Page 32 of Darkness Births the Stars #1

CHAPTER

Noctis

R ada was seething with fury. At me.

Oh, I was sure our guests did not suspect a thing.

Fooled by her bright smile and easy chatter as we enjoyed the honey cake Dolores had baked, sitting in the shade of a tall chestnut tree next to the house.

But I caught it. The tight grip on her fork, how she chewed each bite of cake a little too long, the way she drawled my fake name, Bele .

I couldn’t blame the Underforges for their ignorance; they lacked my extensive experience in provoking Rada’s anger.

After all, I had honed it to perfection over millennia.

“So, what do you do for a living, son?” Ulyss Underforge asked, one bushy white eyebrow raised in curiosity. “You are no farmer, are you?”

Usually, I’d detest his probing tone and the overly familiar address.

But to my surprise, I found myself liking the eccentric older couple.

They were fierce in their regard for Rada.

And my reckless little queen loved them—that had been obvious in the way she had thrown herself between them and danger without hesitation. I could not help but respect that .

“I am—was—a soldier,” I answered mildly, opting for a harmless version of the truth. “Been living off guard jobs since the war ended.”

“Oh, is that how you and our dear Rada met? During the war?” Dolores clapped her hands, her small nose twitching in excitement. “You must have a lot in common.”

“Oh, yes.” Rada’s smile was sweet, but her eyes spat fire as she stabbed another piece of cake as viciously as that Chaoswolf earlier. “Bele and I always had a lot to discuss.”

Argue about , she meant, but I didn’t take the bait.

“If you fought in the war together, you must know how brilliant and hard-working the lass is,” Ulyss Underforge said.

“When she bought this land ten years ago, the farm was nothing more than a ruin, the fields overgrown. She transformed it into one of the most well-run farms in the Western Hills. Her arak cheese is renowned in all of Lasgallen.”

Though I helped with the animals, I hadn’t been allowed into the cellar vaults where she made and stored the cheese.

“You have to show me, Rada. That sounds utterly fascinating,” I said with a challenging smile, tired of her constant mood swings.

What, in the deepest pit of the Abyss, had raised her ire this time?

Wasn’t it enough that I helped her, working from dawn till dusk without complaint like a bloody mortal peasant?

“But you have at least tried her hay milk cheese, haven’t you?” Dolores interjected before Rada could answer. “It’s delicious. Do you know what they pay in Rasga for it? Those city folks are crazy about it.”

“Unfortunately, I haven’t had the pleasure yet.” My smile deepened as I watched Rada battle her temper. “But I would love to taste Rada’s delicacies again.” The kick I received under the table for my insolence was painful, but worth it for the lovely rosy flush coloring her cheeks .

Dolores snorted into her tea, catching the innuendo in my words.

Her husband remained oblivious, launching into a long-winded story about the ridiculous decadence of townspeople.

Aware that provoking Rada further was unwise, I hid my smirk by sipping my drink.

The intense, slightly bitter taste surprised me.

“That’s ashirai tea,” I said, glancing at Rada. It was brewed to perfection.

She avoided eye contact, her expression composed. “I remembered you prefer it to the sweeter blends. I had some leaves lying around.”

“Mmm.” I couldn’t resist needling her. “I don’t remember drinking one that well prepared for years. It’s an art form. Most people don’t bother because they don’t like it.”

She did not have that tea lying around by chance, and we both knew it. She was far from indifferent toward me, despite her pretense.

“I developed a taste for it over the years and sometimes make myself a cup,” Rada answered, her eyes shimmering with a sudden melancholy that caught me off guard.

Stars, being mortal was terribly inconvenient.

When we both had our powers, I could have simply used my magic to gauge her mood.

Not that she had allowed me to touch her mind since Yggdrasil’s fall.

I wondered if the same memories haunted her.

All those times we had sat by the fire in my tower near Lyrheim, sharing a cup of tea.

The twinkle in her eyes when she teased me for liking the bitter blend from Mount Firai, a gift from Sha’am meant to mock me.

The warmth spreading through me when I told her the joke was on the Warrior, as I always found something worthwhile in bitterness.

What wouldn’t I give to turn back time? Despite all my powers, that ability had never been within my grasp. All I had were a thousand regrets. I had wasted all these precious moments with her—and for what ?

