Page 3 of This Shattered Star

“Is it even fair to consider you a proper competitor?” Kodhan drawled, bringing his blade up to rest under my right eye. “The only woman in Aedreath without an inkling of magic. Cursed by the gods. I’m surprised you haven’t already fallen to your knees, begging me to put you out of your misery. I could give you a swift death, you know.” His cruel laugh rumbled against my back. “Better than what you’ll face in the trials. Surely you’re smart enough to know that.”

“I didn’t ask for this, Kodhan,” I hissed, glaring not at him, but at myself. At the iris that had wrecked my life since the moment I was born.

My left iris shone blue, like my father’s. But it was my right iris that everyone blamed for my non-existent magic. The one boring resemblance to the lavender that sprouted throughout my mother’s gardens.

It marked my curse. Proof of the gods’ wrath against the crime I’d committed by merely existing.

Kodhan hummed in agreement, yet his arm tightened around my throat, further restricting my airflow.

“That may be true. But can you imagine how grateful the other competitors will be when they learn that I rid them of the insult you bring to their honor?” My heart began to thrash wildly against my ribs. “Even the king will realize what a mistake he made. Choosingyou.”

Stars dotted my vision. Not the pretty, sparkling orbs in the sky, but flashes of black and navy as my vision blurred.

“You’re wrong,” I wheezed. “Haven’t you ever seen what happens to those who trounce on the king’s orders?” His grip around my throat didn’t lessen, but he remained quiet. “For the Second’s son, you surprise me.”

That was the wrong thing to say.

Before I could even blink, an influx of frigid air scraped along the sides of my windpipes. It disappeared just as fast as it came. My back slammed against the wall, my spine creaking at the impact. He aimed the blade at my jugular this time.

“You’re rather brazen for someone who is about to die.”

He towered over me by at least a foot. So I tipped my chin upwards, forcing our gazes to connect.

“You know what happens to those who go against His Majesty’s word because you’ve carried out their punishments before. I’ve heard plenty about how your father wants you toprove your worth. And you also know very well that killing me will make you more enemies than friends.” His eyes never left mine as I spoke. From this close, they looked like chunks of pure jade.

“The others want the glory of killing me even more than you do. Everyone wants to rid Aedreath of its blight.” I forced my voice to dip into a mocking whisper. “But you’re not here to kill me, Kodhan Dreadmourne. You’ve never killed anyone with a blade. Always with flame.”

Although the air was filled with the scent of smoke and ash, not a single lick of fire blazed anywhere. He wasn’t using any magic.

The rumorsalwaysmentioned magic.

Kodhan’s eyes lingered on mine, then trailed down my face, stopping to narrow on my parted lips. My heart rivalled the beat a hummingbird’s wings.

Distant roars from above dragged our attention upwards.

Two dark, hulking winged figures cut through the shifting colors in the ever-night sky, so massive that even though they flew at least a hundred feet in the air, their scales glistened, visible from where we stood on the ground.

Another roar. One that had my palms slickening.

They couldn’t touch us, not when the Veil held firm. But that didn’t stop them from their aerial hunt, straight lines cut over the expanse of the kingdom as the festivities hit its peak. It was almost as though they knew exactly what the colorful lights and flashy banners were for.

They knew someone was coming for the treasure they guarded so viciously. For that was exactly what flew above us. Guardians of the Temple of Borealis. What Starlight Champions must face if they wanted their prize.

Historic texts labelled them officially asdragons. But it was easier to call them for that they really were.

Bloodthirsty monsters.

Vengeful in nature, often testing the Veil for weaknesses lest they could finally break through and wreak havoc and death.

Though their frequent visits didn’t make them any less terrifying.

As if breaking out of a stupor, Kodhan wrenched away from me, a sneer building on his face. “Even if I don’t kill you here, you won’t last three seconds in the first trial.”

“Is that a promise?” I crooned, recklessly stepping back into his personal space. Like his very essence tugged me back to him.

He made to grab me again, but I anticipated the move this time. Before he could fully lunge, my own dagger was poised and ready, pressed against his left side. Ready to slip between his ribs.

He paused, glancing down at the blade and where it rested. A heavy stretch of silence passed between us, broken only by the joyous music blaring from the adjacent alley.