25. Kieran

25

KIERAN

The fresh morning air hit my face as I inhaled sharply, allowing my wings to expand while standing at the entrance of the cave. I had woken up wrapped in the security of Ronan's strong arms, comfortable and at ease.

That was before my brain was hit with an overload of thoughts—a wave of absolute overwhelm—that had me damn near sprinting from the wyvern kingdom's castle, needing relief. I'd left a note explaining so no one would worry, even telling the guards at the gate my plan, but I knew I needed some time to myself.

Time to reflect, in the early dawn light and crisp morning air, on everything to come.

After nearly a half hour of sitting on the edge of the cliff, I felt nearly ready to go back in—to face whatever today would bring, including all the military planning and preparation to come. The initial meeting hadn't brought anything fruitful, and by the previous nightfall, most of us were too tired to continue. We decided instead that we would handle it this morning. Most importantly focusing on how we would bring together the Rebellion and wyverns to work in unison as one army.

Standing up, I stretched and let out a small yawn…

An animalistic cry of agony echoed throughout the trees, sending birds airborne in fright. Concern furrowed my brows and I didn't hesitate to jump from the cliffside, allowing my wings to catch an air current as I listened for the cry once more.

When it sounded again, my pathway took me over the high treetops of the Northern Forrest and toward the mountainous divide near where the incident occurred yesterday.

I was met with silence—making me wonder if maybe I had imagined the noise…

A pained, agonized roar sounded once again, causing me to dart to my left before dipping down, searching closer to the ground for the creature in question. It wasn't until I was closer to the edge of the Southern Forrest that I found a massive gryphon curled up against the mountainside on a ledge that jutted out from it.

Despite my fairly recent negative and scary interaction with a gryphon while visiting Ronan at work, I forced myself to land on the ledge occupied by the wounded creature.

A defensive snarl came from the creature as its beak dipped and pressed against a spot on its front right leg in an effort to hide the injury. Considering the blood dripping onto the ground from the wound, it wasn't very effective. When the beast picked its head up, I could see lethal claw marks cutting deep into the skin, removing whole chunks of feathers from its surface and leaving blood and gore in their place.

"Shit," I murmured, stepping closer, trying to inspect the injury further. A deep, dangerous sound rattled from the beast in warning. Swallowing nervously, I put out my hands in what I hoped was a friendly, non-threatening gesture.

"I promise I won't hurt you. I can't heal you completely, but I can help if you'll let me."

Honestly, I had no idea why I was talking to the creature as if it could understand me, but when it made no move to attack, I slowly removed my jacket and knelt on the ground near it. I could feel its dark, hawk-like eyes watching me as I took out my dagger—ignoring the snarl of warning at the weapon—and drew the sharp blade against my clothing to cut it into several long pieces of fabric that would serve as makeshift bandages. When I was done, I left the dagger on the ground at a distance and scooted closer to the creature, trying to remain calm in the face of such a ferocious beast.

"Can I see your front leg?" I asked, motioning for its injured limb. I wasn't sure why it felt so much more natural to interact with the creatures now than it had when visiting Ronan, but I felt significant relief when my form of communication somehow worked. The gryphon moved its beak away from the injury as it put forward its bloodied limb. The scent of copper pierced the air as I lifted my hand to the wound, going to remove a loose feather from the injury?—

"Don't." I warned, snapping my gaze to the creature's as it paused mid dip, its head moving closer in a threatening manner. At my harsh tone, the gryphon pulled back as I continued my work and removed several feathers so I could examine the injury fully.

It wasn't nearly as deep as I had assumed, and there wasn't much dirt in it, which led me to believe it was a fresh cut. Very recent, in fact. Moving to grab a bandage, I eyed the creature—realizing its beak could probably pierce through my skull with one good peck—before moving to wrap a bandage around its front leg. I started above the injury to reduce the flow of blood before working downward, the gryphon surprisingly silent as I worked.

I had no idea how helpful this would be, but I figured the pressure would aid in stopping the bleeding and reduce the risk of infection. Honestly, it was far easier than I would have assumed to ignore the creature's dangerous, deadly-looking talons as I worked, feeling pride at the way I managed to secure and put pressure on the injury.

I didn't hesitate, once finished, to make a quick retreat and to grab my dagger—not wanting to tempt fate. Expanding my wings, I lifted into the air and watched the beast with interest as it slowly stood, putting weight on their front limb before letting out a deep rumble. One that sounded almost of appreciation—or I, at least, hoped that was the case.

