Page 207 of Blood of the Stars

Except what was Riveran doing there?

“Were all the soldiers and sailors supposed to retreat with the pirates?” he asked, turning to beckon Sylmar. The old man joined him at the edge, and Gaeren pointed out the door where Riveran had disappeared. “I saw Riveran there. Is that where he should be?”

Sylmar frowned. “No. None were supposed to remain.”

Gaeren rushed to the other wall, leaning through one of the real windows. The Sun had nearly hit the horizon. From this angle, he could also see the gatehouse, oddly empty. Even if they’d chased away most of the Recreants, Mayvus never would have approved of the Zealots abandoning that post. He frowned, trying to piece together how all the soldiers could have made it to the fields and forests beyond that fast. Movement caught his eye as a line of black and red crossed a battlement, the soldiers headed right for Riveran and the northern keep Emeris had been trapped in.

Gaeren’s gaze snapped to Sylmar, his sudden understanding reflected on the old man’s slack face. “We thought we were tricking them by leading them away from the castle, but we ended up setting a trap for ourselves. Whatever soldiers are left, they’re coming here.”

Sylmar yanked on Emeris’ collar, pulling her upright to stand beside him. “Where is Mayvus?”

Gaeren ran back to the hall and the spiral stairs they’d come from. The clink of metal could be distantly heard, the sound getting louder as soldiers grew closer. “They’re coming,” he called to Sylmar, who swore.

“By now she’s probably on the balcony attached to her rooms,” Emeris said. “She knew you were coming, and she knew she’d need to brand Aeliana early. But she’ll hold off as close to the Sun’s sleep as she can to let her blood be at its peak state of energy. She’ll want the brand to be as strong as possible." She gave an apologetic look to Daisy.

“This way,” Sylmar said, leading them all out to the hall. Only a few doors remained this high up on the tower. Once the Zealots reached their level, they’d be impossibly overrun.

“We need to block the passage,” Gaeren said.

“What about Orra and the others?” Daisy asked. “We could use their help.”

Gaeren frowned. Riveran and more of his men might be down there too. They might already be dead. By blocking them off, he could be surrounding them with the enemy and sealing their graves.

“Gaeren’s right,” Sylmar said. “Our priority is to keep Mayvus from branding Aeliana and to get both her and Emeris to safety. We can’t do that with an army on our heels. Velden, take the others through the door to the west with the dragon crest on it. Those are Mayvus’ rooms. If she’s not in there, Emeris is right. She’ll be on the balcony.”

Sylmar held out a hand to Gaeren before planting his feet in the doorway to the stairs.

“I don’t have that kind of power,” Gaeren reminded him. “I deal in memories. I haven’t developed my rim magic yet.”

Sylmar’s brow rose. “You have starblood like any other progeny. Give your power to me.”

Gaeren eyed the doorway, then glanced at the others making their way down the hall. Sylmar could have asked Velden or Lukai—even Daisy. She threw him a desperate glance.

He nodded once, his heart doubling its speed as the relief spread on her face.

“I know your family isn’t used to sharing things with others,” Sylmar said with a hint of dry irritation, “especially those below their station, but I can’t do this alone without killing myself. And as you said, you deal in memories. Your powers may not be needed tonight.”

Gaeren narrowed his eyes but took Sylmar’s hand, letting his starlock burn as he sent his blood’s supply toward the other man. It stung for him to give up his power, but it stung worse knowing his power was seen as expendable.

The stones in the archway rattled as if something in them had come to life, the noise competing with the rhythmic stomp of boots on stone. Gaeren peered down the steps, wondering if he would see torchlight at any moment or maybe the flash of weaponry or armor.

The pull on his power faded, as if Sylmar had hit a point of saturation. Gaeren loosened his grip, but Sylmar squeezed tighter, heat forming between their hands. Two stones broke from the arch, flying to the floor with more force than simple gravity before smashing to pieces. Gaeren sensed another pull on his starlock’s power, shocked at how quickly Sylmar might drain him.

Sylmar leaned heavily against the wall of the arch, his hand shaking where it braced against stones. The stones rattled louder, several more loosening and falling.

Gaeren stepped back to avoid being hit, watching the rubble grow and fill the doorway as their energy drained. Sylmar stepped back with him but traced the wall with his hand, loosening key stones as he went, and more stones showered down. Gaeren coughed as the dust rose, and he pulled Sylmar back despite the older man’s resistance.

“I think that’s enough,” Gaeren shouted over the din. “You’re going to bring down the whole tower.”

Sylmar shook his head but didn’t waste the energy to reply. More stones flew, building a river of rock more than a wall against the incoming soldiers. Shouts grew over the sound of grinding stone, and through the gaps, Gaeren made out faces, one of them distinctly familiar with a black X.

“Riveran!” Gaeren tried to shake off Sylmar’s hand, to cut off the flow of power, but his grip was inhuman, his focus unmatched.

Riveran pawed at the stones, pushing a few out of his way to widen the opening that revealed his nose up to the ceiling. His hands clawed at more stones, but with Sylmar’s adjustments, they remained wedged, cutting Riveran off from the safety of the tower.

Riveran’s gaze rested on Gaeren’s, his eyes pained.

“We have to help them,” Gaeren shouted, forcing Sylmar to release his hand.

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