Blood Ties

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Pain caused Star to open her eyes, blinking in the darkness and inhaling the thick, moist air deeply. She winced as she struggled to sit up, soreness traveling through her body. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to decipher her surroundings and what had happened.  When she had fallen unconscious, the last thing she had seen was the queen, and Marco...

"Oh God, no!" Star gasped, lurching to her feet, her hands clasped over her chest. Was he dead? Did the queen erase his mind?

A soft voice halted her panicked musings with, "I'm okay."

She whirled around, searching the small cell for the owner of the voice, and her breath caught in her throat.

He huddled in the darkest corner of the cell, his eyes shut, his mouth set, and turned his face away from her. The shadows highlighted the curve of his face, and she saw the stains of his tears. Her brows knit together, and she stumbled over, trying not to feel hurt as he slunk further back.

"What happened? Did the queen..." She trailed off, choking on her words as she imagined all of her rescuers collapsed onto the floor, their eyes blank.

Marco shook his head slowly, his expression unchanging. "No. After she killed my father, she seemed to regret it."

Star's heart stilled as her brain attempted to comprehend his words. "Killed...your father?"

"Erased his mind," he clarified, his voice flat, "which is worse than death."

Her eyes widened with shock before they filled, and she reached for him, apologies on her lips. He pulled away again, jerking out of her arms as though burned. Wrapping her arms around herself instead, she stared at him, her eyes filled with questions.

Why can't I comfort you? Why can't I hold you?

"My family is dead." He closed his eyes, moving impossibly closer to the wall. "I saved all the others, but I couldn't save my father."

Star paused, resisting the urge to hug him, and said firmly, "Your family isn't dead. I'm still he-"

"You're not my family."

The moment the words were out of his mouth, she could tell that he regretted saying them. Although they broke her heart, she didn't blame him. He was right, after all; she wasn't his family.

"I'm sorry," he muttered after a short silence, his eyes still closed, "I..."

Star bowed her head, running her tongue over her lips before replying, "Don't be. I thought I could help you, but I can't. I can't even imagine what it feels like to lose your whole family."

"I think the worst part is that they all died at separate times," he whispered, mostly to himself, "and all because of me. I wish I were dead, too."

Star opened her mouth to refute him, but the words died at her lips, knowing that her attempts would be inconsequential. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she turned away, refusing to leave him altogether but reluctant to come any closer. "W...what do we do now?"

"Does it matter?" he almost laughed, hysterics in his voice. "We lost."

Startled, she glanced back at him, but his expression had not altered. "Why haven't they taken me to Draconis yet? They had plenty of opportunity before you came."

"Again. Does it matter?" Despair caused his voice to crack, and he buried his face in his arms.

Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at him, shocked. "I thought it did." He said nothing in reply, only curled deeper into himself. Star slumped against the filthy wall of the cell, her head tilted back.