On the forty-third night of the Centennial, the king finally knocked on her door again.
She opened it. Looked him up and down. “It’s been eight days,” she said.
He was expressionless. “It took five to find her. Two to coax her out of hiding. One to make a deal.”
Isla stared at him, wondering if she could trust him. Wondering if she even had a choice. She had spent the last few days trying to find another way to get into the Sun Isle library. Unsuccessfully.
Part of her considered simply walking straight inside herself, without an invitation, without a disguise, and allowing the king to make his own conclusions. She had proposed the plan to Celeste, who had gotten back to her a day later, with bad news.
Sun Isle library is heavily guarded and monitored, she had said after asking around. It is also always full. It would be impossible to search for the bondbreaker unnoticed.
She needed the king to allow her an unmonitored invitation. Which meant earning his trust.
So she accepted his explanation. And followed him to their next location.
Star Isle was silver. The ground glimmered with cosmic dust. Trees stood thin and crooked, turning into themselves in spirals, tiny glittering leaves growing from even the trunks. The castle was a monstrosity with endless arches, bright jewels tucked into the stone itself, like stars had been stolen and used to fortify the palace, trapped in stone before they could fly home. Celeste once told her that to Starlings, the stars looked brighter than they did to everyone else, like millions of moons, or shining fruits ripe for the picking. Only they could see how brightly they truly glowed.
Starlings manipulated energy from the stars, concentrated power so bright and shining that it could once make buildings topple over, throw
bodies soaring without a touch, and shatter all a palace’s windows. Now, with their curse, Starling masters no longer existed.
The isle was glittering, beautiful. But in ruins. Unlike Sky Isle, run by its people and their representatives, or Moon Isle, run by the strict Cleo and her harsh nobles, these lands were unkempt. Overgrown. It was a wonder the castle still stood. All other structures looked either unstable or were already partially fallen apart.
That was what happened when an entire realm died before twenty-five, she supposed. Their government was almost nonexistent, run by nobles who were practically still children when they died.
A pity, Isla thought, as she walked through Star Isle. Something about the realm dazzled her, every living thing coated in a shining gloss, like someone had dipped their hand inside a star and smeared its silvery glow across the land.
A bird that looked crafted out of shining metal sat in a tree nearby, beneath a cluster of silver acorns. A metallic snake crept along a branch, its scales like chain mail. They walked through the strangely hued forest for just minutes before coming upon a stream, water silvery in the moonlight.
Isla’s skin prickled, not just because of the cold, but because of nerves. They were about to meet one of the ancient creatures. The ones Oro had warned her about.
“Do as I say,” he had said. “They are tricksters. Some more violent than others. Some will eat you for dinner and pick their teeth with your bones. Others are more scheming than murderous. They are as old as the island itself.”
The king had promised the one tonight would not try to kill her. He had made sure of it during his final meeting with her the night before. But Isla was still on edge. There had to be a reason this hadn’t been Oro’s first plan.
The trees stopped suddenly, revealing an ancient building, all arches and columns. The windows had long been blown out; the stairs had partially fallen away. Silver roots and vines swept inside, curling around the pillars, in and out of the entrance, around its base, then back into the woods, like the forest was desperately trying to keep the structure from floating away.
Oro took the stairs two at a time, careful to avoid steps that had long since crumbled into powder. Isla followed and once inside saw just how much the forest had taken over. The ceiling was high and vaulted, split into
shards—and covered in leaves. Trees had grown up the sides of the interior columns, and brambles swept across the walls. Smaller plants had budded between the stones of the floor, some sporting flowers, others sprouting silver berries that resembled bells, thick thorns between them. They were much smaller than the ones that had pierced her, but even looking at them made her stomach turn.
Oro took one of those thorns and pricked his palm with it. The drop of blood that formed dripped onto the floor.
And a woman stepped out of the wall. She wore a simple dress that floated around her, just like her hair, both suspended as if she was underwater. Her body was silver and slightly transparent.
A specter.
This was the ancient creature? A ghost?
“My king . . . you have returned for me,” she purred, her voice like wind chimes.
The temperature had suddenly dropped. When Isla breathed out through her mouth in shock, a cloud puffed from her lips.
