Chapter 11 Astraea #2
“Is it? I wouldn’t force you; I’d show you everything we could be together and a land we could build together, free of the burden Rainyte brought into your life.”
“He’s never been my burden, he’s always been my freedom from a cage you tried to keep me in.”
I pushed at Auster’s chest to gain more steps of distance.
“Escort Astraea back to her rooms,” he said to no guard in particular. “She doesn’t come out, and no one goes in, without my say.”
As he left me, my anger began to simmer when I thought of those purple banners in the courtyard. I was determined to flood the world with them.
I didn’t have anything to indicate time, but from the grumbling of my stomach, I assumed it was past supper, and Auster had denied me that meal since his guards locked me in my rooms. I paced in front of the blazing hearth and let my thoughts reel to distract from the hunger pains.
A strange sound made me jump and whirl toward the source. It came again, like a scratch against glass, which drew my cautious attention toward the balcony.
If the moon hadn’t cast a permanent hue of dark red I wouldn’t have spotted the black cat outside. I blinked at it in confusion, then I gasped, rushing to let it in.
I winced at the quick flare of light as Davina shape-shifted and I stood staring at her, wide-eyed and dumbfounded.
“I’m very mad at you,” she said, bracing her hands on her hips. “You leave in the middle of the night and—oh—”
I threw my arms around her, cutting her off, but I couldn’t help it. She was so warm and sure, and my brow pulled together tightly with my threatening tears. After a few seconds, she sighed away the anger she’d arrived with to hug me back.
“Oh Astraea, you really had to embrace your saviorhood at the worst moment.”
“I had to,” I choked. “I didn’t want to risk any of you, and I thought it would be quicker going alone.” I pulled away, holding her arms. “Drystan made it back with Eltanin?”
“Yes.”
“Eltanin was injured.”
“He’s healing well with Lilith’s help. The tear in his wing might scar, and he shouldn’t fly for a while. She’s hoping it won’t permanently damage his flight ability when he grows on his next cycle.”
I nodded. All I could do was hope for that too.
“Why are you here?” I asked, paranoid that she could be seen. I scanned outside before drawing the curtains on the balcony and leading her into the dining room.
“To check in on you, of course! Stars, we’re all so worried about you and—” she gasped as she started taking in the marks on me in my short silk gown. I hugged myself.
“I’ll heal just fine. Most of it is from the meteor blast.”
Her sad eyes found mine and she cupped my cheek. “I heard. The whole city is talking about it, how you saved them. That was so brave of you.”
“It was necessary of me.”
“The High Celestials’ combined magick might have stopped it too,” she argued, with dismay now creasing her expression.
“Maybe they would have tried, but I wasn’t going to wager on it.”
Davina didn’t speak, still silently assessing the state of me. I took her hands.
“I need to tell you something,” I said quietly.
I told her what I could about dying and how Nightsdeath had followed me through that thin veil between life and death. I tried my best to explain what he was and all he’d said and done so far, but I was still figuring him out myself.
“Stars above,” she muttered, staring at nothing in particular as we sat on my bed and she took it all in.
“Nyte is still … as well as he was?”
Davina didn’t answer right away, still seeming lost in her own thoughts with all I told her. My anxiety spiked and I shook her arm.
That snapped her back to our conversation. “Nyte? As in Rainyte? I guess using his full name is a good way to distinguish him from his dark counterpart set on conquering the world. Oh, yes! He’s as fine as he was before you left.”
Relief whooshed out of my next breath.
“Did Drystan tell you about his theory that Nyte could be awoken with a dragon bond? Is he still confident it will work?”
“Yes, but he hasn’t spoken much about it. He hasn’t said much at all since he got back. He just paces and ponders over his books more distressed than ever; he practically barks at anyone who disrupts him. I think he’s most worried about you, yet he won’t admit it.”
My heart sank. Drystan might continue to pretend he doesn’t care and won’t invite friendship into his life, but his actions always countered his stubborn resolve.
“He’s anxious to wake Nyte. This week of waiting is going to be terrible,” I sighed.
In more ways than one, but whatever Nightsdeath or Auster would do to me, I could bear it.
“I can’t leave you here,” Davina said, squeezing my hand.
“You have to. If Auster or Notus catch you they won’t hesitate to kill you, likely after they use you to get me to give up Nyte’s location. I can’t risk that, and I will not lose you.”
