Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

The zalin screamed, pulling his wings in, diving straight for me.

Mark looked like a warrior as he leaned into Letak. His eyes were fierce, and suddenly, I saw him twenty years from now, all grown up, trained like Cole, riding his mighty steed into battle to save people like me.

Damsels.

I never wanted to be a damsel. Weak, unable to fend for herself, yet here I was, about to die as one.

Letak screeched again, extending his claws. He was so close.

I reached out my hand, if only to touch Mark one more time. I couldn’t show him that I was afraid. I was fine. Everything would be okay.

Everything would be okay.

Letak whined as he wrapped his talons around my forearm, such trust and loyalty shining in his eyes.

It’s okay, I wanted to tell him. It’s okay.

His grip was tight, secure. He slowly started uncurling his wings so as not to jerk me, I guessed, but then he was gone.

I felt a sharp pain explode through my arm as I watched in slow motion Letak being overrun by a tycron.

He screamed.

My eyes widened.

Lightning cracked, covering Mark’s screams.

Something hitmethen, ramming into my side, the night sky wrapping tightly around me, hurdling through the air, shadows and smoke and stars.

I blinked.

“…old of me.”

I blinked again, green eyes filling my vision.

“Angel,” Trick snarled, “grab hold of me.”

No, not the night sky.

I looked over as his wings unwrapped around me, spreading far and wide, as if they were what I had been staring at all these years. Feathers as black as night, stars interweaved within them, shining, flaming.

“Angel.”

I blinked again, finding his eyes, water drenching both of us, his arms warm, strong. My brows pulled together as I took in the paleness of his features, the exhaustion, the feralness. I lifted my hand, running my fingers across his cheek, leaving a trail of blood that quickly washed away. “It’s going to be okay,” I whispered.

Shock filled his eyes and then pain. A type of pain that was so familiar, I ached for him.

His throat bobbed and that pain shifted into fire. “You’re bleeding,” he stated. “Where?”

I tore my eyes from his and looked down, finding my sleeve shredded, my skin beneath it just as bad. “I’m fine,” I replied, turning my arm inward. “Mark.”

“Cole,” he responded evenly.

Cole. Good. Cole would get him. He’d be okay. He had to beokay.

When we landed, it wasn’t as smooth as I thought it would be. I thought he would land with as much grace as he walked, but rather Trick stumbled, wings disappearing, but he managed to get me on the ground before he completely collapsed into the mud and puddles of water.

I stumbled forward, barely catching myself, and turned back, the rain flooding the clearing, leaving three inches of water over the snow and grass. “Trick?” I asked, taking a step forward.