Page 60 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

Though her visit to the library hadn’t turned up the answers she’d sought, she had at least learned something that might be useful. She placed Row’s book on the counter and pulled a dagger from her boot. She pierced the tip of her finger to draw some blood and then concentrated, weaving a bit of spirit with a tendril of fire and earth, as Dhawan had explained.

Carefully, she touched her finger to the page of the book and watched as the words transformed, melting away and reforming in the common tongue. She let out a breath of surprise. She’d done that. All on her own. She was even more surprised to find the words were written in someone’s neat scrawl and not printed, like a textbook or her beloved novels.

This was someone’s personal diary or journal. Whose? She’s stolen it from Row, so maybe his? Or what if it was her mother’s?

“Zarya?” Row called from the other room. “Is that you?”

Shit. She hadn’t realized he was home. She opened the nearest drawer and stuffed it inside just as Row appeared.

She spun around, hoping she didn’t look as guilty as she felt.

“Hi,” she said, her hands gripped behind her back.

“You okay?” Row asked, studying her quizzically.

“Sure.” She pushed back the hair that was sticking to her sweaty forehead. “Just a little tired. It’s been a wild few days.”

“Of course,” Row said. “You should get some sleep.”

“Good idea.”

Zarya waited, and Row watched her. Was he going to keep standing there?

“Anything else you need?”

“No.” She folded her arms. “Are you going to bed soon, too?”

“Not yet. Apsara and Suvanna are headed over, so we can catch up for a bit.”

A knock sounded at the door, and Row moved past her to open it.

“Come in,” Row said to Apsara and Suvanna, and Zarya greeted the two women with a tight smile. After they settled around the kitchen table, Row poured them all a drink from the decanter in the middle. Zarya willed her gaze away from the drawer where she’d stuffed the stolen book. How was she going to retrieve it now?

“Are you joining us?” Apsara asked when Zarya still hadn’t moved. Gods, she looked like a fool standing here. Row was going to suspect something was up at any moment.

“No,” she replied. “I was just going up to bed.”

“Okay,” Row said, and Zarya lingered for another moment. His brows furrowed as he glanced at her again. Could she be any more suspicious? “Well, good night?”

“Yes. Good night,” Zarya said to everyone and then went slowly up the stairs.

After entering her room, she undressed and lay down in her camisole and underwear, still sore with the aches and pains from her fight with Rabin in the garden. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen him since, though that did nothing to suppress the irritation of that entire encounter. What an asshole.

Laughter floated from downstairs, and she wondered how long Apsara and Suvanna would remain here. After another hour of chatter and the distinctive pop of a new bottle of wine opening, it was clear they didn’t plan to head home anytime soon.

Eventually, Zarya drifted off to sleep, and when her eyes snapped open again, she found herself in the dream forest, feeling the tickle of grass against her bare arms and legs.

“Fuck,” she grumbled.

She no longer craved this place like she once had—now, it was just an annoyance. What was she doing here again? Someone was just trying to torment her now.

She sat up, surveying her surroundings. The forest remained as it always was, with its lush dark trees and that violet sky so dense with stars it was like she could scoop out a handful and tuck them in her pocket.

She stood and shivered, gooseflesh pulling up on her skin. Rubbing her arms, she took a few steps. The grass was soft under her feet, like walking on velvet. She gazed up, wondering if someone was up there. A puppet master, pulling her strings. Intent on making her squirm.

When it was clear that no response was coming from the sky, Zarya looked around again. The forest was empty, save for herself. Maybe that was it—she had been the one to create this, and tonight, it would be only her. Now that Rabin hated her, this would become yet another place where she wandered alone forever.

Leaves tickled her fingertips as she trailed her fingers along the bushes. If she had created the forest, then what was she supposed to do here? Was this a sanctuary into which she could retreat? Or was there something waiting here?