Page 90 of Stars May Burn

I cursed and paused to lean against the wall, dragging in deep breaths to calm myself. All I wanted was for her to be happy. I needed her to be happy.

I closed my eyes and let my mind go blank. My circular thoughts weren’t helping anyone. All they did was highlight my own powerlessness.

I waited for my heart to calm and the pressure in my head to lessen, before slowly heading up the stairs to the fourth floor to bathe, my muscles protesting with every step. My mind only stayed blank for a moment before the fears began to rise again. I shouldn’t have married her. I hadn’t even kept her safe from her father. I swallowed down my rising nausea.

“Kasten!” I looked up as Callum’s steps hurried down the stairs. “Kasten, you’re back. George Halfield arrived at the castle half an hour ago. Sophie is seeing him in the blue sitting room. I said she could wait for your return, but she was determined to see him straightaway on her own.”

I gaped at him, my pulse pounding in my ears. It had barely been a week since George had last seen her, and she still hadn’t recovered from that.

My rage grew despite my exhaustion. “Why didn’t you send for me?”

He shook his head with a helpless expression. “I sent Finley, but clearly, he didn’t find you. You were miles out.”

I tugged off my filthy coat but kept my sword belt in place. “What does George Halfield think he’s doing? I’m not even away this time. Does he really think he can distress Sophie in front of me and get away with it?” I should have been firmer with them at the palace.

I turned and started back down the stairs to the sitting room, anger making me forget my aching muscles. I clenched my sword.

Callum hurried to catch up. “Kasten, calm down. Remember he’s her brother. He said it was merely a social visit.”

I snarled. “He’s as much a brother to her as Prince Stirling is to me. Why was he even let into the castle?”

Callum grabbed my sleeve. “Kasten, seriously, calm down.”

I pushed him free and stormed to the room, flinging open the doors.

George sat on one sofa drinking tea. Sophie sat opposite him with a fake smile and rigid posture. She’d even dressed up in pale blue chiffon to receive him. Why did she let him have such a hold over her?

Pressed against the back wall were both of Sophie’s maids and Meena. They simultaneously turned to me with worried looks before bowing their heads.

Sophie stood at my entrance. “Kasten, George is here to pay a surprise visit.”

I couldn’t help but assess her for a moment. It had been too long since she’d been this close, and despite the threat, my heart rate accelerated upon seeing her. Her cheeks looked drawn, and she was more pale than usual, her eyes only going as far up as my collar rather than meeting mine. She was achingly beautiful but appeared fragile. Would she be even more withdrawn after today? Was I going to lose her completely after we had come so far?

The young man opposite her stood and bowed to me before looking me up and down. His eyes took in my disheveled appearance and the mud on my boots, which was now making a mess of the carpets. His lips twitched in the faintest sign of disapproval. I rested one of my hands on my sword hilt.

Sophie’s voice was tight, her eyes still not meeting mine. “Why don’t you go and clean up, then we can all have tea?”

I frowned at George as he sat back down. “Why are you here? And unannounced?”

He licked his lips and smoothed back his brown hair before resting his hands on a cane. “It’s primarily a social visit, General, to see my dear sister.” He nodded at Sophie. “But I also wondered if you would consider a business proposal from our father.” He bent down to take some papers from a briefcase.

I folded my arms. “I have no intention of considering any business arrangements, and your presence here is clearly making my wife uncomfortable.”

George licked his lips, taken aback. I supposed he wasn’t used to people talking bluntly to him. He lifted the papers weakly toward Sophie. “If you don’t even consider these arrangements, Father will be very displeased. He will?—”

I took a menacing step forward. “Get out of my house.”

Sophie stood up. “Kasten!”

George looked between me and Sophie. “I am a guest of my sister. Surely, we can negotiate?—”

I loomed over him, and he shrank back on the sofa, tilting his teacup enough to spill hot liquid on his lap.

“Do you know what we do to Kollenstar prisoners? The ones who still have emotions? How we interrogate them when they’re already used to so much cruelty?”

I raised an eyebrow when he didn’t reply, forcing an answer from him.

He startled. “I…I can imagine.”

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