Star Blood |✔|

28| CLOUDS

Clouds.

I hold my head back, looking up at the clouds.

"Do you like it?"

I don't answer.

What is there to say?

The King had entered my room and dragged me down the hall.

I thought, with pure panic and terror, that he had found out about the book. That the blood upon Jonaus's hand had actually been a different reason than I thought.

But instead, he had surprised me by shoving me outside into a barren courtyard- in the middle of the night no less.

Now we stood outside, heads back and eyes open to the thick fog that hung above us.

I don't answer.

"So you don't like it."

He assumes my thought from my silence.

I can't say if I do or don't.

The air is different from the room I had been kept in.

For that I was grateful.

But it only reminded me, with a pain in my heart- those many nights when I danced under the Moon's watchful gaze with clear skies and clean surroundings.

Upon fresh grass, with my skin exposed to her light.

Now it was barren.

Dead dirt.

Thick coverage.

I couldn't even see the outline of the Moon.

Couldn't even see a faint trace of her light.

It had been choked out and stopped from showing within this place.

"My mother use to love coming out here."

I turn to the King, my eyes slightly wide as I take in his words.

"She brought me here. To get away from father sometimes. Or to just get away in general."

I hold my breath, not daring to speak as he talks more, "They went through the reaping also. Father chose mother because she was the most docile. Or so he thought," he looked over at me and flashed a lazy smile.

"I don't think like my father, Little Star. Who wants such a woman?"

I remain silent as we both stare at each other.

"I've been thinking."

I feel a tightness in my chest at the anticipation of what he might say next. A dark King thinking was never a good thing.

"Will you be my Queen?"

"Never," I hiss.

He laughs, "I thought not."

He shakes his head, "But you will be mine. I can't have you with anyone else but me. I won't allow anyone else but me to talk to you Little Star."

My eyes narrow in thought at his words.

"You're mine," he hisses, those red eyes gleaming within the night as he steps closer.

"I'll never be yours," I say quietly.

A silence hangs in the air as the King slowly shakes his head.

"That blond might make a good Queen."

"Saint?"

He shrugs.

A flash of anger runs through me that he doesn't know which girl he is talking about.

"She can be my Queen for the show. And you'll be my high priestess. My mistress," his grin widens at his idea, "I've thought it out Little Star."

"And Jonaus?"

His eyes narrow, "What about Jonaus."

"Is he not your high priest right now?"

He stares at me a few seconds more before slowly raising his head up to the sky.

"Jonaus is different."

"What is Jonaus to you?"

I'm pressing my luck. Pushing something that I shouldn't. I shiver slightly, hoping he does not catch onto the game I am playing.

"A friend?"

The King shakes his head, "Not a friend."

"Like a brother then...."

His head jerks down to me as his eyes narrow, "No."

I sigh innocently. I couldn't let him catch me. Couldn't let him see through me.

"He is...closer than a brother...." The King whispers.

I stiffen.

We stare at each other.

Those red eyes stare at me in thought.

I quickly shiver.

His thoughtful expression is covered up with a smile, "Cold, Little Star?"

I look away, "I'm not," I whisper. 

"I can warm you up."

He takes a step closer to me, just as I take a step back.

"Don't touch me," I hiss.

"Still sensitive hhhmmm?"

I jerk back when I feel his fingers softly trace the outline of his bite.

"I don't regret it," he whispers.

There is a serious, hungry look in his eyes that has me shivering for real this time.

"Now you have me upon your skin. Added to your collection."

I realize he's talking about the repressors that I wear, that dance and cloak my body.

Another stain on my appearance that I would always carry and never be able to get off.

He stares at the mark a few seconds more before sighing and turning away, "back to your room Little Star. I left my blond Queen sleeping. She should be waking up soon."

He flashes a devilish grin back to me as I follow him inside.