Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

“He will, Mark, he’s going to—”

I shoved up from my chair. “Get outside,” I ordered angrily. “Now.”

His eyes darkened. “Kyra—”

“Now,” I bit.

With only a second of hesitation, Cole put another plate down and headed for the door.

I gave Trick a warning look before meeting Mark’s eyes. “I’m going to speak with Mr. Cole. You make sure Trick knows the rules. He loves rules.” With that, I spun on my heel and headed out after Cole.

As soon as the door was shut behind me, I snarledthrough my teeth. “What are you doing?”

Cole turned back towards me, his wings tightened behind him. “I’m telling your protective and loving brother the truth.”

Letak shoved up from the ground, stretching as hard as he could, a sharp groan escaping his beak.

“He’s11, you absolute prick!” I snapped, “and you being 1,000 years older than him means that your maturity level should be up here,” I said, holding my hand up above me. “Howdareyou tell him that Trick will hurt me, howdare you!”

“It’s true.”

“It’s only true because that’s all you people want to believe!” I shouted, my voice echoing around us in the cold chill of the morning. It had snowed last night. The rain frozen in sheets of ice, my breath coming out in puffs. I was freezing, but fuck all if I was going to allow Cole to stand in there and say things like that in front of my brother.

“He shifted continents to bring the war here sooner, Kyra. Every woman he has ever fucked has been used and thrown away. He willbreakyou.”

“Then let him fucking break me! You don’t get to have a say in how I live my life, Cole. If I want to let the High King of the fucking Fallen rail me into my own fucking grave, then that’s what I’ll do, but youwill notbring bullshit like that up in front of my brother.Ever. Is that understood?”

Cole worked his jaw. “Ex.”

My eyes widened, disbelief filling me in such absolute waves, I thoughtI may fall over.

“Ex High King, which is important because he revoked the crown when I challenged—”

“I. Don’t. Care,” I said angrily. “I don’t care about your stupid, fucked up politics. I don’t care about your fucked up dynamic. I don’t care about what the fuck is happening in your shattered High Court. What Icareabout is Mark and how he’s raised. I have spent my entirelifemaking sure that he stays out of adult issues and I will not let you ruin that because you have some dark agenda against the guy who put you in the position you’re in. Control yourself or stay out of my house.”

With that I turned on my heel and headed back into the cottage, shaking from the chill and the adrenaline. The gall that man had, I swear.

When I pushed open the door, I found Trick and Mark shaking hands.

I rubbed my arms, trying to warm myself up as Mark stepped back. “What was that about?” I asked, hearing Cole walking in behind me.

“Mr. Trick agreed that we would share protecting you,” Mark explained, taking a seat beside him, careful of his wings. “I’m your brother, so I come first.”

I nodded. “Obviously.”

Mark grinned. “And Mr. Trick will pick up wherever I can’t because let’s face it Kyra, you are pretty reckless.”

“I’m trying not to be,” I told him, taking my spot again. “You’re here now, I don’t want to take such big risks anymore.”

Mark rolled his eyes and laughed. “Yeah right, that’s who you are.”

Trick leaned back in his chair and shrugged, agreeingwith him.

I shook my head but didn’t argue. I wanted Mark to believe whatever he needed to believe to know that I was safe. Because I was. As safe as I could be, I guess. “And your wings?” I asked, finding Trick’s eyes.

Seconds ticked by before Trick finally pushed Mark’s chair over a little and then released his magic with a shudder, his wings falling into view.

My eyes were pulled from his gaze to his wings, the stars shining brightly in the black of his feathers. They were darker than his shadows were. Darker than anything I had seen before, but those stars shone as bright as the sun and gods, were they beautiful.