Suddenly, and without warning, the gryphon soared from the cliffside and dipped down toward the forest floor, dropping out of sight and through the canopy. My hand rubbed my chest, feeling a considerable sense of relief as I watched the canopy for a second longer before tucking my dagger away, knowing that was my sign to get back to the wyvern kingdom.

As I began my return journey past the mountains, my gaze ran over the center of Alfemir's kingdom in the distance. I couldn't deny the pain as my heart squeezed at the thought of just how close my entire previous life was— just within reach . Part of me, a significant part, wanted to check in on my mom. I didn't think it would be smart to talk to her or interact with her, but that same part of me desperately wanted to see her, even if only from a distance.

My momentary pause as the sun illuminated the white marble of the buildings in the distance was broken by the rustling of something in the forest below. I had no doubt that it was a beast of some kind, but I erred on the side of caution. With a quick beat of my wings, I landed on a nearby cliff on the side of the mountain. Crouching, I surveyed the space below me as my heart thundered in my chest.

Nothing. At least nothing I could easily see.

Still, my thudding heart only emphasized that I needed to get back—especially before it became light enough to be seen. After waiting another few seconds, just in case I was wrong about the sound coming from a beast, I jumped from the cliffside and soared up and looped through the air, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing through each feather?—

Agony suddenly exploded through my left wing.

A scream of surprise left my throat as I was tugged violently down from the air, my gaze darting toward my wing that was pierced by a hook. It entered through my wing's delicate skin like a spear before opening into a grappling hook, similar to the one used yesterday on the small wyvern boy. I cried out again as feathers pulled away and a bloody stain began to expand rapidly against my white feathers.

In a panic, I tried to move upwards, to shift my wings—or at least the singular wing that was uninjured—but my body dropped like a rock, unable to fight against the force that was pulling it downward. My head hit against the ground with a reverberating thud, and a groan tore from my throat as pain radiated through my back and along my skull. The deep, pulsing sensation caused tears to well in my eyes. Trying to sit up, I found I was stuck to the ground by the heavy hook, my wing bent at a horrible, broken angle.

"Got her."

Those were the last words I heard before a cloth bag was pulled over my head. A kick to my ribs had everything spinning as I gasped for breath, automatically breathing in the herbal scent that was suffocatingly strong and surrounding me, wafting from the material covering my face. Damn them. The world turned woozy and my stomach turned.

All at once I felt like I was being thrown every which way and turned upside down. It wasn't until a large shoulder dug into my stomach that I realized I had been picked up. Past that lone detail, I couldn't describe if seconds, minutes, or hell even hours passed, because there was only the rush of sensation that bombarded me.

The darkness of the bag over my head, smelling strongly of herbs that had my world spinning. The feel of a hard, armored shoulder under my stomach. The panic of words and screams being caught in my throat. The sensation of the rope around my wrists and feet cutting into my skin, burning with each weak tug I managed. The scent of blood dripping from my wing. The sound of air rushing past us as I was lifted into the air.

It was in that unknown passage of time that I had to face the facts. After everything that had happened, I'd fallen prey to a surprise attack. I didn't know by whom, but the sinking sensation in my stomach told me that it was likely as bad as I could imagine.

My eyes closed as I tried to prepare myself for what was to come. I knew that the second the bag was lifted from my head I'd have to fight like hell if I hoped to escape. All I could hope was that the training I'd gone through in the Rebellion would help keep me on my feet long enough to get the better of my abductors.

When we hit the ground, the jostling caused me to whimper in pain as my wing jostled from where it hung limply behind me. I tried to push off the shoulder I was flung over, but my arms wouldn't move, the communication from my brain stopping en route as I hung there uselessly. A tear of frustration leaked from my eyes as I heard the sound of doors opening and shutting before being followed by the low creak of metal.

My body was tossed through the air before landing in something soft and itchy, and the bag was ripped from my head. The rope was removed from my wrists in a mere second, immediately replaced by metal cuffs before I could even move to stop them. Blinking, trying to adjust to the lack of lighting in the space, I heard masculine voices around me, causing fear to charge through my system. Luckily, they faded after a second as a metal grate was slammed shut and I was left in silence.

Silence was safe—at least for now.

