Stars (Dragon Reign Book 8) Read online

  “You have changed, and for that, I am filled with sorrow, my child. But change can sometimes bring out who we are truly meant to be in this lifetime.”

  I felt tears burning in my eyes and swiped them away. I did not cry. Would not, not when I brought this hell down on all of us. I deserved no pity or sympathy, least of all from Thorne. “I don’t want to stay this way. I will recover.”

  “Will you?”

  I blinked at his words. Would I ever go back to being who I was? I had to. These raw emotions, I couldn’t understand them, let alone deal with them.

  “I don’t know.” The honest answer slipped out.

  He nodded once as if that settled the matter.

  “You are to return to them and inform them the final battle is coming. They must be ready.”

  “When?”

  “None of us can know for certain, but I feel it on the horizon. Our family will take too long to recover in order to aid them. This fight, it must be on their terms.”

  “We can do nothing to help them?”

  “We? No. But you can. Tell them they have the key, the answer to all of this.” He kissed the top of my head, giving me his blessing, then stepped back. “I will summon you to return once the message is delivered, for there is still much to discuss.”

  I bowed my head and waited for him to send me to the realms below.

  I feared the action would be too much for him, but he lifted his hand and waved it over me.

  I blinked and found myself shooting through the sky, on my way to see a dragon king.

  2

  Forrest

  We’d been ready to take off into the night, myself, Craig and Kate, to go track down the blur of light that had become Sabella the moment she disappeared out the courtyard gates. She hadn’t known who she was, but she, unbelievably, was alive. The chances of Tristan returning from the curse were slim, but I had to have faith she could pull him back from the edge. If we were to keep fighting, we needed them both. We needed what they were together.

  We’d barely gotten to the horses when that streak of pure white light shot across the sky and landed right before me. I winced at the brightness blinding me, but I knew who it was before I had a chance to make out her face.

  Mori.

  A few seconds after the light dimmed and I could see her, Tristan and Sabella appeared, he was no longer a wolf and from their clasped hands, I gathered Sabella remembered who she was. But there was no time to ask them what happened; Mori was talking about preparing for the final battle.

  “The riddle,” I heard Sabella say, and Tristan asked her a question, but I missed it.

  My eyes were still on Mori, and hers were locked onto mine. They were like galaxies, swirling with thousands of stars and planets. They were livelier now that she was away from Baladon’s realm, her skin glowing, and her dress as garnished in stars as her hair was.

  She tilted her head, she studied me as I appraised her, but whatever she was thinking, I couldn’t even have begun to guess. I felt the others watching us closely but made no move to break my eyes away from her. I didn’t want to. In fact, all I wanted at that moment was for everyone else to disappear and let me admire this powerful beauty in peace.

  “This final battle,” Craig began.

  I caught myself growling in annoyance until he shot me a curious look.

  Mori turned her attention to him, Yes?”

  Still frowning at me, he finished his question, “Do you know when?”

  “That is beyond my knowing,” Mori replied. “But I have been told you have the key.”

  “The key?” I asked, confused.

  “She means the riddle,” Sabella jumped in. “That damned riddle is apparently the answer to everything.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Sort of saw my mother when I—” Sabella grimaced, “uh, when I died,” she explained. “Trust me.”

  Tristan’s eyes flared yellow at the mention of her dying, and he drew her into his arms, kissing her as he murmured something too low for the rest of us to hear. Whatever it was had Sabella rolling her eyes even as she laughed warmly and leaned into his side.

  A strange longing struck my chest, and I rubbed at the ache there. I’d become accustomed to being alone, ever since Craig and Kate decided to be together. Accepted my fate of never finding the one meant for me. How could I in a time of war? I thought I was content with no one by my side, but then Mori appeared in my dreams and changed everything. The ache grew stronger, and I rubbed harder, willing it to go away and leave me be.

  Stranger still was when I caught Mori watching them. Her hand rose halfway to her chest as if to soothe an ache but stopped short. For just a moment, I sensed the same strange loneliness in her eyes before she gave herself a little shake.

  “What about the gods we saved?” I asked, partially to try and distract myself from the pain, and so Mori would have a reason to look at me again with those enchanting eyes.

  What was I even thinking? She was a goddess, and I was a lowly dragon king who was on the verge of failing his kin if we could not find a way to end this war. Baladon had killed so many already, destroyed our forests and fields with his beasts. If my father had been king, he would have prevented so much death and destruction, but instead, it all fell to me, and in my eyes, I had shamed him.

  “They will take many moons to recover,” she said sadly. “Baladon’s darkness has been draining them for so long… many of us lost track of when we were stolen away.” She seemed uncertain and the stars dimmed in her eyes as she wrung her hands. “I fear it will be some time before any of them are of any use in this battle. Or back to themselves again. The final battle must be fought by you,” she said, glancing at each of us in turn before her gaze landed back on me, “and you alone.”

  The tone of her voice said she included herself in that category of being useless. The strongest urge to go to her and comfort her nearly overwhelmed me, but my feet remained planted. I’d dreamt of her long before I met her and seeing her chained in Baladon’s grasp had awakened a fury in me like none I’d ever experienced. Far beyond the fear and worry I had when I was traveling with Kate and Craig, fighting to save Kate. This was something different, stronger. Deeper.

