Page 114 of A Clash of Stars

He grabbed my wrist, and I flung my hand away.

“No. We can talk about it now,” I demanded.

He grunted in frustration and closed the space between us.

“You are the absolute love of my life Clara, but you are the biggest pain in my ass. Do you ever listen when someone tells you to do something? Ever?”

I scoffed at him. “I’m not a child. We’ve already had this conversation before. I refuse to be a pawn in this game, Evander. Tell me now if I need to know something, or I won’t be going with Griffin.”

I saw the big-bodied Griff enter my peripheral vision through the window. Smirking, obviously knowing we were arguing.

He rolled his neck around to withhold his heated anger from filling up the space we were in.

“If I tell you, will you go, no questions asked?”

I nodded in agreement.

“I am serious, Clara, no questions.”

“Yeah, yeah. I agree with those terms. Now tell me.”

He sighed and walked towards the door, leaning against it with his hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it and leave.

“When we all returned with your father, your mother was completely distraught, and we were all so distracted by his death that we ignored our surroundings. Sefida Capital soldiers and Aster soldiers moved in and overthrew the castle. They captured your mother and Jeremiah. Lettie got Bethany out, and they’re currently returning to Rhysette. You’re going to meet them there.”

I went to say something, then remembered my agreement and turned to walk out the door to approach the horses.

Was my mother okay?

Why would they capture her and Jeremiah?

If I had my facts straight, the King of Aster had his wife, Amari, locked up, along with my mother and Jeremiah. This led my thoughts to which kings and queens were on our side and who was on the King of Aster’s side.

I felt a hand grip my wrist turning me around to face the man who infuriated me and gave me purpose.

“Another thing is your father knew. He knew someone would kill him because he gave me this letter during our meeting at Elistayre.”

Evander reached out a piece of paper to me, and I gently gripped the paper in my hands before lifting my eyes back to him.

He placed his hand on my lower back, leading me towards Griffin. Griff hopped up on his horse, extending his hand to me.

Before I could reach for his hand, Evander swooped in and kissed me so hard that I could feel his pain. I felt his nervousness and aching heart as he pulled back and left one soft lingering kiss on my lips before hoisting me up behind Griff on the horse.

“If you run into any trouble, kill them.”

I nodded, then we were off. I turned around to watch Evander mount his horse and rode off toward my home.

The castle I grew up in.

The place where I lost my father and would most likely lose my mother.

I blocked it out, reminding myself what Luke had told me. I would kill the King and anyone who stood in my way. I was furious and ready to end this once and for all.

Chapter 35

Iended up falling asleep with my cheek on Griffin’s back and when I awoke, I wiped away the drool that stained the back of his shirt. I didn’t know where we were, so I leaned back, taking in our surroundings of the forest when a voice startled me.

“Clara, we have to stop for the horse to rest. Just a little way up the road is a guard tower. Once we finish our break, we will walk towards the tower, and you should fully expect to fight. You understand?”

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