Page 5 of Between These Broken Hearts (Cursed Stars #2)

There is no mantra, no measured breathing, no ring that could allow me to explore Feegus Keep without this horrible pit of

fear in my belly. I’ve been here for hours and it’s no better now than it was when I walked away from my goblin and turned

my Enchanting Lady smile on the guards at the front gate.

The halls I’ve roamed show no sign of the atrocities that are committed inside these walls. Somewhere deep beneath these winding

corridors, with their meeting spaces and utilitarian bunk rooms, is the dungeon where Mordeus held me, where I spent the worst

weeks of my life.

Thanks to my ring, the guards only saw the Enchanting Lady. They had no idea how much I was shaking on the inside. But any

boldness I might feel from these successes—entering this stronghold and exploring it freely—is dampened by the feeling that

I’m being followed.

I look over my shoulder again, and again I see only those who seem to belong here.

I glance toward the windows at the end of the stone hall to estimate how much time I have left before the sun rises.

The moon is still high, but I could spend the entire night searching for the sword and still not see every room in this place.

Its endless, curving stairwells alone are too much, and that’s not even counting the levels beneath the surface I’ve been avoiding.

You slept for eight months. You can’t afford to let fear slow you now.

Down the hall someone is coming toward me, whistling. Her robe is cinched around her waist and there’s a towel thrown over

her shoulder as if she’s just come from the shower.

“Excuse me!” I call, jogging toward her. She stops and flashes me a bright smile. “I’m looking for the Sword of Fire.”

The Sword of Fire is supposed to have a special magic that can take you anywhere you want to go and kill even the strongest

immortal. Kendrick was hoping we could find the mythical sword at Feegus Keep. He wanted it so I could find and kill Erith,

the wicked leader who’s brought harm on so many Elorans. I want it to find and kill Mordeus.

“You are so kind,” she says, stepping toward me like there’s a magnet drawing her my way. “I want to help you. Anything you

need.”

I grapple for my patience. I need this ring to get these people to do my bidding, but the fawning I’ve encountered with each

person I’ve spoken to has become tedious. “Tell me where I can find the Sword of Fire.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know what that is, but I’ll help you look.”

I manage to contain my sigh of frustration. So far no one I’ve spoken with knows anything about the sword. It makes sense that Mordeus wouldn’t have told everyone stationed here about the valuables they’re guarding, but surely someone knows.

I try again. “Where does Mordeus keep his most valuable possessions?”

“He was wise, though perhaps not as wise as you. He keeps them throughout the court and some in the Eloran Palace.”

“What about the sacred items he’s stored here?”

“I don’t know.” She frowns and shakes her head. “I’m so sorry. Let me help you look?”

“Can you tell me where I can find the person who would know?”

“Commander Rieckus knows all the secrets of the keep.”

“And where can I find this Rieckus?”

“She resides below the earth, behind the dungeons, where she can keep an eye on the prisoners. She can be cruel, though, and

I don’t want you to be hurt.”

The dungeons. Despite the horror grasping at my throat, I treat her to a smile. “I promise I won’t be. Now go to bed and get some rest.”

She nods eagerly. “Of course. If that’s what you’d like.”

I would do anything to avoid going down to the dungeons, and it’s tempting. Maybe what I’m looking for isn’t even here, but

I don’t want to leave before asking the commander. At the very least, perhaps she can give me an idea of where to look next.

Behind me, a sword sings as it’s pulled free from its hilt.

I unsheathe my dagger and spin, finding a wide-eyed male. “Milady, I only thought perhaps I could offer you my sword?”

My heart races. You are the Enchanting Lady. No one will hurt you so long as you wear the ring. Breathe.

“It is not made of fire, but it was my grandfather’s and has protected me well through the years.”

I shake my head and turn toward the basement stairs I’ve been avoiding. “Keep your sword. That’s not what I’m looking for.”

I could leave and come back. I could find Kendrick and the others again. Then I wouldn’t have to face this place alone.

