Page 59 of Darkness Births the Stars #1

CHAPTER

THE GOLDEN DAYS OF LYRHEIM

Rada

T hat was foolish, impossible, and completely unnecessary,” I snapped at Belekoroz as soon as the gate to the Other closed behind us, yanking my hand from his with a sharp pull, my magic illuminating the dim haze of the endless plains around us.

Unfazed by my fury, he gave me an amused glance. “Oh, believe me, it was very necessary,” he said, moving closer despite my indignant snort. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to rob you of the pleasure of giving me a thorough scolding.”

Did he have any idea how much scrutiny we would now face, thanks to his outrageous behavior? A behavior I had not stopped. No, I had indulged him, allowing the music, the dance, and his intoxicating presence to sweep me away.

“You—”

Warm lips descended on mine, silencing my complaints.

I opened for him immediately, sighing into his mouth.

Maker, I had craved this for hours—no, for days.

My whole being came alive under his touch.

He stayed frustratingly in control, every thrust of his tongue deep and deliberate, as if he wanted to claim me through this single point of contact.

It was he who stepped back and ended the kiss. Those dark eyes flitted down to where my hands had tugged on his tunic, a mischievous glint in them.

“Something you want from me?” he asked. The touch of his index finger to my lips silenced my answering growl.

“As delightful as your eagerness is, we should first look at what I found. I plan to have my fill of you later, and I want nothing to distract us.” That taunting finger tapped my nose next. “Duty before pleasure, my queen.”

He was wise enough to pull back his hand before I could bite him.

A broad smile spread across his face as he shifted into his spirit form, leaving me seething with fury.

I should abandon the impossible man and return to the feast. See how he liked finding himself alone, waiting for me in vain.

Or better yet, I should have left him standing before that gate, refusing to take his hand.

Unfortunately, I was not sensible where he was concerned. I shifted as well, not hiding my irritation as I caught up with him. “You assume a lot.”

His Darkness swirled around me in a playful spiral. I convinced myself that I did not find his giddiness endearing in the slightest. “It’s not presumptuous when you’re a hair’s breadth away from tearing off my clothes,” he teased.

I sent a blast of my Light into his direction.

“Be careful now.” His senses extended, catching onto something before I could retort. “They can detect our powers.”

As though I were the one flaunting my magic everywhere.

Despite my reservations, I trailed after him as he swooped low to the ground.

We both reverted to corporeal form at the Abyss’s edge, where the air crackled with Chaos magic.

Belekoroz swiftly pulled me behind a cluster of dark, jagged rocks, concealing us from sight.

I peeked out of our hiding place, frowning at the sight of five large Kritak climbing out of the Abyss.

The spider-like creatures’ movements were odd.

They swayed back and forth as if in a trance, an occasional tremor rippling through their massive bodies, while unfettered Chaos magic cast flickers of emerald and amethyst on black chitin.

“What are they doing?” I asked Belekoroz, my gaze fixed on our foes.

“Gaining power,” he answered, leaning past me. His body brushed against mine, his warmth keeping the cold of the Other at bay.

I glanced at him. “They’re using the Abyss?”

“Does that surprise you? It’s a well of raw magic.” A twitch of his lip. “You used it before.”

Yes, to defeat him in one of our breathless spirit races. But that had only been a spark, a mere taste of the Abyss’s power.

Belekoroz’s voice turned pensive as he observed the Kritak. “I wonder how they manage to control it.”

I scoffed. “They don’t. They let the magic control them.”

The ravenous look in his eyes stirred a strange disquiet in me. I had seen it once before—in the village when we had sealed the gate together.

Reaching out, I touched his hand. “You wouldn’t be able to control it either,” I said softly.

“Probably not,” he replied, his gaze drifting back to me with a half-smile that suggested he was only partially listening, his cunning mind racing. “The magic allows them to cross the Veil. At least at those points where it is thin.”

Maker, of course. That made so much sense. “And attack whoever is unlucky enough to be close by wherever they appear on Aron-Lyr’s soil,” I exclaimed, my voice rising with the realization. “But why?” I gestured toward the Abyss. “There’s magic to be found here.”

“But not the right kind.” Belekoroz tugged at my hand. “We should discuss this elsewhere.”

I followed him, curious about his discovery.

