The Black Moon's Curse (The Stellara Trilogy Book 1)

by Alicia Restucci

  Asher turned his hateful gaze to her then, his eyes showing a coldness she’d never been on the receiving end of before. “I’m not doing this for you. He offered me a deal. I get him into the party and audience with the Queen and he lets me out of the cell and promised me passage home once this mess is over with.” He said, making it clear his anger toward her hadn’t simmered any since their conversation yesterday.

  Ember felt her heart break, wishing there was something she could say to fix this. She wanted him to know just because she was enjoying herself here on the ship, it didn’t change the love she had for him or Cassius. It didn’t change that Iron Kress was their home. It would always be where all her memories they shared took place.

  She’d asked Nikolas not to make her choose a life on the sea over a safe life back home, but it seemed Asher had assumed she already made a choice. From the coldness in his eyes, she knew he wouldn’t listen to her if she told him differently.

  To her surprise, Nikolas took a step forward, blocking Asher’s view of her. “You have no reason to be upset with her. She didn’t ask to be here and neither did you. I understand you’re upset, but don’t direct it at her. Direct it at me. I took her, I took your little boat, and I beat you in that fight at the tavern. You’re myprisoner until this is over.”

  Both women tensed when Asher stood toe to toe with Nikolas. “Don’t forget your place in life, pirate. Even though I'm not the crowned prince, bastard prince still trump pirate in the food chain. The bastard prince beats the scum pirate captain who kidnapped the princess and they then go home said princess.”

  Ember felt embarrassed and flustered at the implication. Anger simmered underneath her skin as she watched them partake in their growling challenge.“I’d like to remind the both of you that I am no princess and I’m not some prize you get to fight over.” She snarled, her eyes shifting between them with disgust.

  “And I’d like to remind all of you idiots that the sun will be going down soon and I, for one, do not want to out here freezing my ass off when it does. I did not dress up like a self-absorbed royal to watch you two puff out your chests and have a pissing contest.” Ana said with a scoff as she left Asher’s side and headed for the side of the ship with the ramp now bridging them to the dock.

  While Ember didn’t get along with Ana, her labeling her as one of those ‘self-absorbed royals’ being the major reason why and not to mention her part in Tomas’s death, she did agree with her on this point.

  Neither of the men broke their glaring contest, to which Ember just sighed and rolled her eyes before she turned and went to follow after Ana.

  Nikolas was behind her before she reached the ramp, his hand catching hers as he pulled her to a stop. She turned to see what he wanted now. “I’m sorry. I can’t promise I won’t do anything stupid the rest of the night, but I can promise you I won’t end the night launching my fist into his face. For you, I’ll be civil.” He said softly, not wanting their other companions to overhear him.

  Ember found herself speechless, not knowing how to react to his promise. He said it with a grin, but she could see the seriousness in his eyes. He meant it. She just didn’t understand why it mattered to him what she thought of him.

  “Let’s just get through tonight, okay?” She said after a moment.

  He had to have known that was as close as he was going to get to the answer that she knew he was looking for. His grin grew wider across his face as he nodded, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm before he led her down the ramp.

  Asher appeared a minute after them, rejoining Ana’s side as he came onto the dock.

  Ember scanned the small group around her. They might look ready for a party, but they all knew this wasn’t going to be a night of dancing and drinking away the beautiful night. This could very well be a dangerous game they were about to walk into. Someone could get hurt, or worse, not walk away tonight with their life.

  “Shall we?”

  Chapter 18

  After a few minutes of feeling anxious at the main gate while Asher talked to the guards, the foursome was eventually allowed inside. Ember was taken back by the difference of design between this palace and the one she grew up in. It just seemed almost brighter. Even at night, the colors were just more welcoming. There were more windows, more decorations she knew weren’t just here because of the party.

