Heavenly Bodies

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Elara jolted back into her body, pressing a trembling hand to her heart. Her eyes flew straight to Enzo’s room, to the glow now radiating from his windows. She jumped up, rushing from the balcony before he could see her, then snuck under her covers, making sure every torch was out as her heart continued to pound. She waited a minute, two, before peering through her open doors and at the balcony beyond. Enzo’s shadowy silhouette was leaning on his balcony, looking directly at hers. She squeezed her eyes shut, feigning sleep until it finally claimed her.

When she woke, she willed the previous night’s events far away from her mind. As she got dressed for the day, she pushed aside the image of Idris standing over Enzo. When Merissa glamoured her, she closed her eyes against the pain etched into Enzo’s eyes as he’d looked at her. When Leo took her to the training yard again, she tried to rid herself of the dripping lurid numbers and the wild sorrow in Enzo’s voice. She had called him a monster. But monsters were created, not born. What could Enzo have been without a father like Idris? Did it matter?

‘Holy fucking Stars !’ she cursed as a blade of light rapped on her knuckles, ripping her from her thoughts, the bite of it stinging.

Leo raised a brow. ‘You think that Ariete will allow you to daydream?’

She swore again, summoning her shadows. She’d been able to manipulate one or two into a murder of crows. But as they nose-dived for Leo, they dissipated into smoke the moment they touched him.

‘If I punished you for every filthy curse that came out of your mouth, you’d have no time to actually train,’ he said sweetly.

‘Here’s a thought,’ she replied, raising a sword in one hand as she pulled her shadows in with the other. ‘How about you stop wounding me, and maybe I’ll speak like a princess .’

She tried to attack again, but only served to nearly cut her own toe off when Leo knocked the blade from her hand.

He chuckled, relenting. ‘Drop a hundred.’

She cast him a venomous look as she got to the ground, counting out her press-ups at a measured pace. Her core burned, but she noticed with pride that the press-ups got easier each day that passed.

‘Have you spoken to Enzo at all?’

Leo pressed his tongue into his cheek. ‘Why? Missing him?’

‘The only thing I miss about that man…’ she huffed, ‘is the fact that…as a trainer…he was a cuddly animal compared to you.’ She gritted her teeth, halfway through her set.

‘A cuddly animal. I’ll pass that on.’

‘Please do. Add that he should be renamed “The Kitty of Helios”.’

Leo snorted, bending down by her. ‘I did. Speak to him that is.’

‘And what did he have to say?’

‘Oh, nothing about you. We were planning the Feast of Leyon tonight.’

‘And what exactly is that?’

‘Today marks the anniversary of Leyon’s Descent—the first time our Star fell from the heavens and chose Helios as his patron kingdom. We celebrate here by holding a revel—usually by the palace waterfall.’ He studied Elara. ‘Why don’t you come?’

Elara laughed. ‘Ah yes, an Asterian with a Star hunting her attending a feast for a Helion god. I think I’ll pass.’ She stood, handing back her sword. ‘But…thank you for asking.’ She was trying to be a little more forgiving with the general.

‘Suit yourself,’ Leo shrugged. ‘But I’m warning you—you’re missing out on the night of your life.’

Elara had planned to spend her evening in bed finishing her latest read of The Mythas of Celestia , but she kept being disturbed by the sounds of the feast below—music playing, cheers and laughter. After a while, she closed the balcony doors resolutely, and again tried to focus on the story.

When she’d read the same page fifteen times, still unable to get the images she’d seen of Enzo the night before out of her mind, there was a knock on her bedroom door.

Elara frowned as she opened it, and was greeted by Merissa. ‘Fancy having some fun for once?’ she asked, giving her a half-smile.

Elara shook her head. ‘If you’re talking about the revel, as I told Leo earlier, I can’t think of a worse idea.’

‘You need to blow off a little steam. You have so much on your shoulders, and you’ve done nothing but train.’

Elara sighed. ‘I suppose, but I…I don’t know anyone.’

