Page 43 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

Moonlight trickled through the window. A cool breeze soothed my warm, damp face.

My nose wrinkled as the smell of burnt grass came in with it.

I knew I hadn’t dreamed of the inferno I had created, but it would’ve been a nice possibility.

My entire body ached as I lay on my side, watching the faint twinkling of stars above the treetops.

My room felt much hotter than it had been earlier in the day.

There was still an intense warmth radiating off me.

I was sure that was why one of the men here had opened the window while I had been asleep.

At least I must have woken up quickly this time.

I doubted the smell would still be this awful if it was days later.

Tears trickled down my face, staining the pillow I was laying on.

Everything was much simpler back home. I might have felt miserable and trapped, but at least I didn’t have to worry about accidentally killing someone.

Or doing it on purpose. I grimaced at the thought of the man I killed in the forest. My stomach twisted, nausea rocking through me.

Even now, I felt it churning deep within me now that I could identify where its energy came from.

It twisted my insides like a creature that got its first taste of freedom and was hungry for more.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, fighting the next wave of nausea at the feeling of my own body being invaded by some creature.

The ember in my chest never went out like it was before.

There was constant heat now, just waiting for me to use it.

A slamming door ripped me out of my thoughts as voices filled the house.

“You’re wrong.” Leon’s voice boomed with an anger I hadn’t heard yet.

“She almost burned your house down!” Atlas yelled back. “You think bringing her with me would be a great idea?”

With a huff, I gave up the idea of just hiding in this room until morning. Sliding out of bed, I walked out into the kitchen. Leon and Atlas both had their backs turned to me as they argued, setting their arms full of goods on the wooden counter.

“Better than you going and getting yourself killed,” Leon snapped back. “We had five guards chase us out of town today.”

“She’s unpredictable,” Atlas argued back.

“She’s a fighter,” Leon countered.

“She has ears,” I announced, leaning against the doorframe.

Atlas’ shoulders tensed as he stayed turned away from me. Leon glanced over at me with a smirk before patting Atlas’ shoulder.

“Good luck, brother” was all he said before walking out, leaving Atlas and me alone.

Atlas remained quiet as he placed vegetables in a small wicker basket on the counter.

“Don’t be a coward now,” I chimed, joining him in the kitchen.

He just laughed, shaking his head. “Never been one. Certainly don’t plan on starting now.”

“So, fill me in on this exciting conversation you two were having,” I said as I sat down, even though I knew exactly what they were talking about. We had the same conversation this morning. Which Atlas was quick to call out with his next comment.

“You know exactly what we were talking about.”

“Leon agrees with me,” I pointed out, hoping that would mean more to him.

“Yes, it seems everyone wants you to die except me,” Atlas snapped.

“You’re thinking of this the wrong way. We don’t want you to die.” I tried to stay calm even as I felt the ember flaring to life. I took a deep breath, cutting its energy off. To my surprise, it worked. The ember was dormant once again.

“You two are forgetting this is my father. I know what I’m going up against; you don’t.”

“I think you are trying to see the good in your father that doesn’t exist,” I calmly explained.

There was no humor in the laugh that escaped him as he turned toward me, arms crossed as he leaned against the counter, multicolored cloths held in one of his hands .

“There is no good in him.” His voice was void of emotions as he spoke.

“Then what makes you think he will spare you when he sees you’ve failed your mission to bring me?” I questioned.

I watched Atlas crumble in front of me with my question. The facade he had been carrying our entire journey melted away. His shoulders sagged; head hung low as he dropped eye contact. His dark hair fell in front of his face.

“You don’t know the things he’s done. He won’t just hurt you. He’ll break you. You’d be lucky if death came to you.” Atlas’ voice was a whisper I could barely hear. “There will be no mercy for anyone involved, no matter how this will end.”

I paused, letting his words sink in, knowing that if I answered too quickly, he wouldn’t believe my answer, but I already knew it.

There was no choice in my life back in Donnaway, no choice in ending up back in Feycrest. I had the choice now, and I wanted to help.

There was no hiding the fear that everyone felt just being near Atlas.

Whoever Eris was, he was truly terrible.

Being rid of him was what Feycrest needed to move over the dark cloud of their past, and I wanted to be there for these people.

“I want to help you,” I finally answered.

Atlas nodded, taking a deep breath before peering at me from between the strands of his hair. “I’ll take you with me, then. Only if you can figure out this magic thing.” He gestured vaguely at me; the faintest hint of a smile tugged his lips.

I did nothing to fight against the smile that broke out across my face. Tears could’ve formed at the relief that flooded me. I wasn’t an idiot; I knew none of this would be easy, but now I wouldn’t be stuck here, waiting for Atlas’ death.

