Page 182 of Star Bringer
So what should I do? WhatcanI do?
I have to find a way to save them. I have to. I just don’t know how.
“Your Highness, talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking. What do you want me to do?”
At her words, I go still, tell myself to calm down. Panicking never helped anyone.
“I’ve made a mess of everything,” I finally tell her. “I never should have come back.”
“Whatever you need to fix it, you can count on me. I’ll help any way I can. And there are others in the palace who will help as well.”
She doesn’t use his name, but I know she means Arik. “You know what will happen if you go against my mother?”
“I know.” She gives a short, humorless laugh. “That has been made very clear to me over the last weeks. But I’m tired of being afraid of her.”
“Me too,” I tell her. “The weeks on theStarlight, when I wasn’t afraid? When I was just me? They were the best of my whole life.” I reach out across the table and take her hand. “I’ll take you with me, this time. You and Arik. You won’t have to stay here any longer.”
“Arik and I already talked it over, before I brought you your food. And we swore if you wanted to escape, we’d find a way to help you.”
“Andcome with me.”
“And come with you,” she agrees.
“Thank you,” I whisper, squeezing her hand.
“You’re welcome,” she answers.
We’re both quiet for a moment, contemplating the enormity of the task ahead of us.
“How?” I finally ask. “The guards at the door aren’t going to let me just walk away.”
“Arik and I will take care of them. You just be ready to go.”
“When?”
“An hour, maybe two.” She stands up and straightens her skirts. “I’ll be back as soon as we’ve put everything into place.”
And then she’s gone.
Terror rolls through me at the thought of what we’re about to do—and what will happen if we get caught. But some things are worth fighting for. And so are some people.
Ian and the others have already fought for me so many times.
Here, tonight, it’s my turn to fight for them.
Chapter 78
Kali
Every second is an eternity as I wait for Lara and Arik to return for me. I think about packing a bag, but if I get caught skulking through the palace at night, I’ll look a lot less conspicuous if I’m not carrying anything with me.
I’ll also look a lot less conspicuous in my fancy dress. And at least this one isn’t so tight that I can’t run in it.
Still, I’m not totally unpractical, so I grab as many of my fancy gemstone earrings and necklaces as I can fit into my pockets. Currency, while I search for theStarlight. And maybe a present for Ian afterward, to help with fuel and food and anything else we’ll need. They’ll have Milla by now—she’ll probably need new clothes. Maybe we can stock up with her favorite foods. I wonder if she hates dried fishgalen, like Ian.
That only takes a few minutes, and after that, I sit down on my bed and wait.
Twenty seconds later, I’m back up, pacing the floor again. This is torture, pure and simple. I wish Lara and Arik would just hurry up and get here already.
