I shot an arrow made of stars at the rider again, hitting him square on his shoulder. His magic pulsed seeking for a way to reach the earth, but my own held firm and strangled it, forcing it back. He gave me a snarl and whistled loudly. I heard wings beating behind us and his Earth Dragon swooped down to scoop him up. The rider shot another glare as they took off in a retreat. I decided to let them go and instead shifted my focus to the men on the boats.

​

“Can I shoot more than a single starlight arrow?” I asked Kuu, pulling the string back.

​

“I don’t see why not.”

​

I let out a shaky breath and then aimed one at the man at the helm. I poured my own magic into the arrow and willed it to split and rain down on the crew.

​

When I released the bold, it shot forward and shattered into a dazzling display of stars. For a moment, they floated, capturing everyone’s attention, before they suddenly shot down in a volley of mini arrows. The cries of the men they rained down on made my stomach churn and I looked away from the crimson that was beginning to color the deck and water below.

​

“This is war, star seeker,” Kuu said, not unkindly.

​

“That does not mean I have to like having their blood on my hands,” I said softly.

​

“Thalia was not as soft-hearted,” she retorted, then dove toward another ship, sending her heated starlight blasting clean through it.

​

I wanted to snap back that I was not Thalia. I knew next to nothing about her other than stories from around a fire and whatever she deemed important (or mundane) enough to put in her stupid, useless book. That female, with a half-assed plan involving me somehow taking down a king she could not stop with much more experience, was long dead.

​

Thanks, mom.