Her eyes scrunched shut for a second. “I despise Auster Nova.”
“I can handle him.”
She squeezed my hands. “I know you can.” Then, to my surprise, tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, even as that clueless, frightened Libertatem participant I knew you’d be the most resilient and cunning.”
Her words swelled an ache in me, and I was so grateful to this fae for all she’d done for me.
“All right,” she said, wiping away any vulnerability in an instant and standing. “Nyte better wake the hell up by the end of the week; then we’re all storming this place to come for you.”
I smiled, letting my hope bloom a little more. The thought of having Nyte back, the real and whole him, made anything feel possible.
“Tell Drystan I can handle myself here and he needs to be nicer to you all.”
I held back my smile as I pictured Drystan’s scowl upon hearing that last part.
Davina chuckled before a sly smile curved her lips.
“You saw our message, didn’t you? The people haven’t abandoned you.”
I drew a short gasp. “The banners? That was you?”
“It was you, Astraea. Many are from the fae resistance. Humans have joined us too. There’s more support for you than you can see. Belief in the star-maiden is all around you. So let it keep growing that strength within you.”
My resolve had never been stronger.
Davina had to leave, and I hugged myself as if it would keep the warmth of her last embrace around me for a while longer. I watched her take the form of a small black bird and soar over the balcony.
I followed out into the lashing, icy wind to survey.
There were guards outside my door, but as I leaned over the edge of my balcony, I discovered none below.
My floor was too high to jump without wings, but my goal wasn’t to escape.
My time in Goldfell manor had made me adept at climbing, so I inspected the stability of the wall and ledges.
If Auster wasn’t going to feed me, I was going to get to the kitchens myself. I didn’t even care about being caught after that. In fact, proving I could elude his efforts to contain me would be quite satisfying.
Changing into the most suitable clothing and boots from my wardrobe, I hoisted onto my balcony railing and threw all caution to the wind. The castle had enough narrow ledges, and a gritty texture for grip, that making my way across and around the building slowly wasn’t strenuously difficult.
Two floors down, I finally found a window slightly ajar. After deeming it clear, I slipped inside, needing to take a moment to rub my hands together, shivering violently to bring back the warmth to my fingers.
I enjoyed the winter and loved the snow, but unequipped it was absolutely dreadful.
“I need to know where she’s hidden that damned key,” Auster hissed.
I stiffened, then launched toward the wall as if it might grant passage away from Auster. I’d chosen the wrong hallway to infiltrate, clearly.
“I may have that answer, but what are you going to give me in return?” Tarran said.
His voice was unexpected, and now I wanted to march around the corner their voices drifted from and wring my hands around the vampire’s neck.
“I’ve already promised you reign over the vampires. Don’t test my generosity.”
Tarran snickered at that and I tensed. Daring to edge closer to their voices, I peeked around the bend and found them standing in close proximity alone. Tarran had his arms folded, completely unafraid of Auster.
“I don’t expect your promise to hold true, not with your new allegiance to an unfeeling creature from the depths of Hell itself,” Tarran said.
Auster was out of his league, not knowing how to handle Nightsdeath, and that was clear in his hesitation now. His voice turned to a hushed whisper, but I eyed the darkness as if Nightsdeath lingered in every trace.
“We’ll take care of him once Rainyte is gone.”
Tarran’s chuckle was part amused, part sardonic. “If you thought Rainyte was a merciless villain, you’re severely outmatched, facing him without a shred of humanity. Because that’s what Nightsdeath is.”
“He will have a body of flesh that can be killed. That’s all we need.” Auster’s tone turned low and threatening. “Don’t question me, soulless; I’ll easily find someone else to get me this information.”
“No, you won’t. You’re running out of allies and options, Nova. Is she really worth your relentless pursuit?”
That snapped something in Auster, and he wrapped a hand around Tarran’s throat and pushed him against the wall.
A few strokes of lightning broke over his knuckles, and Tarran gave a pained sound.
Then he smiled. Looking almost … delighted by the threat.
Auster stared loathingly into Tarran’s eyes before pushing off the soulless vampire with a rough shove, lingering only for a pause before he twisted and stormed away.
What the hell was that about?
Tarran stared after him for a moment; then to my horror his head turned toward me. My heart leapt up my throat as I jerked back and plastered myself to the wall, praying it would open up and swallow me whole.