Page 37 of Fallen Star

Breathing hard, I retrieve my dagger from the rocks and sheathe it by my side. My hands are shaking—not from exertion, but from the crushing weight of what just happened.

I can barely process it. I’d think it was a nightmare if it wasn’t for Zoey no longer being here with us.

Riven steps beside me, his eyes sweeping the clearing for any remaining threats. “I think that was the last of them,” he says, although from the way he refuses to look at me, I have a feeling he’s bracing himself for my reaction about Zoey and the dark angel.

Ghost is next to him, and the sadness in the snow leopard’s eyes shows me that he’s devastated about what happened to Zoey, too.

“I have to find her,” I say, projecting before Riven can fight me on it.

One second I’m on the ground. The next I’m balanced on the highest branch of the tree I saw Zoey disappear behind, scanning the sky for any sign of those black wings.

The stars pulse overhead, but they’re no help now. There’s nothing but darkness stretching in every direction.

I leap to the next tree, moving with impossible grace. Then the next. And the next. My desperation grows with each jump, the forest remaining silent and empty below me.

She’s gone.

My best friend is gone.

I got her that potion. She was supposed to be okay. And now…

I have no idea how to find her.

With a cry of frustration, I snap back into my body—where I’m currently cradled in Riven’s arms. He’s moved us behind a large boulder near the falls, sheltered by a cluster of frost-covered pines.

His silver eyes are blazing with fury.

“Are you completely out of your mind?” he snarls, his grip on me tightening. “You can’t just project yourself without warning when we’re in hostile territory. What if another wave of thosethings had emerged while you were—“ He cuts himself off, his jaw clenching. “While you weredeadto the world?”

“I had to try.” I push against his chest, trying to break free. “Zoey’s gone. That dark angel took her, and I?—“

“And you almost got yourself killed in the process.” His voice is sharp as ice. “What good would you be to her then?”

“I don’t care!” The words tear from my throat. “She’s my best friend. Mysister.And now she’s in the hands of those monsters, and it’s all my fault. I should have protected her better. I should have?—“

“Stop.” His grip gentles, but he doesn’t let me go. “This isn’t your fault. But getting yourself killed won’t help her.”

I slump against him, the fight draining out of me as the reality of the situation crashes over me.

“I lost her. I promised I’d keep her safe, and I lost her.” I finally manage to break free of his grip, stumbling to my feet. “We’re going after her,” I tell him. “Now. I don’t care how angry you are at me for projecting. I don’t care about anything except finding her.”

“Sapphire—”

“I promised her she’d be safe!” My voice cracks. “Less than a day ago, I promised her. And now she’s gone. She’s human, Riven. She can’t survive in this realm without us. And if she dies, it’s going to be my fault for bringing her here in the first place.”

“Listen to me.” He stands, reaching for my arm, but I jerk away.

“No, you listen.” Wind stirs around us, and I take a deep breath, not needing the drama of him realizing I have air magic on top of what just happened to Zoey. “She’s going to die. She’s going to die because I was too weak to?—“

“She’s not dead.”

The certainty in his voice stops me. “You don’t know that.”

“Think about it.” He moves closer, and this time when he reaches for me, I let him. “You projected yourself through those trees, searching for her. What did you find?”

“Nothing,” I say, the word bitter on my tongue. “I couldn’t find anything.”

“Exactly.” His fingers tighten around my wrist. “You found nothing. No body. No sign of violence. Which means there’s a higher chance she’s alive than if you’d found her broken at the bottom of those trees.”

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