Page 9 of Starfall

The woman’s riotous laughter shook the room as she clutched at her stomach. I gaped at her, not finding anything at all amusing about the situation.

“You do realize witches aren’t real?” Her laughter started all over again when she took in the sight of my scrunched face.

When I narrowed my eyes and glared, she calmed herself enough to say, “The king spread that rumor so he could do away with women who were deemed…problematic. They aren’t actually practicing the dark arts, you fool.

All magic that occurs is a result of the divine beings placed upon the Earth by the Eternal to help you. ”

For most of my life, I’d believed the Eternal and his divine beings were merely fairy tales. Lies told to the gullible who needed to believe in the idiocy of magic.

“I’m a fool now?” I scoffed, but when she reached to snake her arms around my torso, I allowed it. My legs trembled something fierce, and the woman could surprisingly hold my weight.

“You’re certainly something ,” she teased, one corner of her mouth lifting. “Now, come sit at the table while I make you some tea. I’ve heard it helps with headaches. It helped with mine this morning. I had a slight pounding, and then poof . Gone.”

Of course, she only had a minor headache. Meanwhile, I felt like I’d gone ten rounds in the ring. Ironically, I would bet I’d feel better than I did now.

“But—but you glowed. Before, I mean. I-I swear you glowed,” I sputtered, unsure of my sanity. It had been questionable enough last night.

“Hush. Keep walking. You’re heavier than you appear.”

I rolled my eyes but allowed her to hustle me into the kitchen area, lowering me—none too carefully—into one of two mismatched chairs. Pivoting, she grasped the kettle on the stove and poured me a generous helping of tea.

“Here.” The porcelain clinked as she placed it in front of me. I eyed it wearily. It was a worn earthenware mug that my father had brought with him from the north. The silver-clawed black bear notorious in the frigid forests of the region decorated the sides.

“Oh, come on. I didn’t poison you.” She huffed, plopping into the chair across from me. “Now drink, you big brute. You’ll feel better soon, I promise.”

Her cheeriness was going to send me to an early grave.

Before I lifted the mug, I turned it, the bear now facing outward.

I couldn’t stand to look at it. I only kept it all these years because it was one of the few items Father owned and cherished.

The woman studied me as I sniffed the contents, a sigh of relief leaving her when I cautiously brought it to my lips. It tasted…bitter.

I went to place the mug of poison down when a small hand grabbed my wrist. “No,” she ordered. “Drink it. You need your strength.”

“For what?” I asked, incredulous. I already missed the train to Persh, and Darren had originally wanted me back today to prepare for the championship.

He’d been pissed when I requested time off to come home and arrange everything for the funeral and pack up the house.

I wondered if he would even let me compete this year out of spite .

“All will be told in good time,” she said. “Be quiet and drink the tea before it gets cold.”

Demanding lass . Begrudgingly, I lifted the cup back to my lips and swallowed the contents before its horrendous taste registered.If she had poisoned me, at least I wouldn’t have to speak with her again.

“Satisfied?” The cup cracked when I slammed it down. I grimaced.

“Quite,” she snipped, a dimple popping up on her right cheek. “Now, before we continue, I’d like to call you something else besides ‘brute’. It’s not very clever, which is unlike me, so, unfortunately, I must ask. What’s your name?”

I paused. I was certain I wore my most menacing sneer, the one I fashioned when I sought to intimidate an opponent, but she wasn’t fazed.She peered at me like one would a fluffy newborn pup.

“I’m waiting.” She cocked her head, appraising me in that vexing way of hers like she saw right into my soul. It was those silver eyes of hers—so haunting yet shockingly striking. I didn’t know what to make of her.

“Elias,” I grunted. “My name is Elias. And you? What’s your name? Or shall I continue to refer to you as the woman in white? The unwelcome stranger who’s currently ruining all of my plans?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose while her other hand gripped the table, the whites of her knuckles showing—she clearly didn’t like my tone. “My name is Arina. Ari, for short. Happy now?”

“Not particularly,” I replied, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms. Ari’s lips quivered at the movement like she repressed a smile. I wished to strangle her.

“Lovely.” She crossed her own arms and mirrored my scowl. Was she outright mocking me? “So now that we’re all familiar and such, it’s time to get into the thick of it.”

“Oh, this ought to be good. Can’t wait to hear it.”