The specter turned sharply to face her. Her smile deepened. “And you brought me a gift.”
“Not a gift,” Oro said. “But yes, what you asked for.”
Isla took a step back. “Asked for?” she said, tripping on a vine. She barely caught herself before falling.
Was this his new plan? Was he going to trade her for the heart?
The specter approached quickly, hair moving like a whip behind her head. “Ah, yes . . . exactly as I requested. How were you able to find her on such short notice? I’ve never seen a face quite like that.” She frowned. “The clothes do not flatter her, but I see the hint of a nice figure there . . .”
Isla pulled her new dagger from her waist and brandished it. “Don’t take another . . . float,” she said, looking down and not seeing any feet.
The specter’s head fell back at a gruesome angle as she laughed. “That metal would just go through me, girl.” She squinted milky eyes at Isla and said, “Now knot that shirt. I want to examine the body I will be wearing.”
“Wearing?” Isla whipped around to face Oro, who seemed content to watch.
He sighed. “It’s just for a few seconds.”
The specter pouted. “I had hoped you had changed your mind about that.”
Isla was a moment away from plunging the blade into Oro’s side. “You have one second to explain before I run from this place screaming and never speak to you again,” she said through her teeth. He conveniently hadn’t mentioned this on the walk over.
His expression was bored. “The specter’s price for helping us is being allowed to walk in a body for a few moments.”
Her hand tightened on the knife’s hilt. “Why not yours?” “I offered. But she requested . . . something specific.”
The specter was suddenly at her side. “The most beautiful girl on the island, that’s what I requested.” She reached out a silvery finger, making to touch Isla’s cheek. “And you’re perfect.”
“Absolutely not,” Isla said, stepping back. “How do I know she won’t stay in there? That you’re not in love with her and just want a body for her to inhabit for eternity?”
Oro gave her a look, just as the specter turned to regard him in a way that told Isla that was exactly what she was hoping for.
“Well?” Isla demanded. “Do you trust me?”
“No! You didn’t even tell me about this until you summoned her!” But that wasn’t completely true. She did trust him, at least a little, after all they had already been through.
Anger burned down through her chest. This was the deal he had made with the ancient creature?
Oro sighed. “What will it take?”
Nothing! she wanted to scream into his face. But then her heart began beating faster, doing a little dance in her chest. This was her chance.
This was the moment she had been waiting for.
She was so excited, so nervous, she didn’t bother glazing the request. “Take me to the Sun Isle library” was all she said. “Let me look inside. Alone.”
Oro frowned. “Why?”
Isla straightened. “I like books. I want to see what your isle has to offer,” she said casually. Then, to draw attention away from her admittedly random request, she added, “Sunlings do read, don’t they? Or do they
prefer to spend their time frowning, sulking, and burning things like their ruler?”
That did the trick. He stared down at her like he wanted to throw her off the nearest cliff but finally said, “Fine.”
Something cold plunged into her chest.
He had stabbed her—that was her first thought as her mind went dark and she drifted far, far away.
She was suspended, weightless, a whisper in the night. Free and bound, loose and tethered. Dancing. Falling.
“That’s enough.” Oro. She gasped.
Isla blinked. Oro blinked back—an inch away. Her body was pressed firmly against his, her fingers were laced through his golden hair, and her lips were almost against his lips. He wasn’t holding her at all, but she was clinging to him.
She startled and likely would have fallen back and cracked her head open on the stone if he hadn’t reached for her.
A true Wildling wouldn’t have been so fazed by the king’s proximity, but Isla didn’t have a long list of conquests like the proud temptresses of her realm.
Isla turned to glare at the specter, who floated nearby, beaming. “You’re lucky you’re already dead,” she spat.
Her cheeks burned and she refused to look at Oro again, who said with just as much venom, “You got what you wanted. Now tell us what you know.”
The specter sighed. She sat in an invisible chair. “What you seek is not on Star Isle. Not this time.” This time? Before Oro could leave, she said, “A warning, King. The underbelly of the island is rising up. Darkness is at work . . . We feel it.”
“Feel what?” Isla asked.
“Dread.” With a final smile at Oro, the specter disappeared through the wall. Isla wanted to turn to Oro, to scream something at him, but she knew it would make him even more suspicious of her.
