Stars May Fall (Stars May Burn #2)

26. Annabelle

ANNABELLE

F ather was going to kill me. But the alternative was worse. I couldn’t let him destroy himself.

I burst into the room with a gasping shriek. Father stood up from his desk in alarm, Lord Lyrason leaning over his shoulder. “By the kingdoms, what is the matter?”

I fanned the air with one hand. “Father, I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.”

I staggered, holding onto the back of the chair. Father ran to me at once and caught me, his eyes wide with panic. “What is it? What happened?”

“Bitten,” I gasped. “Spider.”

He guided me to a chair and turned to Lord Lyrason. “How many doses do you have?”

I followed his train of thought, and a sudden wave of panic made me feel sick. I was just trying to delay things. I didn’t want Father to think my life was in danger and try to inject me with haemalcomy too.

“There are three doses ready.” Lord Lyrason’s reply came from behind me. “One for Prince Stirling, one for the queen, and one for you, if you wish. The next batch will take a few days to make.”

The king licked his lips as he looked at me. “Give Stirling's dose to her instead. He already draws from his store. He can go without the upgrade for a few days.”

I grabbed his wrist. “What are you doing?”

He patted my arm. “Don’t worry, Annabelle. Lyrason has some medicine which will help you get better.”

I fell off my chair in my panic to get away from him. “No! I would rather die than accept haemalcomy. Nobody should die so I live.” I crawled backward, my hands under my back.

Father held up his hands. “Annabelle, calm down. If you start to panic, the spider venom will only spread faster.”

I staggered to my feet. “I’m fine. I’m fine. See?” I gasped in breaths and forced them to slow. “I’m not taking that. And neither should you or anyone else.”

Father frowned at me. “So you know what this is, do you?”

I hesitated before nodding. There was no way I could hide that knowledge now.

“How did you…you were eavesdropping, weren’t you. There’s no other possible explanation.” He turned and frowned at Lyrason who was analyzing me with a blank expression.

Lyrason shook his head. “I didn’t give her a listening device. Nor did I plant one in this room. She must have gotten hold of the one stolen by the Red Men somehow.”

Father barked a laugh and there was both pride and disapproval in his expression. “Impressive. You’ve always been full of surprises, Anna. But this isn’t your decision. I kept these things from you for a reason. We’ll have to talk about what you’ve been up to later.” His humor faded and he sighed. “I need you to stay calm and cooperate. Trust me. You're young and naive, Anna. Your heart is too soft, and you don’t understand how power works. I do.” He took a moment to assess my condition and ensure I was truly able to stand unaided. He softened his voice and squeezed my arm in a comforting gesture. “I know it’s tragic, but people die all the time for the stability of the country. Think of how many people die in wars. How guards willingly give their lives protecting nobility. How many people labor their whole lives with little personal reward to ensure our infrastructure. This is no different. The more stable a country's leaders are, the more stable and prosperous a nation. Some people die so many can prosper.”

I kept shaking my head. “If you take that injection, Father, I will never follow or support you. A king serves his people at his own expense. You know this.”

He lowered his voice and reached out with his fingers to stroke my cheek. “Annabelle, I know you don’t understand. I know I’ve never explained everything to you, and I will correct that later, but I need you to trust me. This is the only way to save Stirling. It’s the only way to stop your mother from dying before the year is out. I started down this road for them, many years ago. And now it is the only way to win the war against Kollenstar. We finally have a weapon more powerful than their soulless. Stopping the war will save thousands of lives.”

I frowned. “By becoming just like them.” I threw up my hands. “We went to war years ago because of the awful haemalcomy practices they use on their people.”

Father shook his head sharply. “No. We went to war because they invaded us. Their haemalcomy practices made them feel restless and invincible because they are focused on war and destruction. Ours are focused on life. Ours will prevent and end wars.”

I gripped the back of the chair, and my voice dropped to barely a whisper. “What are you going to do?”

He straightened up. “I’m going to rid the palace of the traitors and those who will hold us back. Then we will release Lyrason’s creatures into Kollenstar.”

My throat dried, and I shook my head slowly, struggling to finally accept that Father was really going to commit all these crimes. The man I thought he was completely vanished before my eyes. “How…how will you keep them in Kollenstar? How will you stop the halfsouls from spreading back over our borders or invading Tyrazastan and Nibawae?”

Father nodded encouragingly as if my concern was a valid one. “Once we are harvesting vitality on a large scale, we can give soldiers on the border vitality stores they can draw life from. They will literally be sucking the life out of the halfsouls as they attack. The war has ensured our fortifications are strong and well maintained, the other bordering countries too.”

I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “But you’ll wipe out an entire nation of people.”

The king laid a heavy hand on my shoulder. “The world will be a much better place without Kollenstar. They have taken enough lives and started enough wars. Now will you take the injection?”

I backed away and shook my head.