“Quiet,” she commanded. “I’m going to need you to listen and not interrupt. It’s vital you understand the importance of our situation?—”

“ Our situation?” I jerked forward in my chair, the room finally ceasing to spin.

“What did I say about interruptions?” Her scowl deepened. She almost looked cute, like some lap dog nipping at the heels of a hound.

“Continue then, lass. I’m literally on the edge of my seat.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re positively insufferable?” she asked, once again tilting her head in a condescending way that had me gritting my teeth.

“Speak before I kick you out again.”

“Fine.” Smoothing down her wrinkled and stained gown with the poise of a royal, she met my stare.

“I’m one of fourteen star maidens, a divine being designed by the Eternal.

We…we grant wishes to the mortals we deem worthy, and then we ascend and take our place in the sky.

And yesterday, a mistake was made. I was supposed to save your mother, but… ”

But she died.

I didn’t realize how hard I seized the table’s edge until a creak sounded.

Ari briefly lowered her stare. “As I couldn’t grant that wish, I disrupted the ritual, and it caused my sisters to be stuck in a sinister limbo of sorts?—”

“I’m going to stop you right there.” I held up my palm, my other hand moving to rub my temples. “Obviously, you believe what you’re saying is true, but we’re here, in the real world. Divine beings are myths. Nothing more.”

My words sounded like a lie after seeing her light up my room last night.

Yet…in all my years roaming the woods and bustling cities, I’d never encountered one of his creations.

It could be entirely possible she was one of those fanatics that imagined that the Eternal actually gave a shit about us mortals.

Perhaps she’d gotten so lost in her beliefs that she truly deemed herself a star maiden.

Persh celebrated the Aura Festival in the Eternal’s honor, but it was more of an excuse to get drunk and parade about the streets in luxurious costumes of nymphs, ravens, sprites, and star maidens. I steered clear of the masses, finding all the outlandish customs and traditions intolerable.

“Now you’re just being rude,” she replied, shoving aside her mug to lean back. “It’s not like you’re an expert on the subject or anything.” She scanned me from my mussed curls to my worn boots as if making a point .

Demanding and irritating. Yes, I’d add irritating to the list. It would be a long one once the haze fully left me.

“Nope. Not doing this, not today,” I grumbled. “I think I’ve had my fill of you for one lifetime, and whatever quest you think you need me for, I can assure you, you don’t.”

“But, last night!” She shot up from her chair, nearly knocking it to the floor.

“You felt the same thing I did. That excruciating pain when we were separated. It’s called a soul bond,” she explained like one would to a toddler.

“It’s not like I can even get rid of it if I wanted to.

If you want it gone, then we have to finish this. ”

Whatever this was, it was over.

“Out!” I commanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. Rising from my seat as steadily as my broken body allowed, I hobbled to the front door and repeated my actions from the night before.Why wouldn’t she leave me the hell alone?

Ari glanced over her shoulder, her stare worse than the sharpened tip of a dagger. “No.”

“No?” I cocked a brow. “This is my house. Want me to call the local constabulary? I’d love to, if you want my opinion.” My patience had officially snapped. Not that I was known to have much of it to begin with.

A brief flash of hesitation crossed her face, but then she smiled.

Smiled .

“Fine.” She scoffed, gliding across the planks and to the front door. “You want me gone? Well, enjoy your headache then.”

I leaned into her space, the fierce little sprite not budging an inch. “Sure thing, lass. As long as you’re not here, I think I’ll be just fine.”

“You’re a fool, Elias. I cannot believe I’m wasting my life on you .”

Her life? I would’ve asked, but then she’d talk more. The opposite of what I was trying to accomplish.

Ari let out a hollow laugh as she breezed past me, that damned jasmine scent lingering in the air long after she vanished from sight and down the pathway.

I slumped against the doorframe. Thank the heavens. She was gone.

I think .

I waited there for longer than necessary, wary that she’d come running back with that cursed smile on her face, but after a few minutes came and went, I relaxed.

All right, I’d need to book the next train out. If I was lucky, there might be one this afternoon. Since my bags were already packed?—

Stabbing pain shot through my stomach, and I collapsed with a shout. Fuck, it hurt, more than hurt; it was the worst pain I’d ever experienced.

Just like last night. Like Ari said.

A soul bond.

It would sound impossible if I wasn’t on the floor writhing in agony.