  Raising her head, she saw that someone had painted a constellation of stars on the ceiling above them. The chandeliers hung above them even looked as if they were raining fallen stars. She wondered just how much theming of the lunar cycle and the stars went into building this place.

  From the artwork all around her, she knew a good percentage of it probably was. She thought it was beautiful and nothing like anything she’d ever seen before at Iron Kress.

  As soon as they were inside, Asher announced he was going to get a drink. Ana followed after him with only a brief glance to Nikolas. Ember watched as Nikolas’ eyes followed the blonde. There was something in his stare, but she didn’t think it was longing or anything in the romantic sense. That might have just been her wishful thinking.

  “I’m surprised you brought Ana and not Ari with us.” She said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

  Her words seemed to pull him from his trance, bringing his attention back to her. “If I had brought Ari with me, your bastard Prince wouldn’t last the night. Trust me, for his sake, Ana was the safer choice.”

  Much to her surprise, and his, a laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it. Blushing, she hurried to avert her gaze from his, but he wasn’t letting the moment pass him by without saying something. “You know I’m right. Ari would have eaten him alive within an hour of being here. Even I wouldn’t be able to save him. Besides, Ana needed to be here for her own sanity. After Tomas, she hasn’t been herself and I’m hoping feeling like she has a roll to play will help get her mind off his death.”

  Crossing her arms, she felt her guilt hit her full force. She knew he hadn’t brought up Ana’s grieving over Tomas to poke a wound that wasn’t fully healed, but it didn’t make her guilt hit any less. He was dead because she’d made a mistake. It surprised her the woman didn’t hate her more.

  Though, now that he’d brought it up? She tried to picture Ari and Asher in a room together. For one brief moment, she wondered if Ari could be a good match for him. She was strong, independent, and would gladly put him in his place. She’d be his equal in every way if they’d spent two minutes in a room together without killing the other. “They’d actually make a good pair if I thought he could settle with one woman. Ari and Asher, I mean.” She said, trying to remove the hint of sadness from their conversation. Now wasn’t the time for them to let the guilt control them.

  A chuckle erupted from his lips, his shoulders shaking as he laughed. “That goes for Ari as well. She’s the only reason Blu ever agrees to meet with me.”

  That piqued her interest. “You’d still go to her for information?”

  Nikolas made himself a nearly unnoticeable as he leaned against the wall. His arms crossed over his chest as he observed the other guests mingling around them. Ember took a glass of wine that was offered to her a servant passing by as she joined him.

  With a shrug of his shoulder, he finally turned his gaze to her. “Blu might sell me out for the bigger buyer, but she’s got the best information. It’s worth the risk. We found out what we needed for the ritual, didn’t we?”

  He was keeping his voice low, she noticed. This was not information he wanted overheard by anyone nearby to them. Still, he was showing more trust in her by having the conversation with her at all.

  “Which led us here.” She wasn’t asking, only confirming what she already knew.

  He nodded, his eyes returning to the guests around them.

  Her own gaze turned toward where she knew Ana was with Asher. She was not surprised to see his attention already on a new woman beside him while Ana drank the wine in her hand. It didn’t slip her att
ention that Ana was watching the room in a similar fashion to how Nikolas was beside her. They were either keeping watch for any trouble, or searching for someone she hadn’t been told about.

  She could believe either option and she knew he wouldn’t give her a straight answer if she were to ask. Regardless, it seemed as if only Asher knew how to handle a party like this. If they were trying to fit in? They were going to have to mingle. They were going to have to dance, drink, and talk to the other guests.

  Taking a deep breath, she silently hoped this didn’t backfire in her face. Reaching forward, she took ahold of Nikolas’ hand and gave him a tug. “Come dance with me. We’ll stick out if we’re just sitting in the corner all night, and I vaguely remember promising you the first dance of the night.”

  To his credit he simply chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as he let her pull him onto the dance floor. For his big tough act, he didn’t even put up a fight. “I don’t remember you actually agreeing to my deal. What if I decide this doesn’t count towards our deal?” He asked as he slowed to a stop when they found an open spot.

