Page 99 of All the Wandering Light

“You seem to be able to command me,” she said. “Even now, when I tried to escape, I could only get so far.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “But I promise, if you help us, I’ll help you. I’ll do whatever I can. If I need to take you back to the Ashes, I will.”

“Thank you, but I don’t think that will be necessary.” The girl gave me a thoughtful look. “You’re a strange sort of person. I just told you that you can command me as you like. Yet you’re still asking for my help.”

“Of course.” I thought of the witches setting fire to the city, and River, his face strained as he held Esha back. Even still, I couldn’t order the star to help us. I wasn’t like Lusha, who could coolly discard moral qualms if she felt a situation required it.

“You’re better than he is,” the girl said.

“Who?”

“That man. The one your sister danced with. He killed the star he caught. I could sense it on him—he spent and spent its power until nothing remained.”

I didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I will help you willingly. And then—you will help me get home?”

“However I can,” I promised.

She smiled, making the light flicker again. “I believe you.”

She held out her hands. Hesitantly, I took them, squinting against the explosion of light. It came, but even brighter than I expected. And then—

The star stepped into me.

I staggered back. It was like being doused in ice water, followed by a brief flare of heat. When the sensation settled, I looked down at my hands, and found that they were glowing.

I sat down hard on the roof, my legs weak with shock and the strangeness of what I felt. I focused my attention on the glow that enveloped me, imagining that I was pressing it down, forcing it deeper inside me. I had no idea what I was doing, but I thought the star responded. After a few deep breaths, I looked back at my hands. The glow was gone, but my skin had the slightest glimmer to it, as if I had been dusted with ice crystals.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Setting my jaw, I lowered myself over the edge of the roof and made my way back to the palace.

Thirty-One

I SWUNG MYSELF down from the roof, landing with bent knees on the pavement. Absently brushing at my dress, which was even more of a mess now, I turned.

And walked straight into Lusha.

I shrieked. Lusha grasped my shoulders, pushing me to a safe distance. “It’s just me. Calm down.”

I stared. When I had last seen Lusha, the emperor’s guards had been dragging her from the hall, unconscious. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. At her temple was a darkening bruise. “I woke just before one of the men slung me over his shoulder. I think they thought I was—” She stopped. “I saw you leaving the hall, so I followed.”

Though her voice was steady, her hand trembled, and I knew that she was more shaken than she let on. I brushed her hair aside to examine the bruise. “Lusha—”

“We don’t have time,” she said, pushing me away. “Did you get the star?”

Of course her first question would be about the star. “I’m fine too, thank you.”

“I can see that.” She gave me a stop wasting time look. “Where is it?”

“Can’t you tell?” I stepped back and spread my arms. I expected—and was looking forward to—the look of astonishment on her face, but to my surprise, she only nodded.

“Good. Let’s go.” And she turned and walked away, leaving me reeling. I had to run to catch up.

“Wait—how did you know?”