But my dream still haunts me. Not dream —Mordeus’s memory of making a deal with Kendrick. Kendrick was to keep me from destroying myself while I was rotting in that

cell, and that’s exactly what he did. He pretended to be human because he knew I couldn’t trust a faerie. And he kept on pretending

when we were reunited. He lied .

I can’t risk trusting Kendrick again. Not if there’s any chance he’s working with Mordeus. He lied to me. About wanting to

help me escape the dungeons. About who he is. I can’t trust him. So I will do this alone.

The guards who line the halls of the dungeons are no danger to me, I remind myself. They will see the Enchanting Lady and

do her bidding.

I take a step and then another. The ring’s magic is supposed to chill my heart and mute my fear. But the fear and numbness

were coming back even before I left Kendrick, and this fear blares too loudly to be muted entirely.

This will be worth it. If I find the sword in these dark halls, the terror clutching my heart won’t matter.

With each step down, I feel less and less like the Enchanting Lady with the heart of ice and more and more like the fourteen-year-old girl Mordeus broke.

I look over my shoulder—once, twice—because I can’t shake the feeling that someone is following several steps behind.

But still I go. Because I don’t have much time left. I have eleven days.

I haven’t let myself think about that since I left the goblin’s home. Eleven days until I’m gone. Eleven days until I lose everything.

I want to run far from this place and these memories of pain and terror, but I don’t have enough time to waste, and I won’t

let him win.

If it’s been eight months, how do you know Mordeus is still in the Eloran Palace? How do you know you won’t lose consciousness at any moment when he uses you to grow stronger?

I shove away the thoughts and step onto the final stair, reaching a trembling hand to the door.

I know what I’ll find on the other side. Pain and terror, darkness and despair.

“Jasalyn, stop!”

I spin and watch Kendrick take form on the steps behind me. “You’ve been following me ?”

There’s an odd hum behind the door. The din of the prisoners’ cries? A vibration of some sort?

“I needed to be sure you were safe,” he says, taking another step toward me. “You don’t have to go down there. You’re in danger

here.”

As if I can believe anything he tells me after the lies he’s already spewed? Why is he even here if he isn’t working for Mordeus?

“How long have you been here? Are you working with them?”

His throat bobs. “I thought you might come, so I placed a magical signal to alert me if you did. When I came, I didn’t want you to run and make me forget I found you at all.

But I couldn’t leave you.” He glances over his shoulder as if trouble might be headed down after us.

“I couldn’t risk you being around these people without anyone to protect you. ”

“ Protect me? You want me to believe that’s what you really care about? After everything?”

“Tell me what happened. Tell me what made you run.”

I pin my mouth shut. I don’t want to argue. I don’t want to risk falling under his spell, don’t want to risk my own fears

and loneliness leading me back to him.

If I get on the other side of this door, the ring’s magic will ensure he doesn’t remember he ever saw me.

I reach for the handle and brace myself for the horrible sound and stench I remember, but when I release the latch and swing

the door open, I’m greeted with more of that low humming.

Before my eyes can adjust to the darkness, red slits of light come charging at me.

Not humming. Growling.

I’m thrown into the wall of the stairwell as Kendrick shoves his body in front of mine.

A flash of light leaps from his hand and pulses around us.

The creatures freeze in their charge—dark-haired beasts like overgrown dogs with huge teeth and angry snarls.

In the next moment, they’re charging again. This time, Kendrick directs his magic at me, and I don’t even duck. I know before

I feel it that he’s protecting me.

A shield of air wraps around me, blocking the bloody maw of the beast that lunges at my face.

Kendrick draws his sword and slices across the throat of one creature before plunging into an eye of another. They keep coming at him, their teeth snapping at his face, claws reaching for his flesh.

I see the strike coming before he does. He’s gutting one beast when the last remaining attacks him from behind. I surge forward,

drawing my own blade, but I’m trapped, locked in place by the shield of protection wrapped around me, helpless to do anything

but watch as the creature slices across Kendrick’s neck with bladelike claws and sinks its teeth into his side.