  The raised eye brow on her face only made him chuckle more. “I have a feeling you’d make new terms just to see how fluster you make me.”

  His hand found its home on her waist, his other taking hold of her left hand. She couldn’t hide the smile as she rested her free hand on his shoulder. A gasp escaped her lips when he tugged her body against his. A blush burned her cheeks as she kept her gaze from meeting his own. “And, pray tell, what would be the best course of action to achieve that, Lady Emberlyn?” He taunted as he leaned his face in closer.

  She found the courage to turn her attention up, finally meeting his teasing grin. “I have a feeling you already have a good idea, Captain Barrelwalker.”

  Something flashed in his eyes, too quick for her to identify. She’d seen it before when they were playing their game under the stars, but she hadn’t been able to place what exactly it meant then either.

  As the music started, he quickly used the melody as a distraction. Before she could question the emotion that she’d seen hidden behind his eyes, he was moving them in a similar dance as the couples around them.

  Ember tried to catch his gaze. She wanted to ask him what he wasn’t telling her, but he refused to meet her eyes. She knew then it was something private, something he wasn’t ready to tell her yet. Part of her knew she should drop it, no matter how badly she wished that he’d tell her. She’d just have to be patient and see if his trust for her would grow. For some reason him trusting her was important to her.

  So, she made the decision to let him come to her when he was ready to let her in more. The silence was starting to get irritate her. Silence was not something she’d pair with Nikolas Barrelwalker and she found she wanted to fix it. “You’re not as bad a dancer as I feared. Our dance was so rushed the last time. I couldn’t give a proper opinion.” She started to say.

  His attention turned to her, showing her that he was at least listening to her.

  “You’re a little rough around the edges, but at least you’re not stepping on my feet. The first time I had to dance with Cassius was a mess. He always made some kind of mistake. Whether it be stepping on my feet or dropping me completely when he tried to dip me.” She felt like she was rambling now. Her nerves were getting the best of her.

  She was hoping to not only make him crack a smile, but to make a point clear as well.

  She was letting him know something personal about her, putting herself out there and that she trusted him with a personal memory of hers. It was up to him to meet her halfway here. Whether or not he took her offer, that was his choice. She wouldn’t force him.

  He studied her for a moment, looking at her like before when she wondered if he was trying to figure out a puzzle. After a minute, she had just about given up on any chance of him accepting her offer of peace. “My mother taught me when I was a kid. It’s one of the few memories I have left of her. My brother raised me for the most part after she passed.” He confessed.

  He’d let her in.

  It was only just a small amount, but it was still something.

  “I’m sorry for your loss. It would seem like we have something in common after all.” She said as she gave his hand a small squeeze of comfort.

  A sad smile played on his lips, watching as she shifted closer and rested her head against his chest. “I suppose we do.” He said, his gaze softening as he watched her.

  The hand he had on her hip raised up, surprising her as he tucked a curl behind her ear. His touch lingered as he stroked his knuckle down her cheek. “Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?” He said quietly, as if he wanted this moment to be just between them.

  For a moment, she’d actually forgotten they weren’t alone.

  Her smile twitched as she raised her gaze to meet his again. “You might have said it once, but my memory is a big foggy.”

  His chuckle rumbled in his chest, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “How can I help clear that fog over your memory then, pretty girl?”

  Her smile was genuine as she raised her head to look at him again. “I suppose you’ll just have to tell me again, unless you have a better idea?” She teased.

  She’d put the challenge out there, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to call her bluff or if she wanted him to take the dare.

  Her laughter quieted as she noticed his eyes flicker to her lips. Did he want to kiss her? Did she want him to kiss her? While she had no doubt that she’d enjoy the press of his lips against her own, she wasn’t sure if she was ready for the

  consequences that would follow it. This was probably nothing but a game to him. Even the way she’d suggested it was a game of dares.