‘You know me,’ Merissa said firmly. ‘Plus, I’ve already picked out your outfit.’

She produced a hanger with a glittering terracotta dress upon it, intricately stitched beading forming patterns of day-orchids across the fabric. ‘So now you can’t say no.’

Elara looked around, drinking in the emerald of her surroundings as Merissa guided her down a hidden path. Elara had a vague sense that they were at the rear of the sprawling palace. It seemed that every few steps, another trickling fountain poured in a secluded alcove, or an intricate arbour hid within the greenery. When she heard a drift of music and laughter she patted the two goldstone jewelled combs that Merissa had swept half of her hair up with.

‘I’ve never seen this part of the palace,’ Elara said as she peered into the waning dusk and saw what appeared to be a maze of neat hedges forming concentric spirals.

‘Leo’s mother helped design the whole thing.’

‘Close enough to call him Leo, hm?’ she asked.

Merissa blushed, offsetting her mint green dress, which made her look unfairly stunning.

‘We’re quite close,’ she said. ‘After all, I’ve worked with Kalinda for years.’

Elara smiled as they continued past, the scent of dusk-daisies and starflowers permeating the evening air. As she caught a whiff of the powdery-scented silver-white flower, she thought of the bouquets Lukas would pick for her from the palace grounds. How he would sprint away laughing while the gardener chased him with a trowel, before thrusting the flowers into her hands. Her stomach turned thinking about her old life, and Lukas, and how nothing had turned out as she’d hoped.

‘So, you’ve never courted?’ she asked, banishing him from her mind.

‘Oh, no,’ Merissa said hurriedly. ‘Leo would never look at me that way. And I…well, I don’t have a very lucky streak when it comes to love.’

‘If Leo doesn’t look at you that way, then Leo is blind, Merissa.’

Merissa blushed at that, and as they finally reached a sunken garden, Elara heard the rush of water before she saw it. The waterfall behind the palace cascaded in glittering gold down the length of a cliff face into a churning pool, framing the secluded space. Steam rose from its surface as it swirled, and throngs of people were swimming in the pool, or dangling their feet in the water. More were dancing around a crackling fire, others were sprawled upon the grass, and Elara stopped, mouth agape as a flame-thrower shot fire from his hands in a billowing cascade, whooping and swaying to the music of drums and strings. Elara turned wide-eyed to Merissa, who smiled.

‘Welcome to Leyon’s Feast.’

As they reached the grassy shore by the waterfall, Elara scanned it. Her stomach did a flip, her eyes searching warily for Enzo.

‘Elara!’

Elara turned in surprise to Leo, who grinned as he kissed her hand.

‘Oh my,’ Elara said, ‘has someone had a drink?’

He gave another lazy smile as he kissed Merissa’s hand too. ‘One or two.’ He turned back to Elara. ‘I thought you were “passing” on the feast.’

‘Well, someone convinced me.’ She jerked her head to Merissa.

‘Merissa’s a charmer. Aphrodean through and through.’

Elara laughed as Merissa gave a garbled thanks.

‘We’re sat over here,’ Leo said, and pulled them towards the water’s edge.

We? Elara didn’t like the sound of that. But to her relief, she saw only a woman sat there, with long black braids, her feet in the water.

‘Isra,’ Elara called out.

Isra turned at her name, smiling as she beheld Elara.

‘Well, well,’ she said. ‘It seems you chose a different path after all.’

She held her arms out, and Elara gingerly embraced her. ‘I’m happy you stayed,’ Isra murmured into her ear.

Elara smiled as she settled on the grass beside her.

‘Fancy a drink?’ Isra waved a bottle, and Elara took it eagerly. She’d need more than one to sate the worry of running into Enzo at every turn.

She swore loudly as she took a swig. Leo and Isra scoffed.

‘Isra, what in the Stars’ names is this?’

‘Flamespirit, from Kaos.’

‘Two more sips of that and I’ll be drunk.’

Isra winked. ‘Keep drinking then, princess. Stars know you could use it.’

