Starwalker (Starborn 1) (Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance) by P. Jameson Page B

probably not even then.”
    Cold. Frigid. Distant. She held no kernel of feeling for him.
    How unfair destiny was to them. How unjust their fortune.
    “Now, are you leaving or are you dying?”
    Dying , he thought.
    But he couldn’t do that. Who would keep her safe from the Helix? Whether she let him love her or not, didn’t matter. He needed to protect her. If not her heart, then her body, her life.
    Somehow he managed to turn and walk away. As he left Canna behind, he realized it was still a death, if not a physical one. Because another thousand years without her wouldn’t really be living anyway.

Chapter Five
     
    Canna watched with an odd detachment as Breckken walked away. Disconnected, as if she were watching the scene from above.
    When he was gone, she finally let out a shuddering breath. Trying to stem the shivers that overtook her body, she wrapped her arms around her middle.
    Yes, this was how it always was for her. She comforted herself. Defended herself. Cared for herself under Rowene’s watchful eye. Kept herself from falling apart when things got too hard. Thus it was and thus it had been for all her existence.
    What she’d told him was true. She didn’t need him. She didn’t need anybody and she’d long ago proven that fact.
    Her hand went to her chest. The pumping underneath the skin was foreign to her… but not unpleasant.
    Her heart was beating. Unbelievable.
    She wasn’t worried about people noticing. They would notice, of course. But they wouldn’t dare say a word to her about it. Row would ask. But when Canna made it clear that it wasn’t up for discussion, Row would drop it like the burning ember it was. There would be talk around town, people speculating about who the unlucky wren was. But that didn’t bother her either.
    Wait. That did bother her.
    When a Star Dweller met their Heartbeat, it was practically a done deal. The Fates were not very often wrong about such matches. So to know that her mating was one of those very rare failed matings was just another kick in the gut. Another thing to alienate her from the crowd. And for them to know that her Heartbeat didn’t want her… well, that did bother her.
    He was the single person designed to want her. And even he didn’t.
    Canna tucked the ice arrow into her robe and started walking. She never went out without her bow and quiver, but it was in the castle and she wanted to avoid seeing Row.
    The streets of the city were mostly empty since it was nearing dark, but not completely. So she assumed her normal authoritative gait. She must appear strong for they would all soon know of her new unfortunate circumstances.
    As she walked, she tried not to berate herself for who she was. She’d made it a rule long ago, to never apologize for the things that made her different. But right now she was finding it hard not to blame herself.
    She relaxed as she neared the fountain. Time for some therapy.
    At the bench, she retrieved her file from the pocket of her robe, but before she could begin, something caught her eye.
    Bending low, Canna squinted. There, frozen to the slick stone ground, were three purple-red drops. Blood?
    Her gaze snapped up, scanning the shadows. No one was around.
    Why was there spilled blood near this bench? Perhaps someone had been hurt. Most people she didn’t care about but… what if it was an innocent? A child?
    She turned in a full circle, scanning, letting all her senses go to work. She felt nothing out of the ordinary. Saw nothing but ice and the river. The bridge and the fountain. Buildings in the distance. Shadows that were still as her heart had been that morning.
    Sure that there was no danger, she lowered herself to the bench, gathered her thoughts, and began carving.
    The hush came quickly, rushing over her in warm waves. It was strange, but sometimes when she was carving she could imagine she was someone else, somewhere else, far away from everything she knew and everyone who knew her.
    It was a nice