Besides, she had finally gotten what she wanted.
Though—it seemed too good to be true. She needed to make Oro fulfill his word tonight, lest he go back on his deal. It was still early. They could go right now. “Great. That was traumatizing,” she said. Her shoulders hiked
with a chill as she thought of that ancient being wearing her skin. Even if it was just for a moment. Of being close enough to the wretched king that she could feel his breath against her mouth. “Now you know the heart isn’t on Star Isle. Thanks to me. I’ll admit, it’s valuable information. Must narrow locations down significantly.” She looked him right in the eyes. “Now, take me to the library.”
Oro turned and walked back through the Starling forest in silence. He was really taking her. She couldn’t believe it.
Sun Isle’s was the only library they hadn’t searched. The bondbreaker had to be inside. She could find it and break their curses that very night.
Celeste would be thrilled. She couldn’t wait to tell her— At the bridge, the king took the wrong turn.
She stopped. “Isn’t your isle that way?”
He just kept going as if he hadn’t heard her.
“You made a promise, King,” she yelled at his back.
“I will take you to the Sun Isle library,” he said over his shoulder. “But I don’t recall specifying when.” His gaze narrowed. “Perhaps when you have helped me find the heart, as promised in our original deal.”
Her fingers spasmed, itching, pleading to choke him. She shook her head, so angry she felt the prickle of tears at the corners of her eyes. She was so close. He had promised. Had she not done enough?
“Come back,” she said. He did no such thing. He ignored her, a specialty of his.
Her body was broken and tired—this was all she asked for in return. This time, Isla’s voice shook with rage. “You . . . you are a self-
centered, heartless wretch.”
That made Oro turn around. He took a few steps back toward her and grinned meanly. “Is this your plan, Wildling? To try to win my heart by tormenting me?” His wide eyes searched hers, waiting. He was serious.
Isla had felt the sting of tears, but now she laughed. Breathless, infuriated, she laughed and laughed. She took a step forward and said slowly, so he could hear every syllable, “I have absolutely no interest in you whatsoever, King.”
She waited for him to call her a liar. To say she was just like the countless Wildlings before her who had undoubtedly also been instructed to seduce the king as part of their strategy.
Instead, Oro looked taken aback. Shocked. Was it really that surprising that a Wildling wasn’t trying to make him fall in love so she could steal his abilities and bring that power back to her realm?
Could he tell by her anger that she was telling the truth?
“Then what are you interested in, Wildling?” he demanded. “Why do you want access to my library? What are you looking for?”
She stood very still. And said nothing.
He took a step closer. “I have watched you. You are a chameleon, becoming everything everyone wants you to be, all of the time. Except around me—you don’t seem to give a damn what I think of you.” His gaze was fire. “The lands I have been entrusted with are dying. I am dying. I will do anything it takes to break these curses. You, or whatever you are planning, will not keep me from that end.” He looked down at her so closely, it was as if he was trying to see right through her. “So, I will ask you again. What do you want, Wildling?”
The king was suspicious. And perceptive. He knew she was looking for something.
She had ruined it.
Hurt and a million other emotions pooled in her stomach. Her voice had never been so cold. “You are taking me to the library. Now.”
Oro’s expression did not change. “I will take you once we find the heart,” he repeated.
His tone was final. Isla knew he would not change his mind, and they were nowhere near finding the heart. She couldn’t wait until then. Not with the ball a week away. Not when Moonling nobles had nearly succeeded at assassinating her even before then. The handwritten note in the agora might have been a trick, but it was true. She was in danger.
“No,” she said, laughing without humor. She felt her sanity unspooling around her. “You know what? I’m done. With you, with this plan.” Her voice became louder and wilder the more she spoke, but she didn’t care. “I have bled. I haven’t slept. I have been possessed. I have had the thorough displeasure of being in your presence for far too long. I am done. Our deal is off. And guess what? I don’t need you to get onto your isle, King,” she sneered. “Unless you want to stop me?”
She kept her eyes locked on his. Daring him to deny her access. He did not.
“Good. Perhaps I’ll go during the day, then,” she said, hands in fists at her side. She spoke her last words right in his face before passing him by. “That way, I’ll have your land all to myself.”
