Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

True salvation only comes from your willingness to bathe in blood. From your willingness to allow something or someone to consume you in ways you cannot comprehend.

Kyra

Iwent to the bathroom and closed the door behind me, releasing a slow breath, trying to get my head right.

I knew what he was doing. Trying to get information from me. I was a mark now. Maybe not before, but after he saw what I had to offer, I had easily become one. A woman alone in the woods with a cottage filled with information, how could I not be?

Would I fuck him? I might, just to see what it would be like. Maybe he could help me reform into a better state of mind.Something not so sick and twisted.

If not, then at least I could say I fucked a Fallen. I don’t knowwhoI could tell that too, but I’d have it to tell someone if I ever had anyone to tell.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. Gods, what was wrong with me? I was hungry and horny and not in the right space for this.

But he smelled of peppermint and fuck, thosearms.

With a sigh, I shoved away from the door and walked over to the sink, carefully peeling away each sleeve, revealing the poorly wrapped marks I had left on myself the night before.

Another terrible habit people ran from as soon as I took my clothes off.

It was fine though. I had this one under control. I was in control of it. I could stop whenever I wanted, I just didn’t want to right now. Not yet.

I carefully wiped the muck I had scooped up into my hand and hid from the General onto my own wounds, unable to put it on most of what Mom had left.

When my hands were washed and dried, I pulled my sleeves down and inspected my bruised hand. She had slammed an iron skillet down on it. Asilos Root wouldn’t help it, but Mersine Berry would. However, it was something that only existed within the Fallen Court, Arkalious, and couldn’t be obtained even on my street.

Luckily none of the bones were broken, just bruised.

I flexed it carefully, tears springing to my eyes at the pain. It was going to be a while before I could do anything with it without shaking, which was frustrating, but fine. I could handle it.

Okay, so on to the next issue. I had a Fallen Generalin my cottage who had been sent here on some business by his High King who had just slaughtered a village full of people for a mysterious yet powerful rock, and now he wanted information.

What next?

I had to focus on getting the last remaining things for the cottage, but what would I do about this? I couldn’t just ignore it. He was here and he knew I had information.

One breath at a time. Maybe that was the best advice I could follow right now.

I met my eyes in the mirror, took another settling breath before heading back into my room and into the living area.

I found Cole sitting exactly where I had left him in the exact same position. At least he knew how to follow rules.

“Are you admiring me?” he asked as I walked across the house.

He was something to admire but, “no,” I answered evenly, finding my way to the sink. “I have things I have to do, so if you absolutely need it, you can stay, but I won’t be back until morning.”

I prayed he wouldn’t stay, but there was no point in kicking him out and telling him to stay away, I knew he’d come back. He’d probably bring his High King too. My cottage was no longer mine, but this was better than what awaited me at the house.

“You may read what you want, but don’t go into my rooms. You’re a warrior, so I expect there to be something honorable in you, despite your species.”

He was quiet a moment as I rinsed out the mortar. “You’re not worried about keeping me here? So close to the city?”

If it had hurt him, he didn’t show it.

I turned off the water and dried my hands. I knew what the repercussions were, and it didn’t scare me. There was a kind of excitement in almost being caught, but the guards would never come here anyway. “I live by my own rulebook,” I finally said, turning to him. “The first rule is that the sins of the king are not the sins of his people so don’t judge before you understand.”

His eyes shimmered, a seriousness growing in their depths.

If he was going to steal information, maybe I could change his mind about a few things too. “Everyone deserves a chance to be understood. I don’t know what your business is, I don’t know what your plans are here, what I do know is that you’ve seen all of this already, and I very much doubt you or yourHigh Kingcan resist the urge to rummage through my things. There is no point in saying no when you won’t listen.”