Page 183 of Star Bringer
It’s two lonely, excruciating hours before I hear the light tap on my door again. I resist the urge to throw it open and demand answers. But it opens on its own, and there’s Lara again. Arik is with her, and he’s dragging what looks like a dead or unconscious Imperial guard.
He lugs him into my suite and closes the door. Then pulls some cuffs from his pocket—they remind me of Ian, tugging painfully at my heart—and fastens the guy to the metal poster of my bed, then ties some sort of gag around his mouth before turning to give me a small bow. So, unconscious, then. That’s good.
“Your Highness.”
I realize I haven’t so much as breathed since they came in the room, and I do so now, dragging oxygen into my starving lungs.
I have one moment of terror—this is it; this is really it—but then I let the breath out, and the fear goes with it. Because it’s already too late to turn back.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “You didn’t have to—”
“Pardon me for interrupting, but I promised your father I would look after you. Tonight, I get to keep that promise. Are you ready to go?”
As ready as I’ll ever be. “What’s the plan?”
“There’s a short-range shuttle waiting on the roof. The pilot will take us to Luna. I’ve arranged for a longer-range ship to meet us there.”
“How did you arrange everything so quickly? It seems—”
“I’ve suspected for a long time that one day we might need a way out.”
“But why?”
He starts to say something, then must think better of it, because he just gives an awkward shake of his head. “I believe that’s a long conversation for another time. But I’m glad I did, and I’m glad I can be of service.”
“Me too. Arik, I will always appreciate this.”
“Just turn into the sort of person your father would have been proud of,” Arik says. “And that will be better than any gratitude.”
I blink back tears. I’m turning into a crybaby. “I’ll do my best.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
The guard is still out cold as we leave the suite. Arik locks the door behind us, and then I lead the way, Lara behind me, with Arik bringing up the rear. We want it to look as normal as possible, like I’m just heading up to the roof for a night stroll, the way my father and I used to all the time.
But we don’t see anyone. And as we pause at the door leading to the roof and the shuttle landing dock, I start to think that this is actually going to work.
Arik opens the door to the roof, and I peer outside. It’s a beautiful night—clear and filled with stars.
For a moment, I can’t help thinking about theStarlightout there somewhere. I hope she’s okay, hope the people on board her are safe and comfortable and free in the Wilds. Once I get away from here, I’ll find a way to get a message to them somehow and warn them of what’s coming.
“It’s clear,” Arik murmurs.
I take a deep breath and step out onto the rooftop. The shuttle is at the far side of the landing platform, the hum of its engines the only sound in the tranquil night.
It’s so close—we’re so close. Just a little bit farther, and we’ll be free.
A little bit farther, and I never have to see this palace again.
My stomach clenches at the thought—it was my home for a very long time.
My house, actually, I realize as I think about my time on theStarlight. This place hasn’t been a home to me since my father died.
We race across the roof, keeping to the edge overlooking the city. I can’t help but think about the people in the city spread out below us—I used to come up here all the time when I was sad or frustrated or simply overwhelmed. I’d look out over the edge of the palace and make up stories about the people in the city down below or the stars blanketing the sky above.
Stories of adventure, of fun, of a life beyond the loneliness of the palace. It’s only now, as I’m trying to leave the palace behind, that I realize that, for a short while, those stories came true. For a short while, I lived a life of adventure in the stars.
I only hope I’ll get to do so again. I only hope I’m not too late.