“I think I can do that,” I commented, a blush already forming at my next words. “Especially if we keep up those training sessions.”

A smirk twisted Atlas’ face as he slowly looked over me. The cocky male I knew quickly came back to life as he stalked over to me. His hands grabbed the back of the chair I was sitting on, and a squeak left me as he leaned it back. Our lips were almost touching as he leaned over me .

“I think I have a better idea.” He chuckled before pulling away. “Think it’s best we avoid pushing it too hard. Would hate to burn down Leon’s home.”

“I can be a great student, though,” I argued as I tried to follow his movements, sitting on the edge of the chair as I leaned toward him.

One of his hands moved away from the chair, grabbing my chin, forcing my head up toward him.

He licked across his lips as he stared down at mine, eyes darkening.

“Maybe you are dangerous,” he mumbled, thumb tracing across my bottom lip.

“It’s getting late,” he said, pulling away, disappointment dripping from his words. “We should get some rest.”

I nodded, following him back to the bedroom I had just left.

My mind was spinning at the changes that happened today.

Yet, I allowed myself to be pulled by the excitement.

The moment the door was closed, Atlas pulled his shirt off.

The moonlight was beautiful as it lit up his skin.

A soft smile pulled my lips as I followed him, undressing until we were both naked in bed.

I was expecting a repeat of the inn, but instead, Atlas pulled me close so I was laying on his chest. His heartbeat was quick underneath me.

I closed my eyes as fingers started trailing through my hair.

I returned the favor, tracing randomly along his chest. He hummed contently, the only real sound between us for several moments.

“My mother grew up on Enya. It’s where Saeva come from.

We aren’t like other species; Saeve were always seen as a danger that needed to be kept away from others.

” His words halted my small movements. I tried to turn my head up to look at him, but his fingers tightened in my hair, keeping me facing away from him.

He leaned down, kissing away any hurt it caused.

“She was caught in an arranged marriage with my father. She was a princess, and he was the only Saeve available. Once her parents passed, he became insatiable with power, ripping her from her home to bring her to Feycrest. In his eyes, there was no one who could stop him, and he was right. No one here was ready to fight him off. I was only a few years old when he started holding these parties.” Atlas paused, taking several heartbeats to just breathe.

I kept silent, scared of what he might tell me next. Yet, I was more scared that disrupting him now would stop the sharing mood he was currently in.

“The first one was a grand event, all of Kilrest was invited. Everyone thought it was some celebration for the new reigning couple. It was held in our house. My mother knew something was wrong, so she told me to stay in my room. I could hear the music, though. All the voices that were echoing off the walls. So, I snuck out. Me and my sister’s rooms were on the second floor.

There was a little balcony in between the rooms. That’s where I went.

I could peek through the railing, knowing that no one would think to look up there.

I could see the entire house from my room.

“I remember being so jealous at the time. My sister, Ivy, is ten years older than me, and she got to join the party. I almost stormed down there and demanded I join, but then I saw my mother. She was in a corner, hiding from the guests. I was so far away, but even I could see the tears streaming down her face. None of it made sense until several guards walked through the front door. There was a large wooden beam placed in front of the door. Then it started. My father and sister killed everyone in there. I can still so clearly hear my mother’s screams for them to stop.

Children attended. Their cries echoed off our walls as they watched their parents be killed before they were next.

“I never moved from my spot. I was completely frozen as I watched what they were doing. Maybe if I did something then, none of this would be happening.”

His tears were hot as they dripped onto the top of my head. My own trickled down onto him. His words were choked out toward the end, his breaths being sucked in haggardly. I had to swallow down my own lump in my throat before speaking.

“You were just a child.” My arm wrapped around his middle, holding him close. “There was nothing you could have done.”

“I could have tried,” he argued, his voice watery.

“You could have died,” I argued back. “Then there would have been no one to stand against him now.”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to say, but this is a weight I will always carry with me,” he whispered, placing a kiss on the top of my head .

We fell into a blanket of silence after that.

Neither one of us seemed tired after what he shared.

The constant shifting underneath me and his fingers running along my back gave away his own restless state.

I just stared out the window, questioning what I was dragged into.

Part of me regretted agreeing to go against Eris.

Atlas said there were parties. Plural. Which meant so many people were killed in his family home.

The fear we experienced made sense now. If I found this out earlier, I would have been terrified of him, too.

Instead, all I could picture was that scared little boy as he watched.

Even with the little regret I felt, I wasn’t going to back out.

I was going to help make sure Eris never hurt anyone ever again.