For power. Power and pride. And both had burned to ashes in my hands.

“The crockery turned out marvelously, Rada.” Dolores’s high-pitched voice interrupted my thoughts. The Brownie held up her mug, turning it from side to side.

“You made these yourself? They are beautiful,” I said, admiring the vivid blue glaze on the fired clay.

“I make most things on the farm myself,” Rada replied with a smile.

Her creations had always invoked both my envy at their perfection and my scorn that someone as brilliant as her did not dare more, did not push beyond the limits others set for her.

But using the things that were so obviously hers, that had been made by her slender hands, left me strangely torn.

Part of me wanted to touch them a thousand times, to absorb her very essence through them.

Part of me felt I had no right to, as if it would be an unwanted intrusion, too intimate for what we were to each other now.

“Yes, Rada is such a talented young woman,” Dolores said with a sly look. “And people around here have noticed, especially young men.”

“What?” Despite suspecting the nosy Brownie was jerking my chain, I couldn’t hide my disapproval at the ridiculous thought of some mortal farmer courting the goddess I had wanted to make my queen.

But she wasn’t mine. She had never been mine. And she never would be.

“Ah, well, a pretty lass with a well-run farm—no wonder there are suitors. Tristan from the Sommerhalt farm was quite taken with our Rada last summer,” Ulyss said. His jovial expression faltered when I scowled at him .

“Really, you are exaggerating,” Rada interrupted, nervously fiddling with her empty cup. “I am sure he was more interested in my farm than in me. Good land is hard to come by for a second-born son.”

Ulyss laughed good-naturedly. “I don’t think it was the lay of the land that had him blushing like a young maid every time you came to the farmer’s market, dearie.” He shrugged. “But speaking of land, they are giving two thousand acres away for free to anyone settling up at Milford Ridge now.”

Dolores snorted. “It’s a nightmare up there during storm season, teeming with Goblins and the occasional Cave Troll. Briseis is the only one who likes it.”

“One could argue that Elvish lassie isn’t all that sane.

” Ulyss laughed, tugging on his impressive white beard.

“She certainly is something—especially for an Elf. Rumor has it they’re offering the land to some former mercs who fought for the Fallen One during the war.

They got pardoned after serving their time in Lasgallen’s army.

” A peculiar gleam entered the old Dwarf’s amber eyes as he turned to me.

“You fought in the war, didn’t you, son?

So, what do you think? Is it right to give those people a second chance? ”

“Bele loves second chances,” Rada interrupted, her smile so full of sharp edges even our guests could not miss it. “And third ones.”

I tried to calm her. “Rada…”

Dolores took pity on me, loudly cooing while she picked up Bane, who had been winding around her ankles. With our guests’ attention on the cat, I met Rada’s eyes, shaking my head. No matter what her problem was, we needed to hide the tension between us.

While she did not acknowledge my warning, Rada became more amicable, joining in the Underforges’ amusing stories about farm life and the newest gossip regarding their neighbors.

When the shadows began to lengthen, Ulyss and Dolores prepared to depart.

With Serai roaming the woods, they wanted to arrive home before nightfall, and it was quite the drive.

My eyes caught on the massive form of the dead wolf lying on the wagon bed, a sudden unease washing through me.

I had used the Serai as part of my armies during the war.

While far less intelligent than my dragons, they were easy to control and sowed fear in the hearts of my enemies.

Since my defeat, they had vanished deep into the more remote forests of the continent.

It was unusual for one to come so close to mortal settlements.

Ulyss pulled me aside after he had hitched the ponies back to the wagon. A grave expression played over his weathered face. “It is good that you’re here, son. Rada may not admit it, but she’s grateful for your help.”

I nodded. While Rada might be the most stubborn woman I knew, I could thankfully match that stubbornness if needed.

Dolores, less subtle than her husband, winked and told me to be good to Rada.

She also promised me more cake soon, since I seemed awfully thin.

I had a feeling that her pat on my hip did not land mostly on my ass by accident.

The moment the ponies pulled the wagon out of the courtyard, Rada grabbed the plates from the table and entered the house without another word.

With a sigh, I picked up the rest of the dishes and slowly followed her.

It might have been better to let her cool off before attempting to speak with her, but when had I ever been wise where she was concerned?