Page 77 of Reign of Stars and Fire

I cried out in surprise when the door smashed open. Annon and half a dozen Rave guards flooded the king’s chamber. The king’s young ward burst from an armoire in the corner. The second sound came from the boy as he wove through the guards, the tune on his tongue.

The dagger fell from the queen’s hand. Riot shouted at the child to run. His heir scrambled for the open wardrobe. The ward locked the doors behind the child, muttering a quick, “Good words, little rose.”

Then, the boy took hold of the queen’s arm. He sang the words, low and soft, “Live now, fade tomorrow when roses take the song of sorrow.”

Thick, inky black spilled from Anneli’s mouth. Davorin stepped away as though he’d tossed off a tunic. Blood dripped from his nose, and once he blinked back into focus, he lunged for the boy.

The queen scrambled on her knees and used her body to knock Davorin away from the king’s ward.

It was enough. Riot raged, tears in his eyes. “Silas, go!”

The king pointed to the wardrobe, a command for his ward to hide with his child. Davorin’s lip curled. He took in the room, saw his escape fading, and rushed for the window.

“Kill him!” Riot roared. “Bring me his head!”

The room descended into chaos. Cries of frightened children, the queen righting herself, taking up a blade in her night dress, the king shouting commands to his Rave to hunt the man who could wear any face.

I spun on Wraith. “Where is Saga! Take me to her.”

Wraith frowned, not at me, but somewhere in the shadows. Head tilted, it was almost as though he were straining to hear something in the distance.

“Wraith, I want to find my wife,” I said again. “Enough of the past. She fights him alone. Take me to her.”

“Something is coming.” Wraith’s voice was soft, eerie. Almost ominous. He shook his head. “You must see more to find what is missing and step into your place in this tale or . . . you will fail.”

Two strides, and I closed the space between us. Nose to nose, words peeled over my tongue like sharpened knives. “Show me whatever it is you think I must see, then take me to my damn wife.”

In the next breath, my blood cooled and instinct to fight, to defend her, flared at the echo of her broken pleas.

“Riot, come with us, please.”Saga. Shadows cleared, and my wife, bloodied and bruised, reached a hand for her brother.

The king had red eyes, was too thin, and blood dripped from his lip. “I promised to protect you,” he whispered, cupping her cheek. “This is my last chance to do so.”

“No!” Saga sobbed. “Don’t do this, I need—”

Riot embraced her. She fought, but he tightened his hold on her body and sang a low sound, deep, soft, soothing. I couldn’t make out the words entirely, but a few rang in my ear.

Cold, empty, lost. A heart’s true song.

The song of her curse.

Saga’s eyes fluttered closed. The king winced as he eased her to the ground, knelt beside her, and took out a knife.

“I’ll see that it’s kept safe for you,” he whispered, then drove the point of the blade into her forearm.

I shielded my eyes when a shock of silver light burst into the night. By the hells, Riot palmed the magic, his breaths more haggard.

For the first time I realized where we were. It was different than the cursed monastery where we’d found Saga’s feather, but the fountain was there. A slow trickle of water fell into the basin.

Trees and shrubs shielded the cavern walls. Torches lit the entrance. When he placed the blood feather into the basin, a dome of light surrounded the stone. After the light faded, the king slumped back, more blood dripped from his nose.

All I wanted was to drape his arm over my shoulders, to help him stand straighter. I didn’t know him, but he was part of me. He’d saved Saga; he’d guided her to me.

I owed the first king of fate everything. Now, I was watching him die.

Riot stood on unsteady feet, then took Saga’s limp arms by the wrists, and began the trek out of the cavern. He grunted, pulling her battered form, and collapsed more than once.

“King.” A boy’s voice echoed into the cavern. The king’s ward stumbled beside him.