Page 13 of Stars May Fall

I closed my eyes as I remembered the sorrow and guilt on her face when she injected me. She must have been so distressed bythe whole thing while being so ill. Had Father given her proper treatment at all? Could I have saved her if I’d been given the chance?

I opened my eyes and rubbed my tears away with my sleeve. Kasten stroked my arm with his thumb as he studied my face. “I’m sorry,” he repeated.

I nodded, and one sob escaped. I tried to take a deep, calming breath, but pain lanced my side. Instead, I breathed shallowly and waited until tears were no longer threatening behind my eyes. “And my other sister? Claribel?” The word came out weakly.

Kasten looked to one side, but his thumb didn’t stop its strokes. “Everything has happened very quickly. You’ve been mostly unconscious or sleeping for the last four days. The day after you were cured, the king passed judgment on your father and your brother, George. The next day, he arranged a quick marriage for Claribel with a countryside lord’s son from a minor house. I don’t know him, but I’ve ordered a low-key investigation. I suspected you would want to know she’s safe. Your step mother went with her. George and Sir Halfield have been exiled from Adenburg and had their land confiscated. They will have no power or resources, but I have a man watching them just in case you wanted to be kept informed of their actions. I hear they’ve become tenants of a farm and have started work there as of yesterday. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.” He rubbed his chin.

I blinked, processing the sudden changes slowly. “Miss Claris?”

Kasten’s lip twitched into a brief, subtle smile. “All of Sir Halfield’s staff have been dismissed and his estate divided. Callum saw to it to help Miss Claris find new employment by writing some rather entertaining references for her without herknowledge. She is currently cleaning public latrines and finds herself unable to find any other employment.”

Relief that I would never have to see Father, George, or Miss Claris again made me close my eyes.

“Princess Annabelle is also fine.” My eyes snapped open, and Kasten shook his head, looking away. “Ah, though I forget, you wouldn’t have known she was there. I never had the chance to tell you.”

Princess Annabelle? I rubbed the heels of my hands into my eyes as if to force my brain to work. Why couldn’t I make sense of all of this? My memories and thoughts felt so slow.

Kasten caught my wrists and removed my hands from my face. “Don’t push yourself. I can explain more later, and you have a lot to process. Right now, both your body and your mind need rest.”

I focused on relaxing my body, which was easier than I had expected, being cradled in Kasten’s arms. I felt content here. I let my mind go blank, the muffled noise of hoofbeats lulling me until I was half-asleep. After a while, my body became stiff, and I shifted tenderly, the pain in my side still very much present. I became more alert and looked around the carriage, Kasten’s arms preventing me from sitting up. The curtains were drawn but dim light still danced through. I could make out the distorted shadows of people on horseback.

I twisted in Kasten’s lap to look up at his face. “You don’t normally ride inside with me.”

Kasten gave one of his half smiles. “No, I didn’t.”

I frowned, thinking back. “Except for our wedding day when you were so desperate to get away, you climbed out the door while we were still moving.”

He snorted. “Well, I was worried your dress would fall off.”

I snuggled back down. “That was entirely your fault.”

“It was. And from now on, I’m riding in here with you. When you were unconscious, I felt sick at the amount of time I had wasted when I could have been with you. I never want to leave your side again.”

Despite everything, I couldn’t help but smile. “Never?”

“Never.”

“Even if I’m knee deep in the bog.”

His smile grew, and he chuckled. “Even then.”

“What about the bathroom?”

He sighed; it was almost the long-suffering sigh he generally saved for Callum. “Well, I’ll just be on the other side of the door.”

I started to laugh, then winced as the jolt of pain returned. My ribs still ached fiercely down one side, and the carriage ride seemed to only be making it worse. I vaguely remembered Father kicking me, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

Kasten’s good humor vanished at once. “What is it? What’s wrong? Do you need more medication for the pain? Or a sick bowl? Is the position you’re in uncomfortable? I have a sleeping draught here as well if you need.”

I shook my head and practiced a deep breath. Again, my side ached with sharp pain. I focused on taking calm, small breaths, but they made me a little dizzy. I needed a distraction.

“How far is Kasomere?”

Kasten frowned as if I were hiding something from him but answered the question. “At this incredibly slow pace, four more hours. You’ve been asleep for a long time already on this journey. The physician said it was important for you to sleep as much as possible so your brain could recover.”

I studied the long, sharp shape of his eyes and elegantly pointed chin, wondering how I had ever thought him anything other than the most handsome man I had ever seen. Features I had once interpreted as unfeeling now spoke of strength and resolve. His eyes, which I had once labeled cruel, now appearedsoft and full of emotion. And his lips had always been full, in contrast with everything else. His stubble made him seem more human, more reachable.

He lowered his head closer to mine. “What are you thinking about?” Kasten’s voice had become softer, tentative, as if he barely dared ask permission to see inside my mind.

---