Page 88 of Edge of Stars

“And we…have to change with them.”

Hecate’s smile fills out, valiant.

Kell’s stare twists deep, horrified.

“Kara?”

“Kara.”

My spirit is sliced open. My soul is a centrifuge, spinning my cells apart. All the moments of my existence to this point, good and bad, awful and awesome, separated into the vials they’ll have to live in for the rest of time. Stoppered out of necessity. All of them. From now on, I can’t allow myself to feel any of them.

From now on, I’m only a diamond. Stunning. Sharp. Decadent. Deadly.

Cold. Dead.

“No! No!”

I step toward Hecate, barely hearing Kell’s shrieks. Shrugging off the pain of her nails digging into my shoulder and pulling at my hair.

“Kara! Damn it! Nooo!”

“Kara. Yes.” Hecate’s croon is louder despite its velvet lining. The book beneath her arm gets brighter, its gold symbols pulling at the talismans around her neck. Aligning her ultimate power. Weaving me with it too…

“That’s it, my sweet one. Almost…”

“No, Kara!”

“Hey. It’s okay.”

I wince as I push out the whisper, already knowing she won’t hear me. Achingly aware that she’ll only be able to witness my shaky steps and smell the sharp burn of my fear.

Because I am…terrified.

But I don’t hold back a single drop that stings its way down my cheeks. I’m grateful for each and every one that mists up the edges of my vision. They’re reminders of my heart and soul. Of how human I remain…at least for now.

“It’s okay,” I recite again…and again. And all the way to the point where I don’t keep track anymore. Committing to the litany means I don’t have to think of other things. The depth of my dread. The bleak vista of my eternity. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s ok—”

“Kara!”

Until I halt, as his bellow booms through the air.

As I knew it would. As I prayed it wouldn’t.

“No, Maximus. Please.” But I’m unable to push enough volume into it either. The wind snatches it all away, charging the shore with more intensity, so I shoot the message by refusing to look back at him. The act will likely kill me long before Hecate does, but I crunch my steps harder against the rocks, forcing myself forward. With every step, leaving him farther behind me.

Forever.

It’s okay. It’s okay. You’ll be okay because you have to be. Because Niki needs you to be.

It’s okay…

“No! No, damn it!”

I don’t want to stop again. I can’t—

But I do.

Sheer shock is a more powerful force than I’ve ever given it credit for.