Page 121 of A Clash of Stars

The following day, after I bathed in the creepy old house in Cypress, I dressed in the clean clothes Bethany brought me. A white linen button down tucked into tight tan riding pants and black knee-high riding boots to match. When I walked out, Bethany whistled at me, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Yea, this is not the most attractive look,” I said to Bethany.

She laughed at me hysterically, “It’s not supposed to be attractive. It is supposed to be functional. Also, it was all I could find, so…deal with it.”

She smiled at me, and I hiked my leg into the stirrup to swing my leg over the horse Bethany and I would share. Griff and Lettie would obviously share his horse, and I didn’t mind one bit. Bethany kissed the horse’s snout, “Take care of us, old man.”

Bethany and I heard the giggling before we saw them stumble out of the house with Griffin’s arm wrapped around Lettie. Both of them stopped abruptly when they saw us and looked between the two of us. Griffin broke out of the embrace with Lettie and bombarded me with the biggest smile and appreciation.

“Thank you.”

I laughed, “You’re sowelcome, Griff.”

My heart was elated for them. I knew Evander would probably want to set him on fire for sleeping with Lettie, but it’ll be entertaining.

“All right, ladies, today we join the forces of Rhysette and finally get ready to break this curse. We will encounter Aster and Sefida troops. They’re strong, quick, and get the job done. Our job is to get into the Sefida castle, solidify your powers, and find and execute the King.”

He continued to talk, but I became distracted.

Evander, I miss you.

As quickly as I sent that to him, I heard a noise. We all turned our heads to the sound.

Horses.

King Alex.

Son of a bitch.

The King rode in front of the group with polished silver armor that looked like it belonged as décor rather than in battle, a large crown with jewels that could feed a kingdom for dozens of winters, and an arrogant smile fit for a false king.

The horses stopped before us as we stared at him and the two guards. I held my breath as I awaited his initial statement.

“Queen Clara, thank you for my…gift. It’ll fit well next to yours.”

Griffin’s eyes cut at me, knowing damn well what gift he was referring to.

“I’ll make this easy for you. You come with me, and no one else has to die. Also, Lettie, I am so very disappointed in your choices of friends.”

“You have no place in telling me how I should live my life. The only good thing you did was have me. You are not my father. You are not my dad. You are nothing to me,” she bit out at her father.

King Alex sucked his teeth in and looked between Lettie and me. “That wasn’t the right answer, Lettie.”

I narrowed my eyes at the king, jumped off my horse, and took a few giant strides toward him.

“Alex… can I call you Alex? I don’t think I will. You see, my friends and I were coming to visit you. It is obvious that your own children don’t want you around.”

He dismounted his horse and strode towards me with fierce pissed-off energy.

“You know, you’re starting to piss me off.”

Just as quickly as the words came out of his mouth, I felt the burn of the blade across my face, his sword cut through my flesh, and the gaping wound across my eyes. I couldn’t open them, and my face was full of blood. I stayed calm and remembered that I could fight him without looking.

He struck again, and I heard my friends approaching quickly from behind. I telepathically told them to stand down, and they did.

I could get used to having these powers.

He continued to strike, and I ducked out of every swing. That’s when Griffin got my attention by clanging the sword behind me. I stuck my hand out, and he tossed the sword’s hilt into my hand. Once the hilt touched my skin, I was on fire. All I could see was red, literally.

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