Page 32 of Stars May Burn

They moved. I moved. Always in the shadows. Always indirect.

They’d been swift. But then, I always needed more time, however long I got. And who knew, maybe I’d survive this too. Or maybe Callum was right, and it was better to get it over and done with.

“Tell the rider his orders have been received. Don’t let him linger.”

I raised a hand to Callum before he could remark on the news and went to run myself a bath.

Sophie

The morning was still young, but I loved the smell of dew on the earth and the way it dazzled on the grass. I’d taken my typical hour break outside in the cooler weather before breakfast today, as I’d done yesterday. My worries seemed less intrusive at this time of day. Kasten had arrived home yesterday morning, and I hadn’t even been told until lunchtime. He hadn’t called on me or contacted me. He had to be very busy doing far more important things than seeing me. That made sense when we were at war. I wouldn’t want to distract him from the life and death matters he must be dealing with.

I tried not to let the ache of rejection grow or encourage the weightless, ungrounded sensation to return. The gardens were the perfect distraction.

The lands behind the castle weren’t extravagant, but they were well-maintained and large. There were enough nooks and crannies for me to still be discovering new plants or benches or small ponds. I got the impression that the general had pretty much given the gardeners free rein, which would account for all the differing styles: immaculate rose beds, dry rockeries full of trailing flowering plants including a beautiful carpet of lisalthis, and the wildflower meadows surrounded by hazel trees that grew in a shady valley. Then there was the sandy area with some fan palms and cacti and some short plump plants I didn’t recognize and guessed were native to Tyrazastan. I’d already taken up quite a lot of one young gardener’s time this week, asking him what everything was called.

I was still trying to decide where my own garden patch would be the least intrusive. I didn’t want to be in anyone’s way or risk needing to move it at a later date.

Along the furthest reaches of the land, near the external wall that separated us from the city, the ground was rougher and the grass longer. A pretty avenue of overgrown lilacs lined an old track that looked like it might once have been a back entrance to the estate. Between the bushes, some granite boulders sparkled dully. I suspected nobody would care what I did down here. It was by far the most neglected area.

I turned to Meena. I’d woken early and decided not to disturb my maids; they deserved some time off, and Meena’s company was quite adequate. My simple linen gown and cotton bodice hadn’t needed any extra hands to fasten, and I guiltily admitted to myself, it was nice to have some peace and quiet. Lucy was wonderful, but she talked a lot.

Meena raised her eyebrows in question, and I pointed to some dead branches on the ground in a half-shaded area that showed promise. “Would you mind assisting me since you’re so much stronger than me? If you could move those branches, I’d like to see the soil quality.”

Meena’s lips twisted with amusement, but she started dragging the branches away with little effort. I bent to look at the soil. It was thin and rocky. I moved closer to the lilacs. They seemed healthy, which could mean a trench had been dug around them and filled with better soil. I ducked under the closest leaves, becoming drenched in the smell of the purple cascades, then stepped onto the packed-dirt road.

A rustle beside me made me startle.

I turned to see a man stumbling from the bushes. I frowned at his vaguely familiar face. It was the fugitive from the carriage I had bumped into in the corridor dressed as a servant. His coat was dirty and scuffed as if he’d been hiding in the undergrowth. Had he broken into the estate or was he working here now? I was so shocked to see him, my breath caught, and my mouth worked of its own accord. “Good morning.”

He blinked at me with an expression I couldn’t read. “Forgive me, my lady. I need your help.” His intense gaze and the suppressed energy in his posture made my mouth dry. Something wasn’t right.

I looked behind me, but we were alone, separated from Meena’s sight by the bushes. Why had I given her a job in the other direction? I had always felt so safe here, I had never understood why I needed a guard. But now, I would have preferred her by my side, even if this turned out to be nothing. I straightened my back and folded my hands in front of my skirts. “You should present yourself at the castle. I’m sure my husband will speak to you if you ask for an audience.” I gave him a small nod and started to turn away.

The man’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. I gasped as my pulse started to race. His hand was rough and calloused, and his grip was tight. “I’m sorry, but I need your help.”

My throat tightened, and I could only manage to gasp, “What?”

He brought his face close, and I could smell his breath. “The general must help us. He must. We have the same goals, the same enemies. If we allied our resources and could use him to access the king, we would be unstoppable. Surely you can see this?”

I tried to pull my hand free, but his grip was iron. “I have no part in my husband’s business,” I gasped. A familiar sensation of helplessness settled over me. I tugged against his grip again. Should I scream?

“I’m sorry, my lady. I really am. But this is life and death for us.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he twisted my arm behind my back and lifted it until I cried out. Cold metal pressed to my throat. I whimpered in shock. I didn’t understand. What could he possibly want from me?

“Release her.” The words were so cold and efficient, I didn’t recognize them as Meena’s until the man slowly turned us to face her, the dagger still at my throat.

I hadn’t heard her approach or draw her sword. The long length of metal gleamed in the leaf-speckled sunlight. Her stance was ready, and if I’d thought her tall before, she loomed even taller now.

The man dragged me back a step, the sharp metal pressing harder with the movement. “Tell the general I will release her if he promises to share his resources. We need your kryalcomy. If he won’t help us directly, he could supply us. It’s the only way to stop Lord Lyrason.”

Meena’s cold expression didn’t waver. “This is your last chance to release her, Jacob.”

I felt a tremble in the man’s chest against my back. “Tell the general…”

Meena moved in a blur. One minute she was before me, the next I was falling, my arm no longer held. I hit the dirt awkwardly on my shoulder and rolled away, my legs tangling in my skirts. I scrambled to sit up, raising my arms in case the man was still after me. But everything was still. Meena stood over the man who lay unconscious on the ground.

The guard sheathed her sword—she wasn’t even breathing hard—and her eyes flashed to mine. “My lady, are you all right? I’m so sorry, he should have never gotten so close…”

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