Page 16 of Shattered Stars

“Not even the chancellor?”

I shake my head. “My uncle believes himself to be the most powerful magical on Earth.”

“Is he?”

I hold her gaze. “I don’t know,” I say. For a while now, I’ve suspected I am stronger. Suspected Tristan may be too. But we’ve never challenged him, never pitted ourselves against him. I might be wrong. Maybe my uncle is hiding as many secrets from us as we are him. No, there’s no doubt that he is. “My uncle thinks his power entitles him to the right to rule this country – for it to be his – like the old kings back in ancient times. If he were ever to be made chancellor, he would make it happen. He would make this country his. The current chancellor is the onlyman standing in his way. He isn’t perfect, but he’s better than my uncle.”

“If your uncle is more powerful than the chancellor, how is the chancellor stopping him from taking over?”

“My uncle may be powerful but he is only one man and the people support the chancellor.”

“You mean the council supports the chancellor,” she mutters. “Ordinary people like me don’t get a say.”

“It’s safer this way.”

“Let’s hope so,” Ellie mutters, shuffling in her seat.

My gaze snaps to her face. “What do you mean by that, Ellie?”

“Oh,” she says, fidgeting some more. “Just a bad feeling I have. Woo woo shit.” She smiles half-heartedly.

“Ellie,” I press.

She adjusts the scarf tied round her head. “It’s probably nothing …”

“What is?”

“Our uncle, our father.”

“What are they up to?” I say, my spine stiffening, a desire to pull my mate close almost overwhelming.

“I don’t know for sure. But there’s been meetings, messengers.”

“There always has been.” Something my uncle and father have worked hard to disguise but something unmissable when you live with them.

“Yes, only, I don’t know, there seems to be more.”

We’re silent for a moment, all thinking. I doubt Ellie is wrong about this. Usually it would be something I’d question Tristan about but we aren’t talking right now. I’ll have to keep a watchful eye on the family, stay in close contact with my sister.

Rhianna gives me a hard stare, then she glances at her necklace.

“It’s a cloaker,” she tells Ellie, tracing her fingers over the design and changing the subject. “It was my mom’s.”

“A cloaker is a powerful charm,” I say. “One that would help keep you safe, Rhi.”

“Yep, but I don’t know how to use it.”

“You need to learn.”

“I’m at Arrow Hart – which you keep telling me is the safest place I can be. I have you looking out for me – plus Stone. And, if you hadn’t noticed, I’m pretty good at looking out for myself.”

“May I?” Ellie asks, stretching out her hand.

Rhi hooks the necklace from her neck and holds it in her palm. Ellie takes the necklace from Rhi’s hand, examining the intricate design. “It’s very pretty.” She closes her fingers around it and shuts her eyes. “I can feel it’s magic.”

“Do you know how to make it work?” Rhi asks.

“No, but I’ll find out,” Ellie says.