Page 135 of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

A giggle crawled up my throat upon hearing her curse, but I wisely swallowed it.

“They got to choose to have one. Now why would they want to create a child with a lowborn?”

When I said nothing, she looked at me pointedly. “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe because they’re . . . in love?”

She cackled so deep and hard, liquor sloshed over the rim of her cup. I couldn’t blame her. It sounded ridiculous to me. “Maybe. Maybe so, but every creation has to have the groundwork laid, and that’s what the Deminyens were doing back then. Laying the groundwork for those born of the stars.”

I really had no idea what she was rambling about, but I stayed quiet and listened.

“And I’m of the mind that some of them don’t like that groundwork. At least that’s what my pa always said. You probably think it’s because they’d want to keep their blood pure, right?” she said, and yes, that was exactly what I thought. Her thin, bloodless lips curled, revealing yellowed, aged teeth. “I’m of the mind they don’t want that because of what that old blood does. Allows the stars to fall.”

The back of my neck tingled. “Starborn? You talking aboutcaelestias?” I asked, confused.

“No. Not them. They ain’t born from the stars.” She raised a hand, pointing a finger at me. “The stars don’t fall just for anyone, but they . . .” That spotted hand disappeared back into her sleeve as she lifted her cup with the other. “They used to say that when a star falls, a mortal is made divine.”

My brows inched up my forehead. “Divine?”

“Divine like my other grandbaby, girl.” She raised the cup in my direction as if she were saluting me. “Divine like you.”

“Me?” I squeaked. “I’m not acaelestia—”

“You ain’t no ordinary lowborn, now are you? With seeing the future. With peering into the minds of others. No, you ain’t. Old blood,” she repeated. “Once one is born, everyone that comes after has that chance. And there are more than you think.” Her stare turned shrewd as she drank. “Ain’t no one ever really questioning how conjurers got their knowledge, the know-how when it comes to Hyhborn parts. Old blood.” She laughed hoarsely. “Ain’t no one questioning anything.”

Surprise rolled through me. Conjurers had descended from Hyhborn? “I didn’t know . . .” I trailed off, a strangled sort of laugh leaving me. “Of course, I wouldn’t know.” Not if what she said was true. “My intuition has never been much help when it came to Hyhborn.”

“Strange, ain’t it?”

I nodded slowly. So many questions whirled about.

“Strange that we’ve all forgotten the truth.”

“The truth?”

Maven stared down at her cup, face hidden once more. “Good and evil are real. They always have been. Yet the weight of the realm has always fallen on those in between, ones neither good nor bad. That’s what my pa always said.” She lifted her drink again. “But he was also a drunk, so . . .”

I blinked slowly.

“There are Deminyens moving about this town, these walls, right?”

“Yes. A prince and two lords.”

“A prince.” She humphed. “It was bound to happen.”

“What was?”

“That he came.” Her head turned to me. “For what is his.”

CHAPTER 29

A sharp swirl of tingles erupted along the back of my neck.That he came for what is his.My heart thudded. That same feeling as before returned, settling in my chest. Rightness. Acceptance.

I leaned forward, clasping my knees. “Are you— ” A burst of nervous energy pounded through me. My body moved without will, turning on the stool, toward the door a second before it swung open, slamming into the table with enough force to rattle the candles.

Hymel stood there, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing in here?”

“Nothing.” I rose, wiping my palms on my thighs. “I was just returning the headpiece I wore last night.”

Hymel’s gaze shot to Maven. “And to do that you had to be sitting down?”