Page 85 of To Fight and To Fold

"Keep him still."

The bands around his feet tightened, which was unnecessary because Starspark was as still as ever. His head lifted in the direction of that glitter.

"This is the only spot I can reach, really. He's all loafed up, scales too hard. Ready?"

Aaryn braced herself.

And a burn as hot as the sun pressed into her neck, and Starspark would have roared, except he couldn't.

It was Aaryn who had screamed instead, so long ago, on the steps of the church as she'd cursed her luck for missing the lottery.

And it was Aaryn who screamed now.

20

INFORMATION DELIVERY SERVICE

Thea shot awake at the sound of Aaryn's cry.

So, too, did Starspark. He jolted so hard it flung Thea forward as Aaryn's scream choked off.

Thea lurched toward her, heart in her throat. "Aaryn! What's wrong?"

Aaryn's eyes were wild, blinking up at Thea, unseeing as she hovered her hands helplessly. On shaky legs she stood, one arm against Starspark's scales for balance, and Thea followed, unsure what to do with the echo of silence in the wake of her panic.

Thea's heart sank as Aaryn reached Starspark’s neck and stroked his scar. The one most dragons captured by Evergale wore. Sometimes they were better at hiding it. Not in Starspark's case.

"I'm so sorry," Aaryn said to Starspark. Her hands were as trembling as her voice. "I thought—I didn't know."

Thea approached carefully as Aaryn cried, burying her head into Starspark. He groaned, low and comforting, then a purr slipped out for her.

Past them, an Awakened approached, concern in her expression, confirming that the scream had been real, not a figment of Thea's imagination. Thea waved her away. She was at a loss when faced with Aaryn's tears, but she could handle this. Maybe.

Aaryn was alright, at least physically. Whatever she was going through, only Starspark knew about.

"What happened?"

Aaryn’s attention was on Starspark as she said, "His scar—I'd always wondered about it."

"Okay…" Thea suddenly recalled the odd certainty Aaryn had of Starspark's state while they'd been separated. Her sure footsteps as she'd walked to him on a terrain she'd never seen before. The nights Thea had wondered if Aaryn was there somehow.

"They did it to find me. Did you know that?" Aaryn asked, staring up at her, betrayal in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded, before Thea could even answer. Thea felt as if the ice beneath her feet was very thin. One wrong word and she'd slip under.

"Would you have believed me?" Thea practically whispered the words.

Aaryn's silence told the truth.

Thea softly questioned, "How do you know what happened?"

Aaryn blinked, processing or clearing her mind to focus on the question. Then her cheeks flushed. "I can see things. Through Starspark."

Thea swallowed, remembering all the conversations she'd had with Starspark to try to warm him up to her, all the confessions only he had heard. Or so she'd thought. Thea glanced up at him, narrowing her gaze.

"Through him?" Thea clarified.

"Yes. Like I'm seeing through his eyes."

"That's interesting," Thea mused—especially considering she still had the rune in her skin. Thea didn't know what to make of that. She needed someone more knowledgeable. Vaelen.