Page 140 of The Starlight Savior

“And you?” Saige turned to Althea. “How are you here?”

“I received your letter,” Judith said from beside her. “It was a relief to hear you were safe. I know it was risky, but I left the manor and sought out Althea after dark. Luckily, she didn’t report to the general the moment she saw me.”

“Felt like I saw someone raised from the dead. That wicked general made a whole show of Judith’s execution. Burning a body in the square, refusing to allow it to be buried with Terrus. I imagine they slaughtered someone unknown, but I wouldn’t know. Baron and I refused to go.” Althea shook her head, disgust rolling off her face. “When you were taken, Baron and I were able to keep our jobs. We were questioned, but we swore we knew nothing of your magic, which is true. They needed us too greatly anyways to charge us with any crimes.”

“So if Judith resides here and Althea visits, why were you two out all evening? When I arrived, no one was here.”

“Well”—Judith laughed—“we were searching for you.”

“Hadeon reported he had seen you outside of Judith’s. Claimed he tried to stop you, but you kept running. Baron came straight to me. We’ve been looking for you ever since.”

Saige’s brows furrowed. Why hadn’t Hadeon reported Saige’s usage of magic? He had clearly been injured when she pummeled him across the field. “What does Denholm believe about me?”

Althea paused, her finger resting on her chin. “It differs depending on who you’re speaking to. Some believe Etrane stole you. Some think you returned back home. The latter explains how you showed up here randomly as a child. Others believe Judith was from Etrane too.”

“And what do you believe about me?” Saige’s voice was quiet as she diverted her eyes.

Althea’s gaze remained on her as she spoke. “I believe, despite everything, you’re still my dearest friend. And things have been difficult for you. Judith informed me all she knew of your past and what you’ve had to hide. I’m sorry you had to navigate it alone.” She let the words settle between them. But something lingered on her lips, waiting to be spoken. “I don’t quite understand why you’re here though. You’re supposed to be in Etrane, right? Training?”

Saige took a deep breath, looking between her caregiver and closest friend. For years, they both had waited patiently by her side, gracefully accepting the parts of herself she revealed. Now she didn’t need to hide. Didn’t need to lie or divert their questions.

“Okay,” Saige breathed, “but I think I must start from the beginning.”

She sat and told them everything she could muster. From the small slivers of her childhood to her father’s deceit and enchantments. Her words quickened as she traveled through her years of Denholm, where she longed to be closer with Althea, Baron, and even Hadeon. But the risk of her magic emerging was too great. Judith’s hand gripped her tightly as Saige explained her arrival in Athalos, the discovery of her father’s lineage, and her aunt. Althea clapped giddily when Saige explained starlight magic, the mist, how confident she felt, and her newfound experience with forming bonds, just for them to fall apart out of fear of Saige becoming hurt once again.

“How did you get here?” Althea asked. “You left Etrane because you felt unsafe…but how?”

“Oh,” Saige said, “a portal. Well, actually it’s a mirror. Powered by blood.”

Althea’s mouth sat agape. “Portals? You stepped through a mirror and it sent you here?”

“Sort of?” She cocked her head at how silly it truly sounded.

Althea’s laugh was bright and nervous. “Gods, what have we been sheltered from all our lives?”

“A lot.” She grimaced. “I still don’t understand most of the magic system. But I can’t stay here for long.”

“Right,” Althea said, nodding, “you have to use your weird, sparkly magic to fight back against some ancient, cursed mist.”

“You make it sound so simple.” Saige rolled her eyes, tugging her knees to her chest.

“So when do we leave?” Althea rose from the ground. She brushed her hands off on her layered skirt, retying one of the laces of her boots.

“We? You can’t possibly come with.”

Althea shared a knowing glance with Judith. “I can’t believe you still think you can manage this all on your own. You need people by your side! To protect you!”

“What about the infirmary? Or Yethor?” Saige protested, but Althea held up her hands.

“I can’t return to my life after all of this, especially knowing what is coming towards us. I may live in Brevil”—Althea walked towards Saige—“but whatever you face, I face too.”

For the first time, Saige didn’t falter as Althea wrapped her arms around her. She leaned into it, grateful for the people she still had in her life. Thinking back to Etrane, she ached for her companions. But she squashed the thought. What mattered were the people standing before her now. Even if it felt like something was missing.

Chapter 54

The moment Althea walked out of the safehouse in search of Baron, Saige became restless. Pacing the room back and forth, she swung her head in every direction. She hadn’t expected Althea to come with her, let alone recruit her twin brother. She couldn’t even wrap her head around why her friend had agreed so quickly. Judith would stay in the safehouse, despite Saige’s wishes for her to join. But Judith was honest in having no desire to be a part of magic and mist. She was no fighter. If Brevil or Etrane came after Saige, Judith could be the first casualty.

“You’re going to make yourself sick, dear,” Judith said from the chair. She was on her third cup of tea, the herbs soothing her nerves. “Why don’t you sit back down?”