Lothaire loosed a sigh laden with frustration. “I understand.”
“But fuck, I wish I could bite her now.”
Lothaire’s rich voice rattled Caelian’s thoughts, slithering into her like ribbons of satin. It was an echo at first, cavernous, and then…it floated through her mind. Waiting. And her blood stirred. Her palm itched.
It was a wish.
Lothaire’s wish.
One she could grant, if she dared.
Caelian reared back, gasping, and he released her. She threw her arms out in front of her, trembling, digging her nails into her palms. There was enough, just enough to launch one single star into the sky, to watch it streak through the midnight heavens, and in return…she would let Lothaire taste her blood.
“Lady Caelian?”
His voice was a distant rumble, garbled, shrouded by the chaos circulating through her mind.
“How do you fair?” Concern clogged his tone. “You look terribly pale.”
She blinked, looking at him. But his face wouldn’t come into focus. It was there, but hazy, like walking through a dream. Real but not tangible.
Lothaire reached for her, but she dodged his grasp, stumbling away from him. The hum of her magic ebbed. Already the sliver of magic was just out of her reach.
“No.” Caelian shook her head violently. “No!”
It was like some kind of sick, twisted joke, as though she hadn’t been punished enough by the stars already. How cruel of them to tease her with a glimpse of her magic by forcing her to do something she never wanted because of a single wish.
Which was exactly what she’d done to Kjeld.
Fires burned, blurring together into an inferno. The smoke was too heavy now, it stung her eyes, sending a rush of tears streaming down her cheeks. Blindly, she staggered back toward the castle, ignoring Lothaire as he shouted her name. Her stomach heaved and beads of sweat formed along her brow. She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead and clutched her stomach with the other, unable to keep going any longer.
Caelian shoved her hair back from her face, keeled over, and retched.
Swallowing down the rise of bile, she forced herself to look up at the night sky. To the stars.
For she would curse them all.
But her vision swam and darkness closed in, engulfing her.
“CAELIAN!”
She knew the voice, knew the owner, for she’d dreamt of him every night. But her consciousness failed her.
Caelian’s body swayed, her heart lurched, and all the stars burned out.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kjeld thought for sure that fucking vampire had drained her dry of blood.
He’d watched in horror as Caelian had lurched away from Elder Lothaire. He’d started running the second she began to vomit. And he’d dropped to his knees to catch her before she hit the ground. She was lethargic and limp, her skin cool and clammy, pale as the first snowfall. He could not describe the relief he felt after discovering she’d not been bitten, but her current state did nothing to ease his rage.
It was only because Caelian was cradled in his arms and still breathing that he didn’t takeKaldflamto Lothaire’s neck.
He blamed his concern on her damned wishes, but he knew part of the reason he came to her rescue was guilt. And the weight of it burdened him like nothing else.
He’d been so heartless. So cruel. He’d publicly shunned her, then sent her off with a damn vampire in a world she knew nothing about. What the hell had he been thinking? What if Lothaire had taken her? What if he’d bitten her? Hell, what if he’dturnedher? Kjeld would never be able to forgive himself. Worse, Drake and the entire Starstorm clan would likely disown him—if not kill him outright.
Now, three days later, Caelian was curled on her side beneath a blanket of velvet, and though color was slowly seeping back into her cheeks, her eyes did not open. But her heart was steady, a constant beat that brought him comfort. Reminded him she was alive. Her breathing was even and deep as she slept, her lips just barely parted.