A buzzing began to thrum in her veins as the liquor seeped into her. The drink made her feel warm and fuzzy, and her head was soon blissfully fuddled. She allowed the sounds of the night to wash over her—the relaxing buzz of cicadas, the light-hearted conversation and gossip between Merissa, Isra and Leo, interspersed with laughter. She heard other voices, the plucking of a tune and a raucous ballad being sung by someone who had definitely had too much wine.

The musician’s song picked up, and she heard it soar as she felt an arm wrap around her. It was Leo’s. ‘You’d better learn this song, Elara,’ he said.

‘ Theeeeere once was a lass, who had a hell of an —’

‘ASS!’ everyone around Elara shouted, laughing and dancing.

‘ And liked a good roll in the green, green grass! ’

Elara chuckled as a burst of firelight from another flame-thrower lit up the whole scene. She saw lightcasters direct their hands to the sky in their drunken reverie, their rays spilling out in flaming patterns across the deep red sky. And not a flicker of fear ran through her.

She looked around the clearing as she thought of Enzo and his light, lazily scanning the revellers sprawled on the grass or dancing. Some were kissing and touching in their drunken hazes. She swallowed, avoiding them until someone arrested her attention.

Enzo was lying down in the grass, a pretty, curvy blonde lying next to him as she tried to play with his hair. It was mussed, his crown lopsided on it. He batted her hand away as she giggled. He looked…bored. Elara’s cheeks heated, and she made to turn her head before he saw her, but it was too late. His drunken gaze flicked languidly to her, then away, and then back, steeling in recognition. Elara turned quickly away, accidentally knocking Leo’s drink as she did so.

‘A little too much Kaosian spirit for the lady,’ he said warmly. She forced a laugh, looking back to where Enzo was. His gaze was burning into her, too dark to read. She met his stare defiantly until, with what looked like a scoff, the prince turned his attention away. She felt too hot, and was grateful when Isra passed the bottle back to her. She took a sip, knocking it back with a wince.

‘Rough day?’ Leo asked. She cast him a scornful look as Isra and Merissa got up to dance.

‘You tell me. You’re the one who was assaulting my poor muscles.’ She dipped her feet into the warm water as he laughed, sipping his own cup of wine.

‘This court,’ she said hesitantly, glancing at the soft moans and open displays of affection around her. ‘It’s very…uninhibited, isn’t it?’

Leo choked on his wine, laughing. ‘What makes you say that?’

‘Well…in Asteria, it would be considered improper, embracing so openly. And would be particularly preposterous if you were royalty.’

‘Ah,’ Leo said knowingly. ‘Might you be referring to our esteemed prince?’ he asked innocently.

She heard splashes in the distance as people jumped into the temperate waters for a midnight swim. Bringing her attention back to Leo, she nodded, cheeks flushing again.

‘I thought he was courting that pretty chestnut-haired girl from the banquet?’

Leo threw back his head and laughed. ‘Who? Raina? You’re mistaken, Elara. Enzo doesn’t court.’ He laughed again as though she had suggested the funniest thing. ‘He likes to…enjoy himself. You could say the pressures of his life need a release. And, well,’ his lips quirked over his wine, ‘he definitely finds release.’

Elara felt she may as well be the Light itself, the way her face was flaming. She took another swig, very aware of how her head had already begun to spin thanks to her empty stomach.

‘Are you scandalized?’ Leo’s tone was teasing.

‘I’m not a na?ve maiden,’ she replied sharply, feeling the cool steel of the dagger at her thigh grounding her. ‘In Asteria we take lovers too,’ she said pointedly. ‘Just not so openly.’

She traced a finger around her goblet pensively. Her thoughts flitted to Lukas again.

‘I had one. But we would never dream of displaying ourselves like that in front of my court.’

Leo’s brows were raised at her honesty.

She smiled. ‘And I don’t see the fuss anyway. Love-making certainly wasn’t anything to write home about.’

‘Then maybe,’ a deep voice said behind her, ‘you just haven’t found a man who knows how to seduce you properly.’