The Lightlark Saga, #1
Lightlark
by Alex Aster
Contents
Chapter Forty-three: Lies
Overview
Isla is freed from Cleo’s ice only to be nearly taken by cannibalistic captors, but Oro intervenes and saves Isla’s life. Oro then reframes Oro’s apparent betrayal as a calculated deception meant to gain Cleo’s trust, protect Celeste, and continue the search for Lightlark’s heart.
The chapter shifts Isla and Oro’s alliance from broken trust to reluctant necessity. Oro’s revelation that Oro can detect lies deepens the imbalance between them, while Cleo’s hidden legion and interest in the heart raise the urgency of finding it first.
Summary
Isla regains awareness while still frozen in Cleo’s ice, unable to open her eyes or move. At first, Isla thinks someone is rescuing her, but the voices around Isla reveal that the strangers want to harvest Isla’s bones, hair, and heart for power and beauty.
A Moonling named Thrayer arrives and melts the ice, freeing Isla’s body while leaving Isla too numb to resist. The captors carry Isla through the forest as Cleo’s screeching bird follows them. When one captor fails to shoot the bird, tension rises among the group over who will claim Isla’s heart.
The forest suddenly changes as a metallic current fills the air. Oro attacks the captors with violent force, killing or scattering them, and catches Isla before Isla hits the ground. Oro warms Isla enough to restore movement and sight, but Isla reacts with fury, believing Oro has betrayed Isla and may now be trying to kill her.
In Oro’s room, Oro explains that his public betrayal was a strategy, not a true abandonment. Oro says Oro changed the pairings to win Cleo’s trust because one place where darkness meets light on Moon Isle was hidden inside a maze only Cleo could access. Cleo took Oro there that night, but the heart was not inside, leaving only two locations to search.
Oro admits Oro revealed Isla’s lack of power because Cleo had grown suspicious and because Cleo seemed to believe Starling should be the realm sacrificed. By pairing with Cleo, Oro prevented Cleo from directly targeting Celeste and cast doubt on Cleo’s plan. Oro also reveals Oro’s flair: Oro can tell when people are lying, meaning Oro has known about Isla’s repeated lies throughout the Centennial.
Isla remains hurt and angry, but Oro says Oro has guarded Isla from afar, stationed guards near Isla, and tracked Cleo’s movements to keep Isla safe. Oro warns that Cleo is building a secret legion and may be dangerous if Cleo finds the heart first. Isla distrustfully accepts that their bargain still stands, drops the hidden dagger Isla had prepared, and warns Oro that if Oro betrays Isla again, Isla will make an exception to not eating hearts.
Who Appears
- IslaPowerless Wildling ruler; survives freezing, resists captors, and reluctantly renews alliance with Oro.
- OroLightlark king; rescues Isla and explains his betrayal as a strategic deception.
- CleoMoonling ruler; left Isla frozen and is suspected of seeking the heart for dangerous plans.
- ThrayerMoonling who melts the ice imprisoning Isla, enabling the captors to take her.
- Unnamed captorsPredatory strangers who find frozen Isla and plan to consume her for power.
- Cleo’s birdScreeching spy bird that follows Isla’s captors and may have exposed Isla before.