Page 12 of Fallen Star

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“When I heard you through the stone, I ran to find you.” His voice is flat, emotionless. “But they followed me. Tracked me through the forest.”

“And?” I press, even though I’m not sure I want to hear the answer.

“There was only one way to stop them.” He clenches his jaw, pressing his lips together, not saying more.

Which tells me everything I need to know.

“You killed them,” I say the words he apparently can’t.

“I did what I had to do,” he says, stone cold. “I slew my own men for you.Which means the three of us—me, you, and Zoey—are fugitives from the Winter Court.”

Sapphire

“Fugitives,”I repeat, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

“Yes.” He holds my gaze. “So, if you’re having second thoughts about trusting me, now would be the time to voice them. Because there’s no going back. Not for any of us.”

I glance between him and Zoey.

Riven killed his own knights—men who served him and were loyal to him—to come help us.

Either he’s completely insane, or...

Or he really does want to help.

And right now, looking at Zoey’s pale face and blood-soaked bandages, I don’t have the luxury of questioning which it is.

“I’ll do it,” I say, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “I’ll brew the potion.”

Riven doesn’t look surprised. If anything, he looks like he expected this.

Every muscle in my body tightens, immediately on edge.

“Good,” he says, nodding slightly. “But if we’re going to do this, we need to make a deal first.”

“You want to negotiatenow?”My voice sharpens. “When Zoey’s right heredying?”

“You forget that she means nothing to me,” he says coldly. “I’m invested inyou.You’re the one I need alive. Not her. She’s simply a means for me to have you.”

A breeze blows through the cave—one that could easily be blamed on coming through the frost ivy hanging over the entrance—but I know where it’s really from.

Me.

It’s my air magic. The type of magic only vampires should have.

I have to control it.

Riven can’t find out what I am.

So, I take a deep breath and pull my magic back inside me, refusing to let it come out.

Zoey’s life is on the line.

I won’t let her die because I lost control of my magic and let Riven discover I’m a monster.

“Tell me what you want,” I say once I’m confident I’ve gotten control of myself.

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