Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

Not one.

Dozens.

Coming from the direction of the castle.

My head whipped back towards the alley and before I could think, I was running, sprinting straight for the town square.

My cloak whipped behind me as I darted from alley to alley, keeping to the shadows, uncaring if Cole was on my heels or not.

What was I doing running straight into trouble like this? I should have been thinking of Mark. I couldn’t be taking these risks.

But I had to know what was happening. I had to find out why there were people screaming near the castle.

What if there had been an announcement andsomething had gone wrong? What if Mom and Mark had gone there to hear this announcement?

What if Mark was one of the many people now screaming for help?

It was enough to propel me faster. I didn’t slow until I got to the edge of the town square, people shoving past me. I gasped for air as I searched the panicked flood of people, unable to see any kids in the throng.

But what I did notice had my fear growing. There were people in white robes walking calmly through the panicked crowd, their hoods so low, I couldn’t see their faces. Blinding gray light was swimming from their hands, wrapping around people, lifting them up, the magic sliding into every single orifice they had.

My eyes widened.

Cole grabbed my arm, pulling me back, sword in hand.

I jerked my arm out of his, taking a step away from him. “Forbidden Magic?” I gasped, my heart suddenly too calm. “No. No, this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“You said the witches have been here,” Cole stated, looking like a target with that stupid sword gripped in his hand.

I nodded, searching the crowd, an icy chill circling around my neck. “The witches were behind the wars,” I spit out quickly, my mind on my brother. “They haven’t been in Sarivos for a very long time and they’re finally making their third move.”

“Not so subtle this time,” he commented without question.

He knew about it too. “But why would they care?” Ihissed, looking over, sweat trickling down my neck. “I’ve been over this a thousand times. First the dragons and Nephilim, then the gods and shattering us into pieces? What else is there?”

Realization hit me like a fucking brick wall as soon as I said it. “Gods above.”

“What?”

I turned back to him, eyes wide. “It’s your fucking High King. Your all-powerful, egoistical High King. The only other person in this world who has a chance at beating them.”

His eyes were flaming with such anger, I swear, his sweat turned red.

Cole turned back towards the square, to the knights who were standing on the stairs of the castle doing nothing as the people of Therian were being consumed and tortured by this gray magic.

I never knew his name, but I knew his power. It was one of the many common denominators in every Fallen story. The present High King was the most powerful one that had ever sat on a throne. Not just in his Court, but in all others.

Some even compared him to a god, which was probably why he thought he could get away with everything he did.

If someone challenged him?

I couldn’t even imagine. This world would be turned to dust. Either that or Trick Michael would win. A fate worse than death.

“I can’t stop them,” Cole finally decided, turningback to me. “Not on my own.”

He had considered trying to help, which I had to give him credit for. “I’m not going to leave people to be slaughtered.” I couldn’t abandon my brother. If he was here, I had to find him.

“I can’t do anything, Talons,” he said coldly. “Not without accidentally killing an innocent or alerting people of the fact that I’m here.”