𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐓 || skz

CHAPTER 4: ALONG THE FOREST PATH

The clouds were still thick, hiding the stars from view. Felix had hoped to be able to see them once again, just for the slightest moment, before dawn but he was disappointed as the sky began to brighten and the clouds showed no sign of moving.

He was sitting by their small, makeshift camp, with his knees pulled up to his chest and just staring towards the sky. He was tired, exhausted even, but he couldn't fall asleep. He had tried but the thoughts wouldn't stop. Memories of the events kept playing in front of his eyes. He felt like he still had his father's blood on his hands.

It made him sick. He had almost killed his own father. He hadn't been able to control himself, but he should have tried harder to resist it. Maybe he wouldn't have hurt his father if he did.

"Hey," a voice said and Felix snapped his head around to see Chan. His eyes were glossy and unfocused, as if he had just woken up, and his tousled hair only further highlighted that. "Why are you up?" he asked as he sat down beside Felix, glancing up towards the brightening sky. "Did you not sleep?"

"Couldn't fall asleep," Felix mumbled, leaning his head on Chan's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Chan asked. Felix sighed, leaning even heavier into Chan's side. Chan didn't seem to mind as he just put an arm around Felix.

"All of this happened because of me," Felix said, his words just barely audible in the chilly morning air. "If I-"

"They needed your heart, Felix," Chan said, cutting him off before he could say anything. "What were you supposed to do? Not be the son of a fallen star? I don't think that's how all that works. You don't really choose your parents and heritage. You're given it at birth and then you have to figure out how to live with it. It's not an active choice."

Felix stared up into the sky for a moment. "You're right," he whispered. "I just..." He trailed off, looking down at his hands. "She tried to get me to kill my father."

"She what?" Chan asked, turning to look at Felix. Felix sat up straight, eyes still fixed on his hands and he nodded. "Did you..." He trailed off and Felix turned to him. He licked his lips. "Did you do as she told you?"

"I was about to," Felix said, voice growing thick with tears again. He reached up to rub his eyes before any tears could fall.

"Hey, what did I say about rubbing your eyes?" Chan said softly, reaching out to grab Felix's wrists to pry his hands away from his face. "Don't do that."

"I would have killed him," Felix whispered, lowering his head in shame. "Not because I wanted to, but because she told me to. I didn't want to hurt him. I-I know I've expressed my disdain for my father in the past... I haven't agreed with his decisions. But I never wanted to hurt him."

"I know you don't," Chan said, taking Felix's face in his hands. "You don't... You don't need to tell me. I know you, Lix. I've known you for..." He trailed off, the corner of his mouth twitching in a small smile. "I've known you all your life. I know you wouldn't do such things unless you were forced to." His eyes flickered to Felix's chest, where the inky mark would be. "It seems like you don't have much of a choice right now."

"I couldn't stop it," Felix breathed, swallowing hard. "I'm so scared Chan. What is she going to do when they catch up?" He exhaled, breath shuddering. "They want my heart and I-I don't think they'll stop at anything until I'm dead." Chan carefully wiped the tears off Felix's cheeks. "If they find us, I... She's not going to let me go the next time."

"That's why we're not going to let them find us," Chan said. "At least not before we break the curse."

"How do we break it though?" Felix asked, the question more directed to himself than it was to Chan. He averted his eyes and pulled his hand back, turning his attention to the sky above them. "I don't even know much about it myself. It's so..." He trailed off, unsure what to say. "I don't know."