Broken

tears and dried her hand on her dress.

“He was just as taken aback as you were. The night he brought. . his sister home, he had no warning of the moons’ powers or how they would affect him. He no more than got her in the arms of his father when he lost complete control. He had no idea what he was doing and went straight for the village. We were easy prey. If Luka would have been an instant later, a man would have died.”

“He almost killed a man?” Kira was horrified.

Ussay nodded. “When he calmed down enough to remember what he had done, he ordered the chains installed in his lair. He made his family promise to keep him restrained until everyone had returned to their homes. Luka is supposed to hunt with him now to make sure he stays away from the village. I do not know why he would let him get so close.”

“Is that why he didn’t come back last night?” Kira asked. “And why you didn’t return with food?”

“Yes. When I saw the fire in his eyes and how close he came to lashing out at me, I realized the change was upon him. He hated himself for what he did to me. A tiny scratch and it almost tore him in two. I followed him to his lair and found him tearing the place apart. I retreated back up the staircase, but he heard me. He begged me to lock him up. He was afraid he would be tempted to return to you and that he would lose control.”

“You’re the one who put him in chains?”

“Yes.” Ussay looked at her hands, clearly upset about doing something so against her kind nature. “He made me promise to leave the castle and sent Luka to take you to safety. I am sorry he frightened you.” She raised her eyes to meet Kira’s. “Can you forgive me?”

Kira placed her hand on Ussay’s shoulder. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m glad you let me stay here.” A rumbling noise in Kira’s stomach made them both smile. “I didn’t eat last night. I don’t suppose you have something I could snack on before we return to the castle?”

Ussay’s big, brown eyes widened. “Kira, we cannot go back-not yet.”

“But why not? I thought they only craved at night.”

“They crave constantly around this time, but it is stronger at night. They usually rest during the day. You do not want to make any noises in the castle and wake one of them. Last night was not the worst of it, either. Tonight, both moons will be new and we will need to be ready. I will check outside to make sure no sign was left. We may have to spread your scent to throw Octavion or any other Royal off the smell of your blood.”

“He wouldn’t hurt me, Ussay. I know that.”

Ussay shook her head. “Forgive me for being so blunt, but. . thoughts like that will get you killed. When he is hunting, all he sees is something to satisfy his hunger. He will not recognize you or even care.”

“How do you know so much?” Kira knew Ussay believed her words to be true, but deep down Kira refused to let go of the possibility that Octavion couldn’t bring himself to hurt her. Not like that.

“I told you. I practically grew up in the castle. I listened and learned. I probably know more than any other commoner in the village, but keep most of it to myself. I do not want what happened to my mother to happen to me.” Ussay motioned to the empty chair sitting by the table. Kira barely remembered her aunt at the door earlier that morning offering to take Narissa to the market.

“What do you mean? What happened to your mother?”

“I am not certain, exactly. One day my aunt came to the castle to fetch me and bring me home because my mother had taken ill. The king would not allow us to see her for several days because she was contagious-or so they said. When they finally brought her to us, she had no memory of working at the castle. She has never been the same.”

Lydia and Shandira’s nursemaid. Kira remembered the story Lydia told her about how the woman had seen her change into her kindred spirit to fight off Shandira. Ussay was right. Her mother had seen something that night-something the king didn’t want anyone else to know about. “Did she work with the children in the castle?”

Ussay looked at Kira curiously. “How did you know?”

Kira shrugged. “A guess.”

“Yes, she did. I would have thought nothing of it, but then the same thing happened to Serena, the weaver’s daughter. Even to this day, she is not the same. She was at the castle one night-”

“Wait.” Kira’s stomach gave a little twist and she suddenly felt like throwing up. “What did you say?”

“I said it happened to the weaver’s daughter. Kira, are you all right? The color just drained from your face.” Ussay slid off the bed and reached for the basin her mother used the night before to burn the bandages. She held it out for Kira to take. She pushed it away.

“I’m fine. I’m not sure I heard you right, though. Who is the weaver’s daughter?”

“Serena. Do you know her?”

“No, but I’ve heard Lydia speak about a Serena. Did she go to the ball. . the night the queen was killed?” Kira’s stomach rose into her throat. She didn’t want to hear this.

“Yes. Octavion was her escort.”

Kira’s heart leapt in her chest and a sharp pain shot down into her stomach. “No,” she managed, before reaching around Ussay for the basin and heaving what little was in her stomach into the bowl.

“How can you be sick? You have not eaten.” Ussay ran to the cupboard and brought back a towel.

“I don’t know.” How can she be alive? Did Lydia and Octavion lie to me? Or were they deceived by their father? And what about the Crystor? If Serena isn’t dead, how was the bracelet removed from her wrist without her and Lydia dying? And then another question popped into her head-if Lydia was dead, why hadn’t the Crystor fallen off? Of course, maybe that had more to do with still being bound to Altaria. Kira held her head in her hands while confusion stuffed it full of questions.

Kira wiped her face and handed the basin to Ussay. “Sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Maybe I need to eat something.”

“I am so sorry. I keep promising you food and then forgetting.” Ussay went to a box on the mantle and pulled out a small chunk of bread. She put it on a plate from the cupboard and handed it to Kira. “My mother spends the day with my aunt and I am always at the castle. I am afraid we do not keep much food here. I will be right back.”

As soon as the door closed behind Ussay, Kira put the plate of bread on the table next to the bed, laid her head on the pillow and curled into a ball. Serena was alive. The thought terrified her. If his father lied to him, Octavion would be furious. She didn’t want to think about what it would mean for her if Octavion discovered the girl he once loved and meant to marry was still alive.

As Kira lay there, staring at the empty fireplace, an image came to her mind. It was of the first time she’d seen Toran, her back against the boulder near Octavion’s lair on the mountain. A huge white tiger advanced toward her, growling and snarling. She felt the warmth of his breath on her face and closed her eyes.

In the distance she heard Octavion call her name. She opened her eyes but now she saw herself in the village, her back pressed to the rock wall of a cottage. In Toran’s place stood Octavion, fully transformed, his sharp teeth visible through his vicious snarl. He looked at her with hunger in his eyes and then leaned toward her, his breath rushing down her neck. A deep rumbling sound escaped his chest.

“I know you can’t hurt me. It’s not in you.” Her shaky voice formed the words in a whisper.

A confused look crossed his beastly face when he looked into her eyes, then he simply disappeared.

When Ussay came through the door with a bowl of fruit and a loaf of bread, Kira’s sense of survival and determination had been renewed. She didn’t care what Ussay said. She knew in her heart Octavion would never hurt her. She’d seen it with her own eyes-felt it in her heart. And as far as Serena was concerned-well, she’d jump off that bridge when she got to it.

Kira swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stood. The pressure on her foot caused a little pain, but as she rolled her foot to the outside edge, it lessened. She could walk. Ussay protested, but Kira insisted on helping prepare their meal. Kira sat at the table and looked through her selection of fruit while Ussay pulled a small bench from near the fireplace and joined her.

“So, tell me what needs to be done for tonight?” Kira didn’t intend to be the victim in all this. If this was how she lived the rest of her life, she needed to learn how to protect herself. Octavion wasn’t the only one she had to worry about. There were other Royals out there.

“I will take care of it,” Ussay said. “You can stay here and relax.”