My breathing was rapid and uneven as I pulled my knees and arms as close to my chest as I could manage, making myself as small as possible to calm my panic, before trying to use my tied hands to feel for the space around me. I couldn't even get my wings to retract into my body despite the hook being removed at some point in our journey. Overall, my limbs felt extremely clumsy in my search for clues to where I had landed myself.

Minutes later—when my brain and body both began to regain some level of normality—my eyes fully adjusted to the darkness around me. Instantly, dread seeped into my being as I examined the military crest hanging on the wall right across from my cell.

Alfemir. I was back in the heart of Alfemir. Deep down, I had known where I was, and at the behest of whom, but I had hoped my gut instinct was wrong. For once, I hated being proven right.

After a long while of careful observation, I deduced that I was located in the jail located in Alfemir's military headquarters. My father had once given me a tour of the deep, dank cells, probably in an effort to scare me. It hadn't worked at the time…but now? Well, I wouldn't lie, now I felt more than a bit of fear.

I looked at the cells on either side of me and found them empty, the entire jail seeming suspiciously quiet, void even of guards. Then again, if my memory served me correctly, this wasn't the actual dungeon they kept criminals in. I was in what I recognized to be more of a holding cell than anything.

That was a positive at least.

Focusing on calming my breathing, I took stock of myself and realized that despite the pain I felt, I could bear it. Sure, it hurt to breathe, my ribs feeling bruised and cracked, and my wing pulsed with pain, but I had enough energy to stay alert. As long as that damn bag was kept away from me, I'd be fine. Whatever it was soaked in was enough to render me useless for minutes even after its removal. Looking at my tied hands and feet, I wondered if it was worth the effort to stand but decided against it.

Besides, if my hunch on how this had happened was correct, I knew I wouldn't be alone for long. No need to waste my energy. So instead, I awaited my fate in silence. Hunched uncomfortably on the ground.

It couldn't have been more than an hour, but in that time my fear disappeared and transformed into red-hot anger. I tilted my head up as I stared at the cell door in front of me, almost willing my captor to appear. My true captor—not the guards who had brought me in. Grinding my jaw together, I summoned an image of him to the forefront of my mind, allowing myself to get momentarily lost in thoughts of vengeance.

As if summoning him by thought alone, a door opened and slammed shut again in the distance. The sound of boots echoed through the hall outside my cell, and my jaw clenched tightly in annoyed anticipation. I narrowed my eyes on the front of my cell where the hallway bended on a curve, waiting to see him turn the corner. He didn't disappoint.

"Father."

I didn't give him the chance to speak first, trying to hide my brief surprise at his physical appearance. His hair was unkempt and dull and his eyes roamed over me with disgust. Even with an ugly sneer on his face, I couldn't stop myself from glancing down the length of him, noticing how his uniform hung from his body as if he had lost weight. I didn't know if the changes were obvious to anyone other than me, but it was clear that something was different about him. Something was wrong .

"Kieran." He greeted me stiffly, dark eyes scouring my face from beyond the cell door. "I'm disappointed in you."

A bark of ironic laughter left my lips as they pulled into a cynical smirk. After everything, that was what he had to say to me?

"I see you haven't changed," I bit back before clamping my mouth shut. I drew in a deep breath, calming my thundering heart, trying to convey indifference before I slowly continued, "I don't really care if you're disappointed in me. In fact, I don't care much for your opinion at all."

The way his face twisted in anger made me feel significantly better, bolstering my confidence over the fact that, for once, I was able to get under his skin and rattle him. That tiny bit of control over him also helped to ease any of the fear I had left.

My father did his best to ignore my commentary, continuing, "To be caught so easily, Kieran. To walk right into the trap I set, returning to the sight of the incident from yesterday. I hadn't believed the soldiers when they described what they had seen from a distance…My own daughter saving a wyvern and a unit of male fallen taking down a unit of our men in a swift effort. I thought there was no way you would return, that you would be so stupid..."

He chuckled, his eyes lighting with joy as my stomach dropped, a sour taste in my mouth at his patronizing tone. "But you were —you were that stupid, Kieran. And here I thought that for once you would actually be successful at something, even if it was just at escaping Alfemir."

My father's words cut open the old wound that had always festered in his presence.

"I'm more than successful at something," I hissed before tilting my chin up confidently. Honestly, fuck him. I was so much stronger than he could ever begin to fathom. "In fact, I am essential to something so much larger than you can comprehend."

