Page 62 of Stars May Burn

“Can you tell her that I agree to have dinner with her tomorrow?”

He pulled a disbelieving face. “Seriously, Kasten?”

I held up a finger with a warning look. “It’s not what you think. She tricked me into it. I couldn’t say no.”

A stupid grin slowly grew across his face. “What are you so worried about? You let her into your room, caring for you for over a week. You two must have talked. What’s the difference between meeting in your room and over dinner other than you being properly dressed?”

I shook my head. “It’s different. She wants to bandage and treat me. It helps her studies. It’s her passion. She only asked to have dinner because she feels she has to be a good wife. She doesn’t want to spend time with me. How is that even close to a comfortable situation? And I won’t meet any of her standards for polite company, so the whole experience will probably feel like we’re both pulling teeth.”

Callum rolled his eyes as if I were being overly dramatic. Then he frowned. “Why tomorrow? Why not tonight? You’ve been up since early dawn, and it’s not like you to delay things you’re nervous about.”

“I’m not nervous, I’m just…” I cut myself off, hearing how petty I sounded. I reached over and tossed him the letter from Adenburg.

He opened it and all amusement dropped. “You think this is happening again because they know you’re wounded?”

I grimaced. “Maybe. It would be worrying if so, but we should go and see. Today.”

Callum rubbed his forehead. “You’re not doing this to me, Kasten. You almost died less than two weeks ago, and this is hardly a walk around the park.” He brandished the letter at me. “They might not be Kollenstar soulless, but they’re closer than I’d like. Don’t you want a break from fighting?”

I shrugged. “I’ll be fine. You know I will. I’ll keep to the back of any fighting. We can’t just leave them loose or more people will get killed.”

Callum closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He seemed to be counting before he released it. “When do we leave?”

I glanced at the old clock on the mantelpiece. It was exactly midday. “In two hours. Can you make sure we have enough charged devices? Also I need two new freisk knives. Actually, make that three.”

He rolled his eyes. “What happened to your two? Don’t tell me you tried to block a sword with one again. They’re just for stabbing soulless. You know that.”

I glared at him in response.

He grabbed a dessert bun and stood. “I’ll start getting ready then. What shall I tell Sophie?”

I shrugged. “Tell her I’m on business outside the castle. Let her assume I’m still in Kasomere without directly lying.”

Callum raised an eyebrow. “The more she learns about the city’s mechanisms, the less that excuse will work, you realize.”

I waved him away and looked back to the window. Hopefully, she wouldn’t worry too much now that I was moving about. No need to worry her further by revealing what I was up to. She would be upset if she knew the truth.

SOPHIE

Idrummed my fingers on my windowsill and chewed my lip. It had to be past midnight. Why wasn’t Kasten home yet? Maybe he’d stayed the night somewhere else in Kasomere. An inn perhaps, if he’d grown too tired. The thought made me uncomfortable. What if he was in pain?

I chewed my lip hard enough to taste blood. What was he up to? He’d been close to death only ten days ago and now he was out of the castle and in the city for an entire afternoon and half the night without a word. How could he be so irresponsible? I hadn’t even taken his stitches out yet.

I opened the pane of glass, wrapping my thick shawl tighter around my shoulders though I wasn’t cold. The night was clear with thousands of stars twinkling in peace. This far east, the air didn’t cool much at night, though it was pleasant to feel a slight chill on my face and the breeze bringing the scent of warm, damp earth.

I should go to bed, but I wanted to wait up just in case he returned and needed me to check his wounds. Not that he really needed me for anything. My mood sank further, and I folded my arms on the sill and rested my chin on the back of my hands. What was I doing? Desperately, trying to make myself feel like I actually belonged in his life? He said I had saved him, but he didn’t need saving anymore. I thought we’d grown closer over the last few days, but he was still effectively shutting me out of his life. At least, he’d agreed for the dinner to be tomorrow evening.

It was getting late; I should go to bed or I’d regret it tomorrow. I didn’t want to oversleep again, and I was still so tired from barely leaving Kasten’s side for a week.

Bobbing lights at the inner wall caught my attention, and I perked up when I saw horses appear in the courtyard. One of them whinnied sharply. It sounded distressed. Shadows and lights thickened into a throng around it as people flooded the space. I leaned farther out the window, my hands digging into the carved sandstone. Was that him? Was he all right? What business could involve him coming home in such a hurry at this hour, risking his injuries? Callum had made it sound routine when he’d spoken to me just after midday, but surely this couldn’t be anything good.

The bustle in the courtyard died as quickly as it appeared, and I watched as shadowed figures climbed the stairs to the front door before disappearing from sight.

I closed the window and fastened the shutters, the smell of sandalwood calming my nerves for a moment and helping me compose myself. Would Kasten summon me if his wound was hurting? Probably not. He wouldn’t want to disturb me, and never admitted to being in pain. I hesitated, then fastened my shawl with a brooch as I left my room. I was his wife. Of course, I should check he was well.

The corridor was deserted. Even Dame Tara, my personal nighttime guard, wasn’t at my door. Had Kasten summoned her? Or maybe she was just as curious as me. She thought I had gone to bed hours ago.

I kept my pace quiet and careful as I crept through the silent corridor, the kryalcomy lamps dimmed to light the way in a faint blue haze. Distantly I heard a crash and a hushed shout.

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