman did not need saving.

The complexity and confusion surrounding her entire identity left him frozen in fascination, allowing him to catch her small gasp when her eyes went wide. She dropped her hand and took several steps back, muttering something only for Durriken’s ears.

The steps back were all her companions needed. A volley of arrows came from the edges of the square. A man nearly knocked Daisy to the ground in his effort to drag her away. The dragon roared, spreading his wings, but the sound died off to a whimper as his sliced wings shuddered. He turned to the side, directing fire at two people on the north side of the square. One had to be an advanced progeny because a wave of water doused the line of fire, including the dragon’s snout. The dragon backed away, inching closer to where Gaeren hid.

They’d grounded Durriken.

Gaeren almost laughed with his shock, but then the beast’s tail swung, forcing Gaeren to scramble backward before it crushed the place he’d been hiding. He made his way through the back of the building until he came out farther east, nearer to the group protecting Daisy.

A surge of disappointment flooded through him, leaving him mortified at his petty thoughts. He’d wanted to save her. He’d failed when he was young, and this was his chance to put things right. Only he’d been stupid enough to think she was still like the child in his memory, incapable of protecting herself and without aid from others.

He’d been a fool.

Somehow, he suspected Orra knew all this, and it made him feel like an even bigger fool.

By the time he rounded the buildings to the eastern gate and caught sight of Daisy’s group again, half of them were missing. Had they left through the gate? Would they attack Gaeren if he went out the same way?

Daisy and a much older man remained, both holding out their hands as if to ward off the advancing dragon. A couple of others picked their way through the rubble, everyone taking care not to anger the dragon further.

Gaeren frowned. This time Daisy looked smaller, weaker. Had he imagined her strength and courage before? Or had the balance shifted that quickly? Maybe the magic she’d used was too much for her. Even her skin seemed paler.

He hesitated, watching as the dragon drew closer. Maybe she did need help.

He debated what he might do, but the older man’s molten staff seemed far more useful than Gaeren’s ability to steal memories. Even his skill with a sword was useless against the scales of a dragon. A noise behind him made him start, and when he turned, a horse nuzzled his cheek.

“Skunk?” Gaeren glanced up at the ridge, but there was no sign of Riveran or Orra. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you?” he murmured, glancing back at Daisy and her companion. The dragon had nearly reached them, and this time Durriken snarled, sure to bite off any hand held out to him.

Did Daisy know that? Or would she reach out again anyway?

He couldn’t risk it. Maybe she hadn't needed saving before, but she clearly needed it now. He launched onto Skunk’s back, then kicked the horse with his heels, rushing for Daisy.

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