His brow arched as he smirked cruelly, seemingly unimpressed. "Essential? You have never been essential to anything, including our family. All you ever proved to be was a useless waste of resources. On top of that, you became a traitor to your own people by joining the filthy fallen rebellion."

I felt my anger stir at the way he referred to the Rebellion but I kept silent. He could never hope to understand the family I had found within the Rebellion. Not managing to raise my ire, he huffed before he continued, "You don't deny it? Good. You will die just like one of them then. This will simply be one last loose end that I get to tie up before we launch our full attack on fallen."

"You would kill your own daughter?" I asked before shaking my head in disgust. "I don't know why I ask—of course you would. But I won't let you—I won't let you kill me. I have far more value than you could ever imagine. I am the answer to saving this entire world. A world that I won't allow you to be a part of—I will ensure that you won't reap the benefits of my hard work."

Even if it meant removing him myself. I understood the heavy implications of my words, but I could see clearly—in his actions and words—that there was no saving this man.

"I have already scheduled your execution, girl. It is set for tonight at sunset." He watched as the color no doubt leached from my face at his words. My heart beat thunderously in my chest, my scalp prickled with heat, and my stomach clenched painfully—I hadn't considered that he would take such quick, decisive action against me. "Besides, the world doesn't need you. It never has?—"

"It does." I snapped, pushing past the panic, my anger rising up as I bared my teeth at him. "I am the only one who can save it."

"And why is that?" he mused, eyes flashing with a clinical interest I didn't like. And deep down, I knew that if he had already planned my execution, there was no changing his mind. So why bother holding back? There wasn't a point to it. I might as well help him understand that he was damning the entire world with his careless, gutless actions.

"As I said, I am far from useless," I whispered, feeling pride radiating through me at finally knowing my place in this universe. "I am the last Star Keeper. The only one who can counter the prophecy of the stars dying and falling to Earth, obliterating everything in their path. Everyone needs me—I am the only one who can even hope to save them. Your pride, your need to exterminate me, cannot be the reason that doesn't happen."

It was clear my father was surprised by my words, his brow furrowing. "A Star Keeper? Who told you about such a ridiculous, made-up affinity?—"

"I know everything." I whispered, my voice taking on a serious enough note that he went quiet. He narrowed his eyes, lips pressing into a thin line, but he tilted his chin down at me, mocking me into continuing. " Everything. From the dead affinities and how they were extinguished by Alfemir's leaders, to how memories of the war were erased, leaving only the Archangels with the knowledge of what occurred.

"I know what I am. I also know that if I had stayed, you would have killed me. I know what place I now hold in this universe, and nothing you say can place doubt in my mind. You are a very, very small man when compared to any of this, and when the time comes, I will not go out of my way to save you."

I could see my words hit home when a cruel, calculating light filtered through his hard-eyed gaze. "Then I supposed that's all the more reason for you to die. Your execution will take place in mere hours. Prepare yourself, girl. The stars don't need a useless girl and neither do I."

He turned from where he stood at the front of my cell door, but my lack of a response caused his shoulders to go tense. I took great joy in the rigid line of his shoulders. Then he paused for a long second before looking at me over his shoulder, a grimace slipping onto his face. "Your mother won't be at your execution."

I swallowed nervously at his words, knowing that anything to do with him and how he treated my mother couldn't be good. My eyes narrowed on him. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"She's dead."

Static rang in my ears as my heart plummeted to my stomach. Bile rose in my throat as I pitched forward, wanting to rush him in anger. I wrenched my hands against the ropes binding me before gripping the stone floor in front of me, digging my nails into the filth beneath them since I was unable to stand.

"You bastard," I snarled. "What did you do to her!"

Dead? Absolutely not. There was no way. That…that just wasn't possible.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't given the opportunity to dole out punishment fitting for letting you escape," he snarled as he turned toward me fully, truth evident in his disappointed gaze. "Your mother took the weak way out, taking her own life right after you left. I did, however, find your letter to her. I can't help but wonder if that was what did it. If it was your words that convinced her to take her own life."

I stared at him blankly, feeling a dazed sense of stupor overtaking me. A victorious smile filled his face at my stunned silence. "You can think about that…for a few more hours anyway."

A single tear leaked down my face as grief plowed into me, a pulsating, dark sadness radiating out from the center of me. My mother…had killed herself .