Page 8 of Frozen Star (Star Touched: Fae Bound #7)

When Aerix and I separate, he traces lazy frost patterns across my collarbone with his fingertip. The sensation makes me shiver, and wind stirs around us in response.

“I have to go,” he murmurs against my temple, but his arms tighten around me, as if he’s fighting his own words.

“I know,” I whisper, even though every cell in my body rebels against the idea.

“Draw for me with your pen while I’m gone.” He brushes a strand of hair from my face, the silver flecks in his eyes catching the candlelight. “And practice the harpsichord. When I return tomorrow, I want to hear you play.”

I release a shaky laugh, attempting to mask my nerves. “Are you sure about that? Because if you want to enjoy our time together, maybe we should skip the part where I break your eardrums.”

A faint smile curves his lips. “You have an eternity now to master anything you wish,” he says, gentle but firm. “Art. Music. Anything that brings you joy—you’ll have it all. I’ll make sure of it.”

“An eternity,” I repeat, and as I say the word, I realize that the truth of it hasn’t come anywhere close to sinking in.

“Forever,” he confirms, sealing the promise with one last, lingering kiss before he forces himself to pull away.

He dresses with predatory grace, every movement fluid and controlled. When he reaches the door, he pauses, his hand on the handle, his wings drawn tight against his back.

“You’ll be okay,” he says, and I have a feeling he’s telling me as much as himself. “Remember—I’m not going to let you drown.”

Then he’s gone, the door clicking shut behind him with a sound that echoes in the sudden emptiness.

The silence presses against me, heavy and oppressive, a ghost haunting the spaces he left behind.

The room feels lifeless without him, the air stagnant despite my swirling magic.

I curl my fingers around the silver pendant, trying to steady my trembling hands, fighting the ache of incompleteness in my chest.

But I’m not going to spend the next month lying around feeling sorry for myself.

So, I stand slowly, get dressed, and move toward the harpsichord in the corner of the room.

My fingers brush the polished wood, and I sit on the bench, hesitating for a heartbeat before pressing down on one of the keys.

The note rings out, clear and resonant, reverberating through me in a way it never did before.

Another note follows, then another, and suddenly, something inside me shifts.

My heightened senses pick up every subtlety, every nuance.

I play a chord, then another, the notes blending in a beautifully perfect harmony.

This should be impossible.

But my fingers move of their own accord, flowing across the keys.

It’s a song I stumbled over when I was human, the intricate melodies far beyond my grasp.

Now, the music pours through me, guided by an instinct as natural as breathing.

I can hear exactly where I need to adjust, precisely how to coax beauty from the instrument.

I finish the piece with a flourish, my hands settling on the keys as the last notes fade into silence. My chest heaves with exhilaration, power coursing through my veins like rushing wind.

If I can play like this after one day…

I look around the room with new eyes. An easel waits in the corner, shelves of books are ready to be enjoyed, and of course, my dagger is eager to be wielded. All of it holds potential. All of it is mine to master, and I have forever to do it.

Eventually, my gaze settles on the spiral stairs leading up to the rooftop.

I haven’t gone outside since I was turned.

I didn’t trust myself up there. But now, after my time with Aerix and my victory over the harpsichord, I no longer doubt my strength.

Plus, my thirst is satiated for the time being.

There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to handle this.

So, I make my way across the room, stopping in front of the ornate mirror by the door. When I catch sight of my reflection, I freeze, my breath catching in my throat.

The girl staring back at me glows with a fierce, dangerous beauty I barely recognize.

My eyes blaze with an intensity that borders on feral.

My skin is paler, my features sharper, my hair falling in sleek waves around my shoulders.

But it’s not just my appearance that’s changed.

It’s something deeper—a light and power radiating from within.

I don’t look afraid anymore. I look strong, like someone who’s become what she was always meant to be.

The stairs are cool beneath my feet as I climb, each step taking me higher until I reach the heavy wooden door that opens onto the tower’s roof.

My heart catches as I observe the vast expanse of the Night Court sprawled out below, lit by pale moonlight that bathes the town in silver and shadow.

The blood-filled moat catches the moon’s reflection, turning it into a crimson mirror that no longer fills me with terror.

And beyond the wards, the icy forest stretches endlessly, dark trees standing sentinel in the silver light.

This is my realm now. My kingdom. My home.

A memory of myself at the Maple Pig flashes through my mind—the girl who encouraged Sapphire to approach Riven, who then stayed by Sapphire’s side as she learned about magic, fought battles, and forged her destiny.

Now, that girl feels distant, almost unrecognizable.

She’s not gone, but she’s not fully me, either.

My hand drops to my hip, and through the thin nightgown, I feel the raised edges of Aerix’s name scarred into my skin.

Every cell in my body remembers his touch, his taste, and the way he looks at me like I’m everything he’s ever wanted.

And as my gaze drifts back to the moat below, I no longer feel fear.

Instead, I feel anticipation. Because soon, I’ll swim in those waters.

I’ll glide through them with the grace of a predator, powerful and untouchable.

Wind swirls around me in playful spirals that lift my hair and billow my nightgown, and a smile curves my lips, fierce and certain. Because I’m not weak anymore. And I have an eternity to become everything I was meant to be. I have power coursing through my veins and magic dancing at my fingertips.

And I know to the bottom of my immortal heart that I will never be powerless again.