Kjeld couldn’t stop himself. He turned toward her, crowding her space. Gripping her shoulders gently, he forced her to meet his gaze. “You are forgetting your past, Caelian.”
Her eyes welled with a sheen of unshed tears. “What do you mean?”
“Aeramere was once ruled by King Nytherion Starstorm.” Kjeld only knew because Drake had studied the Starstorm family history when he thought the blood of stars could break his curse. “King Nytherion was overthrown by Elowyn some time after she left Wenfyre, his dormant magic making him an easy target for her to conquer. Only his heir, your father, survived. As the years passed, it became clear the Starstorms no longer posed a threat to Elowyn’s rule. Until…”
He waited for her to see it, for understanding to dawn.
Caelian sucked in a sharp breath, searching his face for the answer she knew was right. “Until Novalise. Until the starstorm.”
“Right.” Kjeld’s rough palms skimmed down her shoulders to where she fiddled with the ribbons of her skirts. He covered her fidgeting hands with his own, calming her, because he knew what he was about to say next would be a devastating blow. “It is likely Elowyn thought if Zenos married Trysta, the bloodline would become more diluted, but all their joining did was strengthen what was already a powerful force. If your father, Zenos Starstorm, knew that Novalise possessed the long dormant starstorm, if he knew thatanyof your siblings controlled a cataclysmic power, he would have challenged Elowyn. He would have taken back what was rightfully his—the throne. The Starstorm throne.”
A single tear rolled down her left cheek, and he didn’t try to catch it.
“So they killed him.” When Caelian spoke, her voice was hoarse, like her throat was full of gravel and sand. Gritty. She shuddered, blowing out a harsh, shaking breath. “And Mother thought she could maintain control of us, of our magic. That her web of lies would hold.”
“There is no greater strength than the power of knowledge.” Morwyn took a small sip of tea, her words hanging in the thickening air.
Caelian sniffled, then tucked a loose strand of silvery-pink hair behind her ear. Tears clung to her lashes, but they refused to fall. Either that, or she wouldn’t allow herself to cry. “But if she and Queen Elowyn were on the same side, why would my mother take her own life after she was found out? One would assume the queen would spare her?”
“What you must understand, sweet star child, is that Elowyn holds no place in her heart for anyone.” Morwyn stood, padding quietly around the small table dividing them, then knelt before Caelian. She cupped Caelian’s face, her thumbs lightly stroking the apples of her cheeks, easing the fear harbored there. “She cares only for herself. Her own wants and desires. Nothing else and no one else.”
“Not even her son?” Caelian asked, daring a glance Kjeld’s direction.
He knew she worried for Sarelle and her budding relationship with Prince Aspen. Who, in Kjeld’s opinion, was proving to be more valiant and dauntless than he expected. For some time, he and Drake debated whether Aspen could be trusted. He showed great courage at Novalise and Asher’s wedding, single-handedly ending the assault of dark magic, likely caused by Queen Elowyn. Not only that, but his ability to shift into the Eyrewolf made him an extraordinary ally. If he was, in fact, on their side.
Morwyn sat back on her heels, her warm brown eyes filling with an emotion Kjeld couldn’t place. But it resembled sorrow. “Elowyn has a son?”
“Yes. Prince Aspen.” The corner of Caelian’s mouth lifted slightly. “He’s…well, he’s handsome. A bit cutthroat and often ruthless, though I am beginning to think he has a soft spotfor my sister, Sarelle. That being said, his relationship with his mother has been strained for quite some time.”
“Not surprising,” Morwyn murmured. “And he’s a Druid, as well?”
“Partly, I believe. There are rumors it was a tragic death, but the demise of Prince Aspen’s father was very much kept under wraps.” Caelian’s brows pulled together. “If I recall correctly, he was fae, but he never held a title. He was neither a king nor the queen’s consort, he was just there. Until one day, he was no more. Come to think of it, I don’t even remember his name.”
“How peculiar,” Morwyn mused, pushing up from the floor. She tapped one finger to her chin in contemplation, her mouth turning into a frown. “Though it makes me wonder about Elowyn’s schemes. Especially if her son is also attempting to take a stand against her.”
“Whatever it is, she must be stopped.” Caelian stood abruptly, fisting her hands at her sides. “If Queen Elowyn intends to end my family line, then I must return home at once and warn them. My sister is with child, and I cannot stand by and do nothing while their lives are at risk.”
Admiration moved Kjeld to stand alongside her. Caelian might have been lacking magic, but it was clear her spirit had returned. Determination burned bright in her eyes, so the pools of deep blue caught fire, sparkling like a midnight sky illuminated by the glow of a thousand stars.
Before he could keep himself in check, he took hold of her hand and linked their fingers together. “You will not fight alone.”
She looked to where their hands were joined, staring at the way his large fingers swallowed hers. Then she pulled her hand from his grasp, her gaze finally flicking up to his face. “I know. My brothers and sisters will fight with me.”
The sting of humiliation bit the back of his neck and burned his cheeks. Kjeld shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, taken aback by her brazen refusal of him. “I only meant?—”
“I know exactly what you meant. And I do not require your pity or your sympathy. You owe me no favors, and I am not in your debt.” Caelian took a painfully obvious step away from him, lifting her chin in defiance. “Brackroth is your home, as you’ve made sure I know well enough, and I wouldn’t dare ask you to fight on my behalf. But my allegiance remains with my family and with Aeramere. Always. Therefore, I must return as soon as possible.”
“Be calm, sweet child of the stars.” Comforting warmth bloomed in the sitting area as Morwyn spoke, her aura soothing the rise of tension and tempers. “Elowyn plans. She plots. She waited years for the perfect opportunity to seize control over Wenfyre while my mother and I were gone. She will not act in haste, not when she knows there is a chance she can lose all she’s worked to accomplish. You need not fear her making any drastic decisions.”
Caelian huffed once, fidgeting with the hem of her flowing sleeves. She was restless, her unease palpable. Her weight shifted from one bare foot to the other, and she worried her bottom lip, scraping it with her teeth until it was puffy and swollen. Kjeld stared, his gaze fastened to her mouth.
Kjeld blinked, forcing himself to look elsewhere, but he addressed Caelian. “Morwyn is right. Queen Elowyn is tactful and with the Midsummer Season already upon them, she will be preoccupied with approving and arranging marriages for most of Aeramere.”
“Thank you for that wonderful reminder,” Caelian muttered.
“You claimed you wanted to explore Wenfyre, that you wanted to understand the cause behind your mother’s actions. Surely you want to stay longer than a few hours?” Kjeld didn’tknow why he was so determined to convince her to stay in Wenfyre for any great length of time. It shouldn’t matter to him either way. He cared not for the Midsummer marriage season, and he should’ve been grateful that she wanted to return home early. Because the sooner Caelian was back in Aeramere, the quicker he could head to Brackroth. But then he remembered the other, more pertinent reason they left. “Besides, Astrylys’s eggs will be hatching soon, and I imagine Wenfyre is a safer place than most for baby dragons to be born.”
Caelian’s mouth fell open as though she meant to argue, but no words came out.
