Page 106 of Stars May Burn

Unease uncoiled in my stomach. I glanced at Tristan. “Stay here with the halfsoul. I’ll see what the alarm is for. Hopefully, the others will be here to help you move it soon.”

I set off at a run and followed the signal uphill away from the river and toward the nicer parts of Adenburg. My unease only grew as I turned toward Halfield Manor.

The signal sharpened as Meena appeared running at full pelt down the white paving slabs of the road toward me. What was she doing here? Why wasn’t she with Sophie in Kasomere?

“General,” she panted, not waiting to catch her breath. “Lady Sophie…is missing. I think Sir Halfield has taken her. I…I can’t find her.”

Fear cold and sharp froze my limbs for a moment. The stomp of boots grew louder as three Kasomere guards caught up with Meena and staggered to a halt, each bowing to me. My mind wasn’t working clearly.

Focus, Kasten. Everything had to be about Sophie now.

I picked a guard at random. “Follow the signal on the detector to Sir Tristan and tell him to kill the halfsoul and join us. Then wake all the soldiers at Highfair. Go, now!”

He bowed and ran off, and I took in Meena’s stricken expression. Anger toward Sophie’s father started to rise. If any harm had come to Sophie…

“Take me to where you lost her.”

Meena bowed her head and started up the hill, talking as she jogged. “It was in Halfield Manor. Her sister’s room. I was guarding the door when I heard a noise. I went in but only her sister was present. We combed the room and found a hidden passage behind the bookcase. It was a servant passage leading to the kitchens. We searched the whole house but couldn’t find her. We think she must have been transported to another location.”

I pulled in deep breaths. I’d found her before. I would find her again. “We need the tracking device. It’s set to her, but it’s all the way back in Kasomere.” I frowned. “But Princess Annabelle has one.” I stopped. “Meena, go to the house in Highfair and try to find a hair or nail from Sophie. Anything that was once part of her body.”

She ran off to the left without question. I continued to Halfield Manor with the two remaining guards.

If we couldn’t get Annabelle’s device set to Sophie, we’d have to collect the device from Kasomere. This could take hours. I should have kept it in my possession at all times.

I had failed to keep Sophie safe.

Sophie

I woke with my wrists tied to a simple chair in half-darkness. I blinked, my eyes grainy and my mouth dry. I didn’t remember falling asleep. I didn’t remember anything except leaning over Irabel.

My brain was moving sluggishly in contrast to my racing heart as my body screamed at me to wake up. It was cold.

Slowly, I registered voices. I concentrated on them until I could understand the words.

“Well, if you’re sure about this, I’ll wait outside. Just be careful.” I squinted into the shadows in one corner and saw the glint of spectacles. Was that Lord Lyrason?

“I’m always careful.” Father’s voice. As I strained, I saw his shorter figure beside the lord, leaning both hands on his cane. “He won’t find us here.”

“Well, she’s your daughter, so do as you wish. I’ll see you later.” The tall shadowy figure disappeared through the doorway, and fear trickled into my stomach as I realized I was alone with Father.

I needed strength, but with my hands tied to the chair, I couldn’t press the flower on my locket to access the reserve there.

Father’s cane tapped on stone as he approached. “Ah, Sophie, you’re awake. Forgive the theatrics.” He walked to the wall and flicked a switch, turning up the kryalcomy lamps to their normal glow, which made me blink in discomfort. “We were just letting you sleep off the sedative.”

His cane continued to tap as I struggled to get my eyes to focus, and he knelt before me, untying my hands from the armrests. “These were just so you didn’t fall and hurt yourself.” He gave me a placating smile that only made my fear grow.

I licked my lips, trying to wet my mouth enough to speak. My tongue felt too big and clumsy. “What are you doing?” The words came out weak and raspy. This wasn’t the impression I’d wanted to give. But how had I ever thought I’d be able to stand up to Father? When had I ever won a single battle against him?

I didn’t dare reach for my necklace. I didn’t want to give the secret away when it was the only thing that might help me. I would be patient. I massaged my wrists where the rope had dug in.

Father pulled a chair away from the simple plastered wall and set it in front of me. Slowly and deliberately, he sat and folded his hands over his crossed knees. “I’m afraid you made me resort to this, Sophie. I don’t know what you’ve been thinking these last few months. Did you forget all I’ve done for you to get you this station in life? And when I need a favor from you in return, you shut me out.”

I pressed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. I remembered the fertility tonics and the lies and the manipulation, and waited for the growing anger to conquer my fear. He had taken enough from me. I wouldn’t let him take more. I didn’t want to become small again.

I opened my eyes and met his gaze squarely. “You will let me go right now. I wish to return to my house.”

His face twisted in disgust. “Is that how you speak to your father? The one who sacrificed everything so you could live a life out of the gutter. How could you be so ungrateful?”

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