  While she knew the attraction was there between them, she wasn’t sure if it went any deeper than that. He barely even trusted her with the details of tonight’s plan. She doubted he really wanted anything serious with her. She wasn’t sure she could handle his rejection after sharing any sort of intimate moment like that with him either.

  Besides, she had Cassius waiting for her back home. They were engaged to be married, or at least that was the plan before all of this happened. They weren’t actually able to have the engagement announcement since they hadn’t made it to the toast before dinner. It had been interrupted by Nikolas and his crew.

  Before he could lean any closer in to kiss her, she pressed her hand to his chest. It was a signal for him to stop and she was relieved when he recognized it. “I’m sorry. I got swept up in the atmosphere. This wasn’t what I had in mind when I said to blend in. That can’t happen. Not in a party like this. There are eyes and ears everywhere and I’m engaged, Nikolas, or I was supposed to be.” She said, now refusing to meet his confused expression.

  Nikolas seemed to let her words sink in before he cleared his throat and let his hand drop back to its place on her waist. “My apologies. I must have got my signals crossed and got caught up in the moment.” His voice was flat, free of any emotion.

  She suddenly felt cold and full of guilt. “I’m sorry. Yyou didn’t get anything crossed, I just …. I can’t risk my home for someone I barely know. I don’t even know if I’ll see you again once all of this is over and done with.”

  His eyes snapped onto her the second the words left her lips. “And what if I decide to keep you? What if I don’t send you home with your bastard prince? Would a life with me on Obsidian be so bad? Would you truly hate it?”

  Ember was taken back by the life he’d painted out for her. A life by his side, sailing across the open seas with a new family. She wouldn’t have anyone there to dictate her life. How she wore her hair, what she chose to wear, what she chose to do with her day, who she chose to share her life with, it would all be her choice and the idea of that made her heart explode with so much joy.

  And it absolutely terrified her.

  But then she replayed what he’d said in her head. He wanted to keep her, as if she was some toy he could steal. H
e was choosing not to send her home. He would keep her away from her friends and her family out of the selfish need of wanting her with him.

  As tears swam in her eyes, she swallowed down her pain as she raised her chin. “You can’t keep me, Nikolas. I’m not some property you can hide from Asher or my father and never let go of. I’m sorry.”

  The sight of him building his walls back up broke her heart. She’d finally gotten him to let her in and then just like that, the wall was back in place.

  “So am I.” He said, his voice as cold as his gaze was.

  Their dance had come to a stop, neither knowing what more could be said to repair the damage their words had done. Ember made the first move as she pulled out of his embrace and left him there alone on the dancefloor.

  She prayed she didn’t fall apart in front of all these strangers.

  Chapter 19

  As Ember pushed her way through the balcony doors, she didn’t realize someone had followed her outside. All she cared about was getting somewhere so she could just take a deep breath of fresh air. Her breath was shaky as she leaned against the railing to try and get her thoughts in order.

  Below her, she could hear the waves crashing against the rocks. Raising her eyes, she tried to focus on the stars.

  “That dance looked intense.” Ember spun around, gasping as her back bumped against the railing behind her. “You saw that all of that?”

  Ana’s gaze devoured her curiously, as if she was trying to figure something out. What it was, Ember had no idea, and she had a feeling Ana couldn’t find the answer from the disappointment on her face.

  “You’re confusing him with your doe eyes and your little smiles. I don’t want to see him hurt. He doesn’t need a broken heart on top of everything else he had stacked on his shoulders.” She said as she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall behind her.

  Ember knew she was right, and she hadn’t meant for this confusion. “I should hate him, Ana. He stole me away from my home, my family and everything I’ve ever known. He said he wants to keep me like I’m some doll he can hide away from the world. My father has done that to me my entire life. I don’t want that. I don’t want another man to decide what kind of life I’m going to have and with who I’m going to have it with.”