The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51: The Girl Who Burns and Mends

KIERYGAN’S POV

I’ve seen her crackle with sparks, and I’ve seen her glow. I know what triggers each one. She sparks and crackles when she’s frightened or angry. She glows steadily when she’s happy, content,

or safe.

But this… this was different.

This was light born of grief-grief for a friend.

It burst from her in blinding brilliance-an unearthly radiance that seared across the clearing, swallowing every shadow. It was so bright I could barely keep my eyes open, but I couldn’t look

away. None of us could.

The forest fell utterly silent, the wind itself holding its breath.

For a heartbeat, all I saw was her-kneeling in the dirt, arms wrapped around Ashteryn’s massive body. Her silver hair looked golden, gilded by her own impossible light. She looked… holy. Celestial. Beautiful beyond words-and terrifying beyond reason.

“Eirlys,” I called out, my voice ragged with fear I didn’t have time to mask. “Stop. That’s enough.”

But she didn’t hear me. Or maybe she did and simply didn’t care. Her glow pulsed and surged, flooding the trees and illuminating every face turned toward her. Each of them stood frozen, eyes

wide with awe and dread.

Even the vampires bound to the trees had fallen silent, their hunger stilled by her light.

Then, finally, it was gone. Her glow flickered out like a dying star.

I moved without thinking. My arms closed around her as she collapsed, limp and unconscious, her

head falling against my chest.

“Eirlys,” I murmured, pressing her closer, feeling the frantic hammer of my heart against her lifeless

stillness.

I looked down at Ashteryn. His huge body lay sprawled across the forest floor, blood pooling

beneath him, his chest unmoving.

A heavy ache clenched my chest.

“Callum,” I said hoarsely, my eyes never leaving Ashieryn’s pale, slack face. “Take care of his body. Prepare him for…”

“There is no need,” Ulyanna interrupted softly, raising her hand.

I looked up sharply. Her gaze wasn’t on me-it was fixed on Ashteryn.

|||

1/5

Chapter 51 The Girl When Burns and Mends

He stirred.

At first, it was just a twitch of his fingers. Then his chest heaved with a wet, ragged gasp as his eyes fluttered open, glazed with confusion and pain. His head turned, searching, dazed.

I barely had time to register it when another noise pulled my attention sideways.

The vampires.

Claim

They began to blink, their pupils shrinking back to normal, wildness draining from their eyes. One by one, they looked around, confusion flickering across their faces as they tugged against the violet restraints binding them to the trees.

“Your Majesty?” one of them rasped, his voice hoarse. “What… what is happening? Why am I—?”

King Lucius stepped closer. “You were under a bloodlust spell,” he said quietly.

Desmund’s eyes widened as they shifted to Eirlys in my arms. “Did we… did we do that to her?”

“No,” Prince Draven cut in, his voice firm. “But she’s the reason you’re back to your senses.”

My gaze drifted back to Eirlys, still limp in my arms, her lashes wet with tears. Her glow was gone. now, leaving only her fragile body-and the echo of that terrible, beautiful light burned into my

vision.

Callum moved toward Ashteryn, sliding an arm under the smith’s massive shoulders while Orryx braced his other side. Together, they heaved him upright. Ashteryn swayed, blinking down at his blood-slicked tunic and torn leathers.

He ran a shaking hand over his chest, searching for wounds that weren’t there. “How…” His voice was rough and strained. “How is this possible?”

No one answered.

Instead, every gaze turned to the girl limp in my arms. Her cheek was cold against my chest, yet her presence burned through me like wildfire.

I said nothing as I tightened my hold around her. “I have to get her home,” I murmured.

The others moved aside without protest. Ashteryn watched us go, awe flickering in his dark eyes as Callum and Orryx kept him steady.

I walked through the forest in silence, each step sinking into moss and fallen leaves. My mind churned with thoughts and memories I’d tried to brush aside.

I remembered her first sword training, when I’d licked her wounds-and the tiny blossoms and a patch of grass that sprouted where her glow touched the earth.

I thought of her injured rabbit that suddenly leapt from her arms, healed.

III

279

<

Chapter S1 The Girl Who Burs and Mends

Claim

And now these vampires, lost to bloodlust only moments ago, blinking back to themselves after being touched by her light.

And Ashteryn… Ashteryn, who I was sure had taken his last breath. Who should have been dead.

But wasn’t. Because of her.

I looked down at her face, slack with exhaustion, her lips parted, each shallow breath barely

stirring them.

My mind circled back to the same question I’d asked myself since the moment I met her:

What are you?

What kind of creature is capable of such destruction and yet just as capable of creating life?

How powerful would you be without that cursed dark mineral around your wrist?

By the time I reached the castle grounds, the celebration was already dying down.

The music had quieted. Nobles and envoys gathered in hushed clusters, their faces pale with unease as word of the attack spread. Some were already boarding their carriages under the watchful eyes of my guards, eager to leave before another threat emerged.

I ignored their curious, worried glances as I passed.

The corridors were nearly empty now, torches flickering low in their sconces. My boots echoed over polished stone as I climbed the steps to our wing.

When I reached the hallway between her chamber and mine, I stopped.

I was already facing her door. I could lay her down in her own bed, tuck her beneath her familiar blankets where she’d be most comfortable. It would be… proper.

But my gaze drifted to my own chamber across the hall.

Every instinct inside me twisted with unease. What if she woke up alone, disoriented and afraid? What if she had nightmares-of the vampires, or of Ashteryn bleeding out in her arms?

I clenched my jaw, fighting the selfish desire thrumming in my chest.

But this wasn’t selfishness. I needed eyes on her tonight. I needed to make sure she was safe.

I turned and stepped toward my door. With a push of my shoulder, it swung open into the dim warmth of my chamber. Moonlight slanted across the furs and dark wood, illuminating the

massive bed against the far wall.

Carefully, I lowered her onto the black sheets. Her hair fanned out like pale white silk across the pillows, her chest rising and falling in slow, shallow breaths.

I straightened and turned to the outer chamber door, calling sharply down the hall. Within

III

375

Chapter 57 The Girl Who Bure and Mends.

moments, Emma and Grace came running.

“Clean her,” I ordered. “Change her into something comfortable.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” they replied almost in unison.

Claim

For a moment, I just stood there, watching as they began wiping the dirt and blood from her skin. I reached forward, brushing a stray lock of hair from her cheek before stepping back, letting Emma and Grace do what they needed to.

With a heavy heart, I walked away from my chamber. I descended the staircase and made my way to the ballroom. Servants moved about in silence, gathering fallen goblets and extinguishing

candle after candle.

I lingered to say my goodbyes to the remaining guests as they filed out. Among them were Lucius and Draven, flanked by the five vampires who had been cursed earlier.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify