Page 51 of Of Stars and Lightning (Sun and Shadows #1)

“We don’t fucking trust you,” Cattya added. “I would’ve burned you if it didn’t mean burning the wood.”

“They're close now,” Phil whispered.

The group neared each other, forming a circle in the center of the raft, their backs against each other. Sol pressed Phil against her as they remained in the middle of it.

“Phil, use your wind to shield you and Sol if I fail.” Cas reached to his waist band, pulling a dagger from it. He turned to look at Sol. “Don’t miss.”

She willed herself to breathe as she met his gaze. “Never.”

First, the ocean stilled as if it held its breath, the current halting, swaying the raft to a complete stop. Second, the air chilled. It raised Sol’s skin and raked a shiver along her bones. Moments later, the Jinn surrounded the raft.

They circled it like a frenzy of sharks, their lanky limbs gliding into the air like fins.

The sight was terrifying, prompting even Cattya to utter a prayer to Emberdon as she slashed a wound on her forearm. The others followed suit.

“Hey! Corpses!” Cade yelled, kicking at the wood beneath him. “Come and get us! If I’m dying, so are they!”

With an effortless flick of his wrist, a spear of lightning flew from Cas’s hands and straight into Cade’s chest.

Sol gasped, pulling Phil closer.

The Water Dancer only had a second to glare in disbelief before slumping over himself.

“I’ll take the penalty,” Cas murmured, shaking his arm. “We had a score to settle.”

“Thank the gods,” Cattya said, her sword sparking to life. “I grew tired of him very quickly.”

Jonah hummed his agreement.

“Who dares wander our seas?” A single head poked out from the waters.

Seeing those soulless eyes again physically made Sol shudder. Her nightmares did not do them justice.

“I smell Wielders,” another croaked, emerging beside the first. It smiled. “There’s a Fire Wielder.”

“I call the Warden.” A third one appeared. “Their blood is always divine.”

Collectively, the creatures shook the raft with their talons, then let out a macabre laugh when everyone on it they all swayed to keep their balance. More heads manifested along the rolling waves, the sea awakened by their movements.

“Prince,” Jonah warned. “Perhaps a Ward would be nice.”

“Not yet.” Cas kept his attention on the sea, his arms swirling with Shadows.

Sol’s birthmark ached, prickling as the Jinn continued taunting them.

The pain spread like hot oil over her back, seeping across her shoulders and into her chest as she bit on her cheek to keep from screaming.

Phil tightened his grip around her. “There’s so many.”

Talons slammed into the raft. They gripped the wood, piercing through it, allowing the ocean to rush in. “One of you isn’t like the others… what are you, I wonder?”

The Jinn—no, the Mind Slayer—pulled itself into their raft boat. It was taller than the one from Yavenharrow. Its skin was violet, waxy as the water repelled from it.

Sol grabbed Cas’s forearm as the thing’s black eyes flashed white.

He seemed about to release his Ward when a sea-shaking boom to their left had them falling flat to the wood. Instinctively, Sol clung to Phil and Jonah as they grabbed her, then to Cas as he fell beside them.

Sol had only seen a ship so massive once, in the ports of Yavenharrow. It carried exports of fur and gems, both so precious the townsfolk had been barred from being near the beach for days.

This one was just as grand. Unlike the one from Yavenharrow, it was a sterling metal gray with dark brown carvings along its side. Its sails crumbled in the wind as it raced toward them from the east. And as it neared, its land’s sigil showed.

“Finally.” Cattya flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I was starting to think they got lost.”

The Stone Ledge ship boomed its horn again, causing the Jinn around the raft to howl. The one who managed to climb aboard slithered back into the ocean with a low growl, and Sol breathed a massive sigh of relief.

Short-lived, since their makeshift boat was quickly sinking.

“You found us a ship?” Phil’s face brightened as he stood.

Cattya flared a single flame into the sky. “I found myself a ship, boy.” She strode to the edge of the raft as the ship loomed closer. “However you idiots get back on land is none of my business.”

For a second, Sol glared at her, processing the words. She looked from the ship to the Fire Wielder, then finally to Cas as his Shadows flared.

He stood, facing Cattya. “You’re a fucking liar.”

She shrugged. “I'm an opportunist. Why would I share my knowledge or plans with you when you had no intention of making it to the end with me?”

“You’d leave a child here to save yourself?” Cas seethed.

Sol didn't stop him as he neared the Fire Wielder, his Shadows now interweaving with Wards.

“You said it yourself, Casimir.” Cattya didn't inch away from him or balk at the promise of death on his face. “Everyone for themselves, right?”

“Watch out!” Jonah lunged forward before Sol could react, before anyone else realized what happened. The boat beneath them shook violently, sending Phil against this brother and Sol nearly overboard. But she regained her balance as she saw what Cattya had done.

Cattya pulled Cas closer. “If you’re not with me, you’re against me, Prince.”

Sol screamed, the sound pulled from deep within her soul—as Cattya twisted the key into Cas’s side, jamming it deeper into him.

The scene unfolded as if in slow motion, each dragged-out second engraving itself into Sol’s very being.

The way Cattya grinned as Cas realized the betrayal.

How the ship pulled closer, ropes thrown from its sides to collect the Fire Wielder.

The insane guilt as Sol registered the key was from the ring she used to free them— and made of copper as well.

Her body wasn’t her own in that moment. All she saw was the key and the woman who had hurt the one person whose safety was meant to be the only thing she could trust.

The two sides of her fought, one begging her to protect those she cared for while the other reminded her of the promise she made to herself all those years ago, to treat lives with care after seeing the faces of her assaulter’s children in pained sobs during his burial.

But she had already killed one person during this mess.

And she was pissed.

Cas pushed Cattya off just as Sol grabbed her by the hair, pulled her into a hold, and with a smooth, deliberate motion, sliced her neck.