  I chanced a glance at Sabella and caught her watching me closely as she asked, “Will the gods be able to recover at all?”

  “I do not know. Many things are uncertain now I’m afraid. Baladon, he was never meant to escape. Now he is out, and his power grows with every passing day.” Mori stared up at the dark sky overhead, sadness in her eyes. “I fear what will happen if we cannot find a way to stop him.”

  “I think we might be a bit closer to that answer than we all think,” Sabella murmured.

  “For tonight at least, why don’t we all turn in and get some rest and recover,” Tristan suggested. “After a night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, we shall discuss what should be done. Agreed?”

  He stared down at Sabella as he said the last part, both of them smiling lovingly at each other. It made me jealous. I was happy for them, really, but at the same time, I had now become that damned fifth wheel. The others were in agreement with the idea of heading inside for the night, but Mori remained where she was.

  “You’re not coming with us?” I asked.

  The others paused.

  “I must return to the other gods and see what is needed of me,” she explained. “I’m glad to see Sabella and Tristan are themselves once more.”

  “I worried for Tristan, but it appears their love is true after all.”

  She bowed her head, no smile on her face. She shifted on her feet, turning to go.

  I reached out and gently held her arm.

  She stilled, and we both looked down at the spot where our skin touched.

  The moment stretched on, time slowing as my heart beat erratically. What the hell was wrong with me? I wanted to ask what was happening, but as our eyes found each other’s again, I saw my question there reflected back at me.

/>   I was not the only one experiencing this tangled mess of emotions.

  “Forrest,” she breathed my name, and it tugged at a memory in my mind. Something I’d lost a long time ago, but no matter how hard I tried to dig it out, it remained out of reach. Her hand covered mine, and this time she did smile. “Thank you again for saving my life.”

  “Anytime,” I replied, and her smile widened. It only lasted a moment before guilt flooded her face, and then she pulled away from me. “Will you come back?”

  She hesitated before she replied, “I don’t know, but… but I hope so.” She took a few steps away from me, closed her eyes, and her body was enveloped in a bright, white light. She rose upward and took on the form of a star once more, shooting off into the distance and disappearing from my sight.

  “Damn,” I whispered to myself, rubbing the back of my neck.

  The second she was gone, I felt lost and alone, all over again.

  “What did she say?” Sabella called out.

  I turned to find them waiting for me.

  “Nothing else that bears repeating.”

  I looked to the sky once more, but Mori was definitely gone. Her final words stayed with me, wanting to come back. Whether it was to come back to help, or come back to see me, I wasn’t sure. Either way, deep down I clung to the undeniable knowledge that one way or another, I’d see her again.

  I caught up with them, and we trudged on. As soon as Tristan and Sabella were inside the gates, they were swarmed by Boris, Hank, and the rest of his guard. He shook their hands and hugged them back, as did Sabella, seeming utterly shocked when Danielle hugged her and wiped a tear away. It was a touching scene, but I was more than ready to turn in for the night and get away from everyone, for a few hours at least.

  “How about a drink?” Craig suggested and made for the hall.

  “I could go for one,” Sabella announced.

  Tristan’s brow arched.

  She raised her own brow. “What? I died and you—well, you were cursed. I think a drink is in order. At least one, maybe more.”

  “And then you can share with us what happened to you,” Kate said, taking Sabella by the arm and dragging her into the hall. “You said you saw Farrah, right? Did you actually die, or was it like sleeping?”

  Tristan growled unhappily, but Craig nudged him and offered him a mug of ale. “Forrest?”

  I looked to the stairs, considered simply tucking in for the night, but that would make them all question me incessantly about my unhappy behavior, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with any more questions tonight. I could be sociable for a few mugs of ale. “Why the hell not.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Craig clacked his mug against mine and Tristan’s, drank half the ale, and sighed. “You think this death of yours was what you saw in that damned vision?” he asked Sabella.

  “No? Maybe? I have no idea really. Felt like I died though.”

  Tristan walked to her side and pulled her back into his arms, holding her close. He checked her shoulders and then tugged up her shirt just enough to glance her stomach.

  She sighed, assuring him again her wounds were healed, and she wasn’t about to bleed out on the floor.

  “If you put me through that again, there’s going to be hell to pay, Red. I hope you understand that.” His voice was grim.

  “And she was able to bring you back?” Kate asked Tristan.

  “That she did. This blurring white light appeared out of the trees, and something clicked inside my mind. A memory of us sitting before a roaring fire and laughing.” He leaned in and kissed her “She brought me back.”

  I buried my face behind my mug of ale to avoid seeing anymore.

  “Good thing, too. Baladon is sadly still out there,” Sabella muttered. “And kicking.”

  “Kicking hard,” Tristan agreed darkly with a snarl. “So many gods already dead. If we hadn’t gone when you said, we would’ve lost so many more.”