Kendrick’s cry of pain echoes off the walls and tears my chest in two. As I pound helplessly on the invisible shield, he plunges

his dagger into the throat of the final snarling beast. It falls to the floor with an ear-piercing cry before Kendrick drops

to his hands and knees.

His breath comes in ragged gasps. As he collapses fully onto the floor, the shield around me falls.

I rush to his side and drop to my knees. Blood gushes from his wounds onto the stone, mixing with the blood of the hounds.

The flickering lights coming from the stairwell lanterns illuminate the increasing pallor of his skin.

He grabs for my hand but his grip is weak. “Jasalyn.” His eyes flutter closed.

Everything inside me tells me to save him, but can I even trust him?

He tries to reach for me and his entire body recoils in pain at the movement. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you

from Mordeus. I’m sorry I didn’t—”

“No.” I shake my head, as if I can keep him here by stubborn will alone. “You will not say your goodbyes today.”

“Why did you leave me?” The question is so quiet, the words so weak that my eyes fill with tears.

“You’re fae,” I whisper, helplessness clawing at me. “Why aren’t you healing?”

I tear the fabric from the inside of my jacket and press it to his side, putting pressure on the worst of his wounds.

“The Barghest’s venom. It slows healing.”

“You’re going to be okay. I’m going to take you to the palace.” I snap a thread on my goblin bracelet and swallow back another

wave of tears. “My sister’s healers can...”

Kendrick’s eyes flutter open as he weakly rolls his head from one side to the other, and my heart sinks into the floor when

I realize what he’s trying to remind me of.

My goblin won’t come. Kendrick is too injured. His injuries too grave. Goblins can’t interfere with life-and-death moments.

His eyes close again.

“Stay with me,” I beg. “Open your eyes, Kendrick. I need you to stay with me.”

But his eyes remain closed, his breathing shallow. Too shallow.

“Help!” I shout up the stairs. “Someone help! Quick!”

We’re surrounded by bloody carcasses of the beasts that’d been pinned in this cellar. Beasts that would’ve torn me apart if

Kendrick hadn’t appeared. What was he doing here? Was he really looking for me or was he working with these people? Was he

helping Mordeus?

I fill my lungs and shout as loudly as I can this time. “Hurry and help me!”

I can feel the blood from his side seeping between my fingers and see his breaths slowing.

Just when I think I’ll have to leave him to get help, I hear footsteps on the stairs.

“My lady?” The male peers down at me and his eyes go wide as he takes in the carnage. “Are you hurt? Let me help.”

“My friend is hurt,” I say, making sure I have his attention, making sure he is hearing the Enchanting Lady speak. “I need

a healer and fast.”

He gives a jerky nod, then turns to head back up the stairs before I remember—the ring. Just as it’s working to make him do

my bidding, it will work to make him forget me the moment he’s out of my sight. Forget me and forget to fetch the healer I

need.

“Wait!” My heart is racing and the whooshing in my ears makes it hard to think straight. There’s so much blood. “Please don’t

leave me. I...”

“Of course not.” He rushes back down the stairs and gazes longingly at me. “I’ll stay as long as you want.”

I could have him keep pressure on the wound while I go for help, but once I’m out of his sight, how do I know he’ll continue

to care for Kendrick? He’d likely completely abandon him. Or worse, identify Kendrick as an intruder and kill him.

Are you an intruder, Kendrick? Or are you working with Mordeus’s people?

I shove the questions from my mind. I can’t think about that right now.

“I need you to call for help,” I tell the starry-eyed male. “Get someone’s attention and have them get a healer.” Because

if he tells the person, they’ll be able to remember their task, even if they don’t remember me.

“I don’t know if anyone can hear me from here. If I go to the top of the stairs—”

“No.” I draw in a ragged breath. My heart feels like it’s climbing into my throat. Calm. Stay calm. “Go up partway, but only so far that you can still see me.”

“You’re really afraid,” he murmurs.

“I need that healer. Please. Find someone to fetch a healer, but don’t leave my sight.”