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“You aren’t saying goodbye.”

The mountain falls silent except for the distant rush of the waterfall.

Lark squeezes what little strength remains into Bennidix’s hand. Then, with surprising firmness, he says, “From beneath the moon, Bennidix Marrow Cirillo, you will promise this to me as the protector of Starwatchers.”

Bennidix cannot breathe, the use of his full name freezing him.

“On our friendship,” Lark continues, the words striking home, more powerful than any weapon.

His fingers close around the star stone as he stares at Lark—the brother he chose for his family. The truth lay bare between them, as if written already in the stars. This is the last promise Lark will ever ask of him.

Bennidix bows his head, shoulders shaking from the weight of grief, knowing full well the weight of his next two words. “I promise.”

49

A Friend

The entire world tilts. A nest of angry hornets swarms inside my head as my heartbeat drums painfully against my ribs. The seconds may have stretched on for a millennia as I catch my breath. Spots dance in my vision.

Bennidix is Marrow.

Marrow is Bennidix.

The man with him, Lark, said that he had a baby… A girl.

I fall forward, scraping my palms on the stone. Lark asked Marrow to watch over his baby girl and handed him the star stone. A glimmering purple stone.

A shuddering sob escapes me as I hastily pull the staff from over my shoulder. Marrow’s walking stick that was myraged my entire life to hide its true form. A golden rod with a purple stone clasped at the top.

A purple fucking stone.

I tilt my face up to the stars and weep. The Cebalrai Stone was with me all along. The stone that Lark—my father—retreived from the Cave of Silence years ago. Tears stream down my face as the wind begins to pick up.

Esther moans from her position curled up on the ground.

“Esther!” I shuffle over to her. “Esther, you won’t believe this. I just had another vision. It was with Marrow, your father, and… my father. They were friends.” My sob turns into laughter. “Just like us. They were traveling to get the stones. He put the moon stone in the cave—I’m not sure why—but my father gave Marrow the star stone. ” I place a hand on her back. “He trusted your dad with it, Esther. And Marrow kept it safe! Disguised it as his walking—”

She turns, and I gasp. The entire side of her shirt is now dark with blood.

“No, no no… this cannot be happening. Not again.” I collapse over Esther, shielding her from the cruel universe. Except this time, the Cirillo lies broken on the mountain while the Nox survives. Daughters of a past tragedy destined to play it out once more in a sick juxtaposition. A reprise made of nightmares.

Esther coughs. The corner of her mouth tilts upward. “My inside chest pocket.”

I pull away and wipe under my eyes. “What?”

Esther’s hand shakes as she reaches into her cloak, the movement sending a fresh pulse of blood through the wound.

I yelp and press a hand firmly to her side, attempting to slow the blood loss. “Stop moving! I need to call for Heru. We can get you help.”

“I think I always knew.” Esther’s voice is barely above a whisper.

My shoulders shake as I sob.

Esther places her hand above mine, clenched in a fist. “Now is probably a good time to give you this.” She opens her hand. Sitting in her palm is the Helios Blessing.

“The sun stone!” I sniffle. “How did you get this from the Elders?”

The edges of Esther’s eyes crinkle. Just like her father’s. “Sometimes being underestimated can be helpful.”