  Mori. Mori might’ve been dead, though he hadn’t been draining her, she was in horrible shape when we’d arrived, pulled her from her prison. Her starlight had been so dim. And those eyes, there’d been no hope in them. No hope she would be rescued.

  And though I said nothing to the others, I swore there’d been a hint of recognition on her part.

  “We need to figure out where he’s going to strike next, get the armies ready,” Craig suggested. “We have to be ready for him.”

  “All I have to go on so far is that vision of us, you know, dying,” she said, whispering the last few words.

  For Tristan’s sake, I assumed, but even Craig drew Kate in closer, as if he alone would stop death from claiming her if the time came.

  “And the riddle,” Sabella added.

  “That damned riddle,” I mumbled. “Do you have any more of it figured out?”

  Sabella opened her mouth to reply.

  Tristan cleared his throat loudly, and she went from nodding her head to shaking it.

  “We can talk about it in the morning. Not sure if it’s going to be of much help just yet, but we’ll see.” She stretched her arms over her head and yawned, clearly fake. “Right then, nearly dying pretty much wore me out. What about you, furball?”

  Tristan nodded. “Exhausted. We shall see you in the morning.”

  They hurried out of the hall, heads close together as they talked, probably discussing why Tristan had stopped her from saying what she wanted to.

  Kate sank into one of the chairs at the table and propped up her feet. “And then there was one.”

  “Huh? What are you talking about, one what?” I asked.

  “She means you are the only one of us not hitched,” Craig stated plainly, shooting her an annoyed look. “Leave the poor guy alone.”

  “I’m just saying.”

  “Well, save it.” I grunted and set my mug down heavily on the table.

  “I’m tired of seeing you walking around all mopey,” she argued. “It’s time, and if you hadn’t noticed, we’re at war with a god who’s kicking our asses.”

  “And your point is what?”

  “My point is that we might not be alive much longer.” Kate picked at the edge of the table, her gaze never leaving mine.

  I saw how much she worried about me in that look, and the guilt that her decision to choose Craig over me affected me more than I admitted.

  “Forrest, we don’t want you to be alone in case…”

  Craig hung his head, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

  And Kate, she sighed, not willing to finish what she started to say in the first place.

  “In case we die,” I finished for her.

  “I mean, you have us, and you’ll always have us, but it’s different when you’re with someone.”

  “Not like this is the perfect time in the world to try to date,” I pointed out with a laugh, hoping to lighten the darkening mood, but all it did was make Kate’s lips thin even more. “I know, and I get it, I do, but finding someone now in the midst of this chaos? That sounds like disaster.”

  Kate tilted her head back and forth. “Unless of course, she’s already here,” she whispered. “So to speak.”

  “What was that?” I growled, warning her not to go there, not right now.

  “Kate, ease up on him,” Craig said.

  I bowed my head to him in thanks.

  He waved her up. “Let’s get some sleep. You can pester him more in the morning when he’s less likely to set you on fire.”

  “I could set him on fire, too, remember?”

  As they left, their bantering carried through the castle, until they finally made their way upstairs and out of earshot. I poured myself another mug of ale, started to head to my room, turned back on a second thought, and took the whole damned pitcher with me. The few shifters I passed in the hall were smiling, busy removing the black banners that had been draped throughout at the loss of both, Tristan and Sabella. But now the two had returned, and for at least one night, the shifters, all the races really, cou
ld celebrate this small victory.

  I wondered if anyone had sent word to Drake or Ashan yet and the next shifter guard I passed, I requested he do so.

  “Do you need anything else, King Forrest?” he asked politely after I relayed the message. “Company perhaps to finish off that ale?”

  I was going to say no, but this shifter, he didn’t know anything about me or my lack of love life. “You know, I would be more than happy to share in your company,” I said. “Fetch yourself another mug and meet me in my chambers. We’ll drink to the happy return of your king and queen.”

  “And to a quick end to this horrible darkness. I shall be along shortly. See if I can bring anything from the kitchens, as well.”

  He hurried off to deliver the message to a scout, and I checked in with the few dragon guards I had here at the castle. Magnus, the ruddy old bastard he was, had taken it upon himself to join them and opted for the sword over his healing herbs throughout this mess. I found him and the six dragons in their quarters already well into their celebrations.

  “My king.” Magnus stood, bowing his head. “We hear good news.”

  “Yes, for once,” I said. “All should be fairly quiet for the evening so please, carry on.”

  I nodded and stepped out of the room.

  “If I might have a word?” He followed me out into the hall. “Are you well, sire?”

  I grunted. “You as well? Why does everyone insist that I’m not myself, huh? We are in a time of war. I think I’m allowed not to be so damned cheery all the time.”

  Magnus laughed. “Not cheery, no, but you do seem to be carrying a great burden of late. As your healer, who has known you since you were born, I pick up on these things, you know. Is there anything I can do?”

  I slowly swirled the ale around in the pitcher, almost asking if he had anything to soothe jealousy and loneliness, but bit back the question. No one needed to know what I was truly feeling. “No, just continue serving as you have and keep your eyes open. We might have this small win, but Baladon will strike again, and the next time, I fear what we will lose.”

  “We will win out against him, I’m sure of it.”