Page 82 of Reign of Stars and Fire

“Call to him,” the Falkyn whispered.

Rune wet his lips, then leaned forward. “Bo?”

Bo moaned again, but his lashes fluttered. He opened his eyes. For a moment he looked confused, perhaps a bit angry, then his features softened.

“Rune?” He jolted up and scooted back on his backside, frantically wiping at his arms. “No. No, what happened? Gods, tell me he’s out. Get him out!”

Rune gripped Bo’s shoulder. “Are you free? I know what it feels like, so do not lie.”

“Got that covered.” Niklas gave a sly grin to his wife.

Junius circled the space on the outer rim. Her black braids had been freed, and her long, wavy hair hung wild and lovely over her shoulders. “Keep him talking.”

“Bo, are you free?” Rune asked again.

The tracker took in the gawking eyes, then faced Rune. Lips tight, he nodded. “I remember it all.” Bo’s strong voice cracked. “Gods, I know what I did.”

“You were not you.”

Bo covered his face with his palms and flopped backward. He shook his head briskly, a sob from shame croaked out. “Bracken is dead . . . and I am part of the reason.” He pulled away his hands and gripped Rune’s wrist. “Kill me. You must. I have no right to—”

“I’m not killing you.” Rune shook him off. “You’ll fight for Bracken now, for our people, but don’t ever ask that of me again.”

Junie touched her husband’s arm. “He speaks truth. He’s in true agony.”

Niklas kissed the side of her head, a tentative smirk in place, and hurried to the first knight and his wife.

Their corruption was miniscule compared to Bo’s. Both heaved, but nothing more than a bit of bile. Still, their bodies slouched, exhausted, once their eyes came into focus.

“Hal.” Stieg winked at the knight. “Welcome back.”

Halvar ignored him and scrambled to his wife. He had her in his arms in the next breath. “Tell me the truth, lovey, do you really wish to see me in the quarries? Or is it because you like me bare-chested and sweat soaked?”

Kari’s pale hair was tangled and spilled over her eyes, but the way she snorted and buried her face in her hands, it didn’t take much to guess she was laughing and crying at once. “Really wish me dead for being a Raven, you sod?”

Halvar’s smile faded. He cupped her face in his palms.

“You dead means an empty world for me, Kari.” He kissed her slow and deep, a private moment made public. I couldn’t look away. Halvar grinned against her lips and went on, “Besides, no one makes stunning and clever offspring like we do. In fact, this has reminded me how short life can be even for fae folk; I suggest we get started on a third.”

She slugged his chest, then kissed him again.

“Saga.” Niklas nudged my shoulder.

I’d been lost in a daze, watching them reunite.

Niklas held up the rest of his elixir. “It’s time to go to Ari.”

* * *

“Stupid bastard.”Halvar’s jaw tightened when he looked upon Ari’s sleeping form. The first knight knelt at the foot of the bed. “Always making a scene, aren’t you Ari?”

Kari hid the tears in her eyes with a sly smirk toward me. “Hal won’t like you much after this.”

My heart quickened. “A fae sleep was the only way we could stop the spread of the poison and—”

“Not for the sleep,” she said. “For taking vows with him. Queen, right?”

The words slashed over me like dull knives. I was vowed with Ari, and I’d hoped once they knew the truth, his people would be more willing to accept me. Seemed I was mistaken.