Page 79 of Stars May Fall

Kasten’s voice was tight. “You realize this might end up in Callum and Prince Clarence’s deaths? Are you really prepared to gamble with their lives?”

My hands shook slightly. “Yes, because I’ll do anything to save my kingdom. Now!”

Kasten swore, turned, and swiped his blade through the air. A blinding arc of silvery light sped down into the center of the room.

As I’d hoped, Lyrason lifted his hand to shield his eyes instead of cutting Clarence’s throat. I aimed where I predicted Lyrason would stumble back and fired.

Kasten’s arc hit Lyrason’s shield, and a blinding explosion filled the entire room below us. The walls shook, and I stumbled as the gallery tipped. Cracks appeared up one wall as islands of plaster crumbled down.

As the bright light cleared, dust clouds drifted across the air. I saw a swathe of fallen bodies across the room. Kingdoms, the starstone was powerful. Lyrason was crouched on the floor, a crossbow bolt in his belly. The second bolt was embedded in Clarence’s shoulder where he knelt, sagging to one side. Greganewas knocked to the floor, splayed on his back but already rising, apparently unharmed. Callum had disappeared.

Before I could take stock of the full situation, Kasten fired another wider arc down, the silver energy felling half the soldiers on the opposite side of the room. “I’ll get Lyrason before he can recover.” He turned behind us and shouted to Sophie, “Stay away from the fighting.” Then he unhooked a grappling hook from his bracer and attached it to one of the chairs before flinging himself from the balcony and descending into the chaos.

I shook myself back into alertness and looked over the balcony. There was no way I could get down to the floor, and plenty of enemy soldiers were still standing. I looked back at Lyrason who hadn't risen from his sitting position. Gregane was crouched over him. The two seemed to be arguing. Clarence was discarded, lying beside them, his fingers pressing down on his shoulder around the arrow, though there didn’t appear to be much blood. Even from here, I could see the pain on his pale face. He was so alone.

My poor brother. My confidence trembled.

Sophie

I’d watchedthe scene unfold from the shadows at the corner of the rail, my hands pressed to my mouth. So much fighting, death and disloyalty. I didn’t understand how Kasten and Annabelle could be so composed. I couldn’t be any more out of place. This was Kasten’s world, and I was bewildered in it. I was small and lost.

I closed my eyes and composed myself. No, just because I couldn’t fight, didn’t mean I couldn’t be useful. I had to be brave.

I opened my eyes to a bright explosion that forced me to look away. When it cleared, I saw both Lyrason and Prince Clarence had been shot by bolts. I leaned forward in alarm and clutched the gallery rail. Prince Clarence clutched at his shoulder. Even from here, I could see his face growing pale and his breathing become shallow and rapid. He collapsed back, his hands still on his shoulder. He didn’t seem to be breathing heavily, but he was going into shock. Many people died from such a wound even without the blood loss or a vital organ being pierced. I had to help him.

Kasten looked me in the eyes from across the balcony. “Stay away from the fighting.” He leapt over the rail without hesitation, using one of Callum’s grappling hooks. My heart clenched with worry, and I tried to fight it. My husband would be fine. He had the power of the starstone. I looked at the mess of soldiers below. Kasten wouldn’t make it to Clarence any time soon. And the prince needed help now.

Kasten wouldn’t like it, but I was stronger than he thought I was, and the need was dire. If I didn’t act now, poor Clarence could die a painful death.

I patted the medical supplies in my white leather bag to reassure myself, turned, and ran for the main door. The key was in the lock. Meena was already at my back. She raised an eyebrow in question. I had a feeling she was going to end up telling me off again. “Stay close,” I whispered with a smile that was both apologetic and pleading. “We need to save Prince Clarence.”

Meena didn’t hide her worry but nodded.

I turned to the maids, Tilly and Dorothea, apologetically. “I don’t know the palace well. Can you get me as close toPrince Clarence as possible while avoiding the soldiers and the fighting? I want to treat his injuries if I can get the opportunity.”

The two women looked over my shoulder with uncertain expressions. Tilly turned to Dorothea. “I’ll take her. You stay with Princess Annabelle in case she needs you.”

I smiled my thanks and let myself be led down the main corridor, Meena close behind me. The thick blue carpet muffled our footfalls. There wasn’t much to hide behind, but the corridor was deserted. All of Lyrason’s soldiers must have been occupied by the fighting inside.

We turned a corner, and Tilly pointed to a closed door in the wall. “That door leads to the center of the throne room, but if you go through, they’ll be sure to see us, my lady. What should we do?”

Meena stepped in front of me, so she was between me and the door. “I can’t defend you from all those soldiers,” she warned. “Some of them might have kryalcomy devices as well.”

I debated while my heart thudded. Then the door handle started to turn. I pushed Tilly to one side, and we hurried behind the nearby floor-length curtains bordering a window while Meena hid behind the opening door itself. I peeked between the folds and gasped. Soldiers were dragging a large cage out of a side room. From inside, the angry shrieks and violent rattles could only belong to a halfsoul. Was Lyrason going to set it loose on the room? Or would he be able to extract more vitality from it if he brought it closer?

I shook my head. Those were problems for later. We waited for the cage to be pushed through the door and the soldiers to be out of sight before we left the cover of the curtains. They hadn’t closed the door into the throne room behind them. From a safe distance, I dared to peek at what was happening on the other side.

Annabelle

My heart thudded so hard,and my chest ached as I watched my brother’s agony. He was out of my reach. Kasten was clearing soldiers rapidly, but he was still too far away.

Lyrason started gesturing wildly, and I focused on his lips. It seemed he wanted to pull out the arrow in his stomach while Gregane was shaking his head and holding up his palms. I frowned. I supposed Lyrason couldn’t heal using the vitality from the halfsouls while it was still buried in his body. But if he pulled it out, the blood loss might kill him before he could heal.

Either way, he seemed to be in barely any pain. Just how much haemalcomy he was using? Why wouldn’t the man just die?

Lyrason seemed to win the argument, and Gregane turned from him, rising and running to a side door. Gregane shouted at some guards, and they entered the throne room pushing a large cage on wheels, covered by a blanket. It rocked as if something was inside it, violently trying to get out. I straightened and raised my crossbow once more.

They wouldn’t…not here…

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