When Stars Fall (Book 2, When Shadows Rise series)

Chapter 1 (Zara)

Using her fyra magic, Zara Tait lit up her palm. Blue sparks skittered across her skin, until the flames strengthened. Then she directed them toward the pyre. The light caught on the nearby willow trees, illuminating the wispy branches draping the edge of the small clearing. Although this was a funeral, there was no body to be burned tonight, and there never would be.

Faraj, one of her best friends with ripera magic designed to help souls cross over to the Above, kept their distance. They sat on a fallen log with their pet falcon perched on their padded shoulder. Their red irises reflected the flames. Next to them sat Tyrus, her other friend. Tyrus fiddled with a silver token, flipping it in his palm. His leg bounced, and he refused to meet anyone's gaze.

She couldn't blame either of them for being uncomfortable. After all, neither of them had known Eka that well, the Frecan girl who'd been beheaded during their escape from Leodia months ago. Her funeral had been long overdue, but Kayden had refused to let them hold one. It wasn't until Kayden's brother dragged her out of a tavern last night, drunk as can be and trying to start a brawl, did he demand she get her shit together. The first step: a funeral for Eka, the girl Kayden loved. They all hoped it would provide Kayden some sort of closure. But if they were honest with themselves, none of them knew what to do for her.

Kayden stood in front of the fire. A little too close. Her arms were tucked tightly over her chest. Shoulders hunched. Her silver tattoos that marked her as a Frecan warrior covered her entire body in simple designs, although she should have had the swirling, complicated marks of royalty. Kayden was the Frecan princess, forced to hide her identity her entire life. Not that it mattered anymore, with her oldest half-brother ruling Freca now and her being on the run.

With the bad weather, it had taken them many weeks to sail from Leodia to the Gadrian Chain. In that time, Kayden had rarely spoken to anyone. When they'd finally gotten an audience with the Gadrian King to ask for asylum, Kayden had chosen that moment to loosen her tongue with a colorful threat to the king's life if he refused them. She may have been a little drunk at the time. Still, Kayden had ruined their chances, and they were turned away. But they'd found a new island to stay on for now, one outside the king's territory.

Zara swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched Kayden. No tears glistened on the girl's cheeks that were scarred from both battle and torture alike–there was only that vacant, dead look in her eyes.

It pained Zara to see her this way.

It was Zara's fault.

All of it.

If she hadn't been the spy in Queen Chhaya's service who had turned Kayden in, then none of this would've happened.

But she hadn't had a choice.

All Zara could do now was try and make amends. But how could she unbreak a heart? She didn't know where to start picking up the pieces of the shattered girl. Or what Kayden believed of her. When Kayden had left those dungeons beneath the palace in the city of Lihtan, the capital of Leodia, she wasn't the same person she had been before. Queen Chhaya had tortured her. Warped her memories. These past months had been a brutal game of trying to help her relearn what was real and what wasn't.

Zara stood and moved to Kayden's side. The girl reached her hand toward the flames–the hand that had been blackened by her newfound magic during their escape. Although the magic had saved them, it had started destroying Kayden. The shadows etched into her skin trailed to her elbow. Zara caught a whiff of burning flesh. Using her fyra magic, Zara ushered the flames away from Kayden.

"Don't," Kayden said, voice devoid of emotion. But Zara caught the faint gleam in her eyes. Tears fighting to break free.

"You're hurting yourself," Zara said.