Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

“I still love her.”

I turned at the small voice to find Mark standing in his doorway, his gray-blue eyes darker in the dim light of the fire.

“Mark,” I breathed, walking over, “you’re supposed to be sleeping.” Shit. He shouldn’t have heard any of that.

He pushed open the door a little more as I took a knee in front of him. “I had to go to the bathroom.”

I glanced to Kyra’s bedroom door, knowing that she needed at least a few minutes to gather herself—

“I don’t have to go anymore.”

I turned back to him, worry filling me. “What…what does that mean, bud?”

“I have a bucket,” he whispered. “Don’ttell her. She told me a few days ago not to use it.”

It took everything in me not to laugh. “I won’t tell, I promise.” I had done far worse in my younger days. “How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it,” he replied, keeping his voice low. “Did Mr. Trick really burn down our house?”

I sighed. Shit. “I don’t think so, it’s too clean. He would…he would have done something much worse.” I had wondered what he had done to Norella. Where she was, if she was alive. Part of me wondered if that’s where he had been the last week, but I wasn’t going to say anything about it unless I knew for sure.

Mark sighed as I stood. His eyes found Kyra’s bedroom. “You should know something about her, it’s important.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, gently leading him back towards his room.

“She doesn’t like to listen,” he explained as I guided him back to bed. “I mean she does listen. She listens when I tell her about my dreams or when I tell her about my day, but when I tell her that I love her or that she’s smart or beautiful or that her stories are the best stories I’ve ever heard, she doesn’t listen. It’s frustrating. Really frustrating. Sometimes I repeat things like a thousand times, and she just rolls her eyes at me, which is annoying, but she never hears me.”

I nodded, pushing back his covers. “Some people are like that.”

“Yeah, but I think she will listen eventually. She’s just not ready yet. I think it’s Mom’s fault, she was really mean with her words. I just don’t understand why shebelieves Mom, but she doesn’t believe me.” He scooted down into his bed. “Do you know? Because I’ve never lied to her about anything more important than eating my veggies. Sometimes they’re just gross.”

I shrugged, pulling the blankets over him. “Sometimes it’s easier to believe the bad things people say then it is to believe the nice things they say.”

Mark yawned. “Maybe Trick can compliment her. I think she likes him.”

I rose a brow. “Yeah? And why do you think that?”

“Because they touched hands.”

My expression twisted to confusion. “What?”

He smiled. “Yeah, the other day when Trick handed her the drink while she was showing me her cool wall, she took the cup, and her hand brushed his and she made eye contact with him.” His cheeks were bright red in excitement. “I’ve heard enough stories to know what that means.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, you may be right, bud, but it’s time to sleep. Goodnight and I’ll see you in the morning.” That wasn’t good. It was dangerous. Kyra wanted to protect Mark, but falling for Trick was the complete opposite of that, especially knowing how it would end. I couldn’t let that happen. For Mark’s sake.

He nodded. “Goodnight, Mr. Cole.”

I headed for the door. “Goodnight, kid.”

~~~

Kyra

I read The Rules over again, staring at that little dotted lineas I had done every night this week.

I didn’t know why I was doing it. Considering it.

Maybe I was just angry because he disappeared again.