We didn’t go far this time, just a short flight in spirit form, gliding through the eternal dim that cloaked the landscape.

We hid behind some of the cracked obsidian rocks that covered the ground in this part of the Other.

Towering over us, they looked like the long-forgotten remains of some abandoned fortress, their shadowy silhouettes looming ominously.

“What do you know of the forces of Order and Chaos?” Belekoroz asked, his eyes sweeping over me as if he was taking my measure, his gaze probing.

What kind of question was this? I shrugged. “I know what everyone knows. The Allfather created the forces of Order to keep the Chaos at bay, to protect our creation and allow it to thrive.”

“Mmm,” Belekoroz hummed, clearly not satisfied with my answer. “But why didn’t the Allfather simply destroy Chaos? Let me show you something.”

Magic sprang to life between his fingers, strands of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Darkness, and Light weaving around each other in a captivating dance.

“In all things, there is balance, my queen,” he said, as the magic cast alluring shadows across his face, his gaze drawing me in. “Just as none of our aspects can exist without each other, Order cannot exist without Chaos.”

The magic of the Other came alive around us, tendrils of it starting to lick at the swirling orb of power Belekoroz had created.

I stared at it, mesmerized when it didn’t unravel as I had expected but pulsed with renewed energy, glowing brighter and brighter, its dance wild now, holding a strange urgency.

Something inside me answered to it, my hand coming up as a nearly undeniable urge to touch it swelled within me.

“You feel the pull, too, don’t you?”

I froze at the sound of Belekoroz’s voice so close to my ear. I had not even noticed him move. With a wave of his hand, the magic died away, a wistfulness tinging his smile as his eyes met mine.

“The Kritak are beings of Darkness and Chaos. They crave what they cannot have: the essence of Order and Light. Unable to possess it, they seek to devour it.”

Those words struck me with chilling intensity. Was that what he felt as well?

“Well, we cannot allow them to continue. We must inform the Council.” I tried to mask my sudden unease underneath a decisive tone.

“You can sense where the Veil is thin, right? Maybe we can strengthen those weak points before the Kritak use them to cross over into Aron-Lyr.” Belekoroz remained silent, his expression unreadable, but I pressed on.

“I could help, like in the village when we closed the gate together.”

When I moved away with a sound of frustration at his lack of response, he grabbed my wrist, his grip firm and unyielding. “Not so fast. We should discuss this before running to my brother and the Council like overeager fools.”

“Belekoroz.” Incredulity rose inside me as I took in his stony expression. He was not going to help me.

“Give me one good reason why I should help the Council,” he demanded, his tone cold.

“The Kritak are a danger to every living being in Aron-Lyr,” I snapped, disappointment mixing with my anger. How could I have been so foolish as to deceive myself into thinking he cared about anything other than his own ambitions?

His scornful laugh held no compassion. “And why should I care about the fate of the mortals you and the others created?”

I fought to keep my raging emotions under control, knowing they would gain me nothing.

Sparks of Light danced over my skin. “Because it is the right thing to do. Because you are a member of the Council, even if you don’t like it.

” I hesitated, a sudden idea flitting through my mind.

He had held back at my command in the village.

I did have some power over him. “Because I am asking you to.”

It made him pause. A nearly imperceptible tilt of his head. Then, that challenging smile returned. “What are you willing to offer me in return for my help?” he asked, his smooth voice dripping with innuendo.

“You’re not really suggesting I trade sexual favors for your help!” I hissed, my voice sharp with indignation.

“No. That was your idea.” Belekoroz tapped one long, elegant finger against his lips as if contemplating the merit of such a suggestion. “Sounds interesting, though. Tell me more.”

For a second, I wondered why he bothered with this. I had been quite willing to sleep with him earlier, and I was sure he knew that. Unless…

I remembered the moment he had interrupted me and Aramaz during our dance.

He hadn’t enjoyed seeing me at his brother’s side at the feast. What he detested even more was the weakness his jealousy exposed.

Belekoroz was trying to regain control again, to prove that our connection was nothing more than a game to best his brother and me.

That he was unaffected by the violent pull between us.

Fine. If he wanted to play games, I would indulge him—and win, by proving he craved my touch as much as I craved his .

“You assist the Council with the Kritak threat,” I said, my voice deceptively serene. “In return, you get what you desire.”