Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

So that was the infamous Nick? I had pictured him more like Cole, but by his few words, he seemed much quieter, much more refined. “Fine,” I answered, looking around him to Letak whose eyes were now closed. “Mark, Mark,” I said in a panic. “Is he okay? How’s his breathing?”

Mark looked over. “He’s still making noises, he’s just tired.”

“Kyra,” Cole tried.

“Can you go over and shield him from the rain, please?” I asked. “I don’t have much Fersy left to combat colds.”

Cole searched my eyes for a moment before kissing my head and standing. “No problem, Talons.” Gods, I wished he wouldn’t do that.

Trick glanced over but I ignored his look. Ignored the way he now tracked Cole. I couldn’t focus on that right now, I had to focus on Mark and Letak.

Mark looked over as Cole spread his wing over him,keeping the rain off him. There was such love in Mark’s eyes, such fear as he continued to pet Letak. “I’m happy you’re alive,” he told me, silencing the world. He turned to Trick who was now closing Letak’s wound. “Thank you, Mr. Trick, for saving her again.”

~~~

I could feel him.

I knew exactly where he was.

Trick was standing against my bedroom door, watching me with a burning gaze that I felt through my blankets, through my pajamas, through my skin.

I kept staring out the window, watching Letak as he watched the sky. He and I wouldn’t be getting sleep anytime soon. Not after today.

After Letak started healing, I had finally taken Mark inside. Refusing to look at any of the five Fallen that remained in the clearing.

Mark had gone silent, which was fine because I didn’t have it in me to speak. To explain anything.

We just listened as they argued.

I didn’t hear Trick shouting. Only Lora, the other female, and Cole.

After getting Mark to bed, I went into my own room, ignoring Cole as he watched me, and took a bath.

I wasn’t sure how long I had been laying here, staring at Letak. I wondered what he was looking for. I wondered if he was afraid for his family. I prayed they were okay.

“Are you going to ignore me now?” Trickfinally asked, his voice just as dark as the shadow that lay beside me. He sounded exhausted.

He should be. Reforming Caduto, that was…I was impressed. More than that. He had built entire mountain passes, I had heard Cole scream. Every continent was connected now, and while no one could be sure what exactly would come of it, everyone had agreed on why Trick had done it.

He wants to see the world burn.

But maybe that’s the only way this world could be reborn.

I wasn’t truly sure how to feel about it, but I couldn’t ignore the buzzing in my stomach at realizing how powerful he truly was.

No one in history, save for a god, could reform entire pieces of land. No one.

Maybe he truly was a god.

And maybe I would never tell him that for fear of inflating that already over-sized, power-tripping ego.

“Now is not the time to test me, Kyra.”

A threat.

I didn’t care.

His words were as hollow as the pit in my stomach, and I hated that more than anything. I should hate him. Hefollowedme. He inserted himself into my life against my will, why did I care about who he was sleeping with? “Go fuck Sarah,” I spat venomously.