Page 81 of Stars May Fall

No, no, no!

Lyrason hit Gregane’s shoulder. “You fool, that was our only other one. I told you to save it!”

Gregane merely shrugged. “You needed the vitality, and she was a good choice. She was strong and healthy.” He helped Lyrason through the hidden door, though Lyrason shook him off, still clutching his wound. I didn’t give them another glance, my attention all on my friend. The most loyal friend I’d ever had.

Meena convulsed. Her skin became pale and her cheeks hollow as all her vitality was sucked out at a terrible speed.

I pulled out my bracelet and dived to her side, sliding it over her wrist. But I was too late. Meena was no longer breathing. I held my ear to her chest. Silence.

She was dead. Her vitality drained.

Panic and grief seized me as my whole body trembled with sobs. There was nothing I could do for her now.

Meena. Not Meena. Why had I told her to attack? Why…why…why?

Her beautiful, strong face was taut and withered and the roots of her glossy black hair had turned grey. She was almost unrecognizable.

The sobs came so hard, it was a struggle to breathe.

I staggered to my feet to glance through the door into the throne room, needing Kasten. I needed him so badly. But I had just gotten one of his best guards killed.

My husband was kneeling at Prince Clarence’s side and pushing his own bracelet over the prince’s wrist. At least, he had reached him in time. Kasten had saved him.

I bit my lip, fighting to concentrate through the tears. Now Kasten wouldn’t have anything to protect him from the halfsouls other than some untested theory about the starstone giving him more vitality. But I was immune. My time with the Originals proved it.

I removed my bracelet from Meena and waited by the door as I fought to bring my breathing under control, my deep, rapidbreaths only making me feel dizzier. I was panicking. The tears weren’t stopping.

Calm. I needed calm. I tried to clear my mind.

In. Out. In. Out.

I stared at Kasten, longing for him to notice me and fight his way here. I wanted him to come and make everything all right again. But chaos surrounded Kasten, soldiers and halfsouls and crossbow bolts making an impossible wall of mayhem between us. He didn’t look through the door and spot me.

I was alone. I needed to be stronger than this. I couldn’t be so dependent on Kasten that I couldn’t do what needed to be done.

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve. I wouldn’t let Meena die in vain. I refused to look at her body. Refused to think past my single goal; I couldn’t let Lyrason and Gregane escape.

And I wasn’t alone. Not yet.

I shoved the tonic to Tilly along with my bracelet. “Give these to Kasten to use on Prince Clarence. Wait a few minutes for them to clear Lyrason’s soldiers, then get to him as soon as it’s safe. It may save the prince’s life. Tell Kasten I’ve gone after Lyrason and to follow me using the detector. If I don’t go now, we’ll lose him forever.”

Tilly looked terrified as I shoved the things in her hands, but she gave me a slight nod.

I brushed her arm, my tears threatening to overwhelm me again. “Thank you for doing this. Tell him to catch up with me soon.”

I unhooked Meena’s freisk knife and curved steel dagger and pushed them through my belt. It gave me strength thinking that part of her was still with me.

I brushed fresh tears angrily from my face and ran to the door behind the tapestry. My heart was a riot in my chest. This was dangerous, but I owed it to Meena to end this. I owed it to everyone who had been made a halfsoul.

I remembered to sound the alarm signal on my detector as I ran down the stairs, turning it for two cycles before I focused all my concentration on running.

I trusted Kasten. He would catch up with me. Then he could stop Lyrason once and for all.

KASTEN

Lyrason’s remaining soldiers started backing away to the far corner, many already running from the throne room. Now they had been abandoned by their lord and faced with my kryalcomy, they were rapidly losing their courage.

No more crossbow bolts sailed down from the gallery, which I assumed meant Sophie, Annabelle, and her loyal followers were making their way down.

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