Page 42 of This Shattered Star

Theia’s laugher rang like windchimes as she wrapped both arms around my shoulders. “We made it!”

Happiness traced its warmth across forgotten corners of my heart, long since gone frigid. It wouldn’t last, that I knew.

But I was a selfish woman.

And so, quietly, selfishly, I reveled in its warmth. Basked in it.

“We made it,” Kodhan repeated, sporting a rare smile of his own. Pride decorated his features. I didn’t care if he extended any of it to me. It’s not like I wanted it. But when his eyes met mine, that warmth expanded until I feared my heart would burst.

Arms still wrapped around my shoulders, Theia pointed past Kodhan to a pair who were preparing to cross the gap. “We should celebrate elsewhere.”

Her hair tickled my cheek as I nodded. The last thing any of us wanted was to get into an altercation that would cost us our victory, mere feet away.

No one in this kingdom would take it from me.

I untangled myself from her arms, brushing off the rising chill already threatening the edges of my soul, and closed the short distance that spanned between us and the orb. Then reached out to grasp it, its white light almost blinding this close.

Kodhan had barely begun his warning, my name making it just shy past his lips before I was yankedintothe orb. Into a void even darkness wouldn’t dare touch.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Dirt coated my tongue and teeth as I hit the ground face-first.

The void spat me out of its entity like I tasted rotten, just as quickly as it had swallowed me.

I lifted my head just enough to take in my surroundings. I was still in the Dome, but back on the ground below. Light had found its way back inside, illuminating the thousands of faces above.

Strong hands snaked under my shoulders. I tore myself away immediately, shooting up to my feet, fists already clenched and ready to swing. The blaring pain along my thigh threatened to take me down again, but I held firm, centering my weight on my uninjured leg instead.

Jade eyes stared up at me, shining with a faint tint of amusement. Kodhan knelt where he’d presumably tried to help me up, hands still hovering where my body had been. Theia crouched next to him, her sharp features lined with distress. Brannon was the only one of us also standing, pacing in a slow circle as he studied the crowd above our heads.

All around us, other competitors were being spat out of the same void, one by one.

“Dirt isn’t made for eating, little viper,” Kodhan scolded as he pushed to his feet. He swiped his thumb over my bottom lip, then flipped it over to show me the dirt now coating his skin.

I shoved his hand away. Swiped the back of my hand over my mouth. Over the tingling sensation on my bottom lip.

“Missed a spot,”he mouthed, his pointer finger making a circular motion around his jaw.

“Only one rule is stopping me from ripping your head from your shoulders.”I needed him far more than he needed me.“If it weren’t for that one rule, I’d show you what eating dirtreallylooks like,” I hissed. “Without your magic to hide behind, you arenothing. I’d have you on the ground faster than you could take your next breath,coward.”

He bent slightly at the waist, bringing our noses mere inches apart. His breath fanned my lips as he spoke lowly, as if it were just the two of us in a secluded room, and not of under the scrutiny of thousands of spectators. “Rules. So many of them exist, and yet I adhere to none. That means there’s nothing stopping you from taking me to the ground, is there?” He cocked his head. “A curious proposal indeed. But I’ll accept. Especially since you seem to enjoy getting rather…” A pause. A long look pointed towards my lower lip. “Dirty.”

My mouth opened, then snapped shut. The heat that fanned my cheeks made me wish I’d hit the ground harder. At least the bruising would’ve hid any scarlet hue.

His body suddenly careened to the side, bringing the rest of the world back into focus.

“We all know it would do you some good to have some time back on the ground. Your head is filled with nothing but tiny pebbles, after all. Tumbling around and around, without any purpose,” Theia crooned, looking ready to shove him again.

“Harsh,” Kodhan protested half-heartedly.

“Hardly,” she replied with the same indifference. “Find a shred of decency, and perhaps I’ll be nicer.” She looped an arm through mine. “Or maybe I’ll help her gut you next time.”

“Two against one is hardly fair.”

“Who said anything about fair?” she countered, then said to me in a mock whisper, “It’s the pebbles, you see. Small, indeed, but they make quite a ruckus up there. It’s rather difficult for him to think properly with all that clamoring.”

Kodhan’s frown returned. “I think you’ve made your point.”