Page 35 of Golden Star

Ghost turns his massive head toward me, his icy blue eyes locking on mine.

I reach out instinctively, my fingers brushing against his fur.

He’s solid. Real.

This isn’t a dream.

Somehow—by some miracle—I’m free. I have no idea how to get back inside the tower to Zoey, but being up there wasn’t helping either of us, anyway.

This is my chance to save us. Possibly myonlychance.

So, I pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, tucking my hair inside to hide its unmistakable icyblonde color with blue highlights on the bottom tips.

Ghost watches me, his gaze steady, as if he knows how desperate I am.

“Take me to Riven,” I whisper, terrified that someone else might be lurking nearby to hear.

The giant snow leopard lowers himself to the ground, allowing me to climb onto his back. I settle in, get a firm grip on his fur, and he bolts forward with a speed that steals my breath away.

The world around me blurs as we race across the snow and weave through the trees, leaving the isolated prison tower far behind and giving me a burst of hope through the frozen fear I’ve been experiencing for days.

I just hope I can get back to Zoey before it’s too late.

Sapphire

Ghost moves with precision,his paws barely making a sound on the snow, as if he knows exactly where he’s going.

I don’t have a plan—I barely know what I’m doing—but I trust Ghost. He’s my only shot at finding Riven.

The trees thin, and finally, I see it. The palace looming ahead, its massive icy walls shimmering under the moonlight like a fortress carved from the heart of winter itself.

Ghost slows as we reach the edge of the forest and stops next to the palace’s back wall, beneath an open window on the second floor.

Through the dim glow of the interior lights, I see a figure moving inside.

Riven.

Now, I need to get to him. But I can’t scream up athim from down here. It’s too risky that someone else will hear me. If they do, I’ll be dragged back to the tower before I can plead my case to Riven in private.

I need to get up there, to what I assume is his room.

Maybe I can teleport inside. Just like how I teleported down to the base of the tower to Ghost.

I stare up at the window, focusing on my need to get up there. I imagine standing beside Riven, inside the warmth of the palace, finally alone with him again.

Nothing happens.

I curse beneath my breath and try again, pushing with every ounce of willpower I can gather.

Again, nothing.

And I don’t plan on standing out here all night. So, it looks like I’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.

I glance around the area, my gaze stopping on a large tree looming nearby, its branches thick enough to hold my weight.

Without hesitation, I hurry over to it and start to climb—just like how Zoey and I used to climb trees when we were kids.

She was always a faster climber—nimbler, and more impulsive. But I could still get to the top. Slower, and with more concentration, but I never gave up.

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