He sighed. “Fine. If you are sure the effects of the venom are subsiding. If there was ever a spider to begin with. You will come around, my dear. You will see the good that it brings.”

He turned to Lyrason. “I will take the injection first. If there are no bad effects, we will give it to the queen and Stirling.”

Lord Lyrason dipped its head. “I assure you, it is well tested to be safe. I used it on several subjects from prison, though of course none remain now. The queen should be here shortly. Shall we summon Stirling too?”

Father nodded. “Yes, yes.” He focused on the leather case Lyrason was carrying and there was a strange light in his eyes. As he stepped toward Lyrason, his voice lowered as if it wasn't for my ears. “You, Lyrason, are about to become exceedingly rich. Our partnership will last generations.”

As he took another step away from me, I grabbed his sleeve. “Don’t do this. Please don’t do this. You’re healthy. You don’t need to live forever.”

He pulled my hand off and forcibly sat me down. “Annabelle, you are not well. You need to rest. If you struggle to breathe again, you must tell me at once, but you seem to be making quite a…remarkable recovery.” He raised his eyebrow in a dry expression.

Lord Lyrason returned from talking to a guard, and Gregane entered. He must have been waiting somewhere unseen in the corridor. “I shall get the injections ready.” He placed a leather case on the king’s desk and clicked it open.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. I stood back up and tilted my chin higher. “If you take this, Father, I will no longer follow you. I will oppose everything you do.”

Father ignored me and muttered something to Lyrason.

I wished I had my crossbow.

Lyrason drew up a yellow liquid in a syringe and instructed Father to roll up his sleeve.

The door crashed open.

We all turned as one to see Kasten looming in the doorway, his sword drawn. His face was emotionless, but everything about him was dangerous.

“What is the meaning of this?” the king shouted.

Part of me was relieved. The other part was terrified by what was about to happen.

Kasten gestured to the syringe in Lyrason’s hand. “If you allow him to inject that into you, I will be forced to arrest you both.”

Father snorted. “You can’t arrest the king, you fool. Sheathe your sword.”

Kasten closed the door behind him and took another menacing step forward. “I will not stand idly by while you practice the darkest forms of haemalcomy. You cannot do this and remain king.”

The king tilted his head to one side as he assessed Kasten up and down. “Do you think I don’t know what you’ve been up to? Do you think I don’t know that you’re planning a coup? I have eyes everywhere. You’ve been trickling in Kasomere soldiers, infiltrating my guard. Your people have been seen around strategic points in the city.” He scoffed without humor. “We’re well prepared for you. Put away your sword, Kasten. You will never be king. I will always be stronger than you.”

Kasten remained unruffled but just stood waiting, one eyebrow raised questioningly. It was clear he was giving Father one last chance.

I took a step toward him, still struggling to think straight. “Don’t kill him, Kasten. Whatever he does. Please.”

He inclined his head just the slightest bit toward me. My heart thumped so hard it felt like it was about to escape my chest.

Someone knocked on the door, and then Stirling and Mother entered. Stirling drew his sword in alarm as soon as he saw Kasten. I tried to make eye contact with the general, but he stayed focused on his half brother and Father. My mother stood frozen, her hands over her mouth.

The tension was so thick even my breathing sounded noisy. There had to be something I could do.

The king cleared his throat. “Annabelle, Charlotte, Stirling. Wait next door please. Alert the guards that there is a coup taking place and that they should arrest Kasten’s household and anyone else associated with him.”

I gasped. “Father! He is merely telling you not to take that injection…”

The king spun to me. “Enough! I will hear nothing more from you. Now the three of you go next door and lock the door until I summon you.”

Kasten remained motionless except to give me a small nod. Did he want me somewhere safe too? Or did he want me to leave so I didn’t see what he was about to do? Stirling grabbed my arm and half-led half-dragged me from the room. I closed my eyes. I had liaised successfully between Kasten and Lyrason before. But this time…this time it wasn’t right to stop Kasten. It was my father who needed to be stopped.

Kasten was in the right. He’d been in the right all along, and I’d been a fool. Father was the monster.

Stirling pushed me into the room with Mother and started giving orders to the guards, some of whom started to move chairs around, preparing to form a barricade. I grabbed his arm. “Stirling, stop. Just get the full guard into the castle. We don’t yet know who is behind any coup. Kasten is just trying to stop…”

He pushed me back. “What is wrong with you, Annabelle! Kasten is and has always been a villain. He’s bewitched you. Didn’t you hear the orders Father clearly gave us?”

I shook my head slowly, letting my disappointment show on my face. I wouldn’t let Father and Lyrason get away with this.

I turned from the room and ran down the corridor. Stirling swore before slamming the door behind me. The lock clicked. I felt guilty about abandoning them, but I had to find Sophie before the guards arrested her.

I ran, tears streaming down my cheeks. A door opened, and strong arms grabbed me pulling me inside. I screamed before a hand clamped over my mouth.