Page 37 of Blood of the Stars

Sylmar grunted. “It’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s the plan. Mayvus has been delving so deeply into blood magic that she can’t return from it.” Instead of anger, Sylmar’s face held something closer to pity. “Emeris is one of her brands. We’ll need to cut out the brand mark. Otherwise, Emeris won’t be able to leave Mayvus, let alone stop her.”

“What’s a brand?” Aeliana asked.

“We can discuss it more on the road,” Sylmar said, guiding them toward an unfamiliar path out from the cavern.

“It’s similar to a bond,” Velden said as she and Cyrus fell in line behind him.

“I thought those were for marriage.” Cyrus narrowed his eyes. “Wait, no—protection?”

“Mmm, how to explain the difference…” Velden’s profile faced them as he tapped a finger over his lips, eyes squinted in thought. “In the case of marriage and betrothals, servants of the Sun bond couples with the tiniest drop of blood. It’s fused to the palm with heat and light from a somatic progeny.”

“The half-lights who adjust the body?” Cyrus asked.

Aeliana turned to him in surprise. He’d taken in more of Sylmar’s lessons on magic than she had.

Sylmar spoke over his shoulder. “Yes. They basically grow the bond between the couple using the blood as an anchor. It connects the couple emotionally and spiritually, even when they’re not physically near each other.”

“And that’s not blood magic?” Aeliana scratched at her palm, the dark red bubble suddenly more ominous than it had ever been.

“It’s a fine line,” Sylmar admitted, “defined more by intent than the presence of blood. Mayvus—when she uses someone’s blood as a brand, she fuses their blood to her skin but doesn’t share any of her own. The connection is still just as powerful, but it only flows in one direction, allowing her to steal their power if they’re a progeny and use them to do her bidding. Bonds are a mutual decision made by a couple or the parents who care for them. It’s a sharing of power that’s unable to be abused. Brands are often forced on someone. The recipient doesn’t even need to be present for the brand to take effect.”

Cyrus and Aeliana exchanged a nervous glance.

“I suspect she took Emeris’ by force and branded her for her power,” Sylmar added. “She was always jealous of Emeris’ noetic abilities. At most, a progeny can master two spokes without blood magic. I can’t help wondering if her goal is to master all points on the spokes of the Wheel of Magic through the brands she controls.”

“Can she do this with anyone’s blood?” Cyrus asked.

Sylmar nodded. “If she wanted to. But people aren’t exactly offering their blood. It’s a sacred thing to trust someone with your blood.”

Velden shuddered. “Sun’s fire. I would hate to be her brand. They’re essentially puppets.”

Arvid and Vera’s torture would seem like a game in comparison. Aeliana reached out to grip the cave wall, her knees suddenly weak as she held up the line of travelers behind her. All this time, she’d thought her guardians were building up her blood for their own use, but what if they’d been grooming her for something bigger, something far worse?

“Aeliana?” Lukai called out from behind her in concern.

Velden and Sylmar turned back, the lamp’s light highlighting the question in their eyes.

“I know why Arvid and Vera were willing to leave me.” Aeliana swallowed hard, forcing herself to look Sylmar in the eye. “They’re taking my blood to Mayvus.”

CHAPTER 15

It was almost the Sun’s peak when Larkos sent word that Starspeed was ready to set sail. Starspeed had been gifted to Gaeren when he’d turned sixteen, more of an offhand attempt at making him feel special since the year was more about Enla’s induction ceremony as queen-in-training when she turned eighteen. A silly celebration, considering she’d been training for it her whole life. It was just another year. Another reason for his parents to waste money on a party.

But he did like the boat. The three-masted barque had been brand new, tested only by the builder, with polished timber and watertight melted pine-pitch caulking. Every time the tightly woven sails snapped in the wind, it brought Gaeren back to her maiden voyage. He’d taken her out almost a hundred times in the seven years since, whenever Enla agreed to spare him.

And sometimes when she didn’t agree.

In a surprising show of solidarity, Enla rode with Gaeren in a horse-drawn carriage to the docks. His hopes were tentatively high because he still hadn’t heard from Lenda, but when they rounded the corner where the main street met the wharf, Lenda stood in front of Starspeed. She beamed, three trunks and four maidens by her side.

Gaeren groaned as he slid from the open carriage. “You realize how much she’s going to slow me down?”

“One small woman has the power to take the wind from your sails?” Enla’s composure remained queenly atop her seat as hordes of people crowded around to see what the royals were up to. Gaeren still caught her smug tone.

“If she hasn’t found sea legs since we were children, she’ll spend the entire voyage puking down in the hold.”

Enla laughed, then hunched forward to whisper, “Lean into the bond. It’s a blessing from the Sun, not a curse.”

Gaeren clenched his jaw. He’d known this was the reason Enla wanted Lenda to go along. Time spent together would enhance the bond. It would feel natural, and as Gaeren fell for Lenda, he would probably wonder why he’d ever resisted in the first place.

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