Heavenly Bodies

Chapter Twenty-Six

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Back at the palace, Elara looked over every inch of her dagger as she sat on her bed. She ran her hand along the blade, pushing at the crystals embedded in the hilt.

‘Didn’t you say something about Sofia and those jewels?’ Enzo was pacing her room as he watched Elara furiously try to figure out what Astra had been trying to tell her.

‘Yes. She said that the silverstone reminded her of my eyes, and that the obsidian…’

She trailed off, eyes wide. ‘That the obsidian meant a part of her was always with me,’ she finished.

‘Try your shadows,’ Enzo said.

Elara tentatively raised a hand over the large, glittering stone—one so black it showed her own reflection.

A trail of shadows ran from her fingers into the stone, and she waited with bated breath, staring into the jewel.

At first, nothing happened. But then, shadows began to gush out of the obsidian—darker and heavier than Elara’s. She had felt them before—knew instantly who they belonged to.

And finally those shadows morphed into a figure.

‘Lara?’ the voice came distorted.

‘Sofia?’ Elara rasped.

Enzo watched wide-eyed from where he stood.

‘Lara? Where are you? Did Astra find you? Did she show you—’

‘The dagger, yes. You genius!’ Elara gave a watery smile.

‘I don’t have much time,’ Sofia said, her shadow flickering and reforming. ‘Lara, are you safe?’

Elara had never heard Sofia panicked before. She was the level-headed one of the two of them. Her high, strained voice was enough to make Elara rise to her feet.

‘I am. But tell me where you are.’

‘In the palace. Ariete, he— he’s killed so many people.’ Her voice broke as a cold, hard lump formed in Elara’s chest. ‘Louis, Gabriel, Jeanne, the entire King’s Guard—gone.’

Elara shook. She had grown up around these people. Had been protected by them.

‘And what about you, Sof?’ she rasped.

There was a pause.

‘Has he hurt you?’ Elara demanded.

‘Yes,’ came a quiet reply.

‘And Lukas? Where’s Lukas?’

There was a pause. ‘Lukas is—’

The shadows blipped. ‘He’s coming. Lara, we need you. The ball, you have to—’

The shadow disappeared.

Elara stared dumbfoundedly at the dagger, as Enzo shifted. ‘El, are you—’

‘I’m going back to Asteria.’

She stood, hastily wiping away her tears.

‘Are you mad?’

Elara whirled. ‘My best friend, as close to me as a sister , is being held there by Ariete—being tortured, just for knowing me.’

‘And what would you do when you get there? You can’t even bring substance to your shadows yet.’

‘Then I’ll use my other magick,’ she shot back, pulling out a satchel from the wardrobe.

‘You’ll be walking right into a trap. Why do you think Ariete hasn’t killed Sofia yet? He’s using her as bait.’

‘Then I’ll walk into a trap! He can take me instead. But I cannot just sit here, pampered in Helios, running around with princes while Sof is there. Hurt. Imprisoned.’

‘No. It’s too risky.’

‘I didn’t ask you for permission!’ she shouted. ‘You are not my damn keeper .’

Enzo stalked closer, looming over her. ‘Oh, I can be, princess. You are under my rule here. So, you’ll find, my word is law should I wish it.’

‘Try to make me prisoner again and see what happens to you.’ Her shadows curled around Enzo’s neck, her control running thin with rage.

‘Are you threatening me with a good time?’ His breath mingled with hers as she stood, seething, shadows pouring out of her. She ignored the deflection, and the look of total trust he gave her as her shadows continued to wrap tighter around his neck.

‘What would you do if it was Isra? Or Leo?’ she whispered.

Enzo’s mouth opened then swiftly closed, his lips pressing together.

‘She is all I have left, Enzo.’ Elara’s voice broke.

He paused, then released a defeated sigh. ‘I would do everything I could to bring them back,’ he said.

She nodded once, her shadows loosening.

‘And she is not all you have left, El.’

Elara huffed out a laugh. ‘Yes. I have you, a man who has just started to tolerate me.’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t have anyone in my corner, not really.’ She smiled wryly, becoming aware that she was gripping Enzo’s arm, the bulge of muscle taut as her nails dug into it.

Enzo let out a harsh breath of impatience. ‘I do not just tolerate you, Elara. You are my favourite part of the day.’

She gaped. Her mouth worked, trying to form words, but shock and confusion had rendered her mute. Enzo gently extricated himself from her grip.

‘What do you—’

The door opened, Leo standing there with a sober expression on his face.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, looking between them. ‘One of the guards told me you’d arrived back at the palace together.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Your father, he’s requesting you.’ He looked to Elara. ‘Both of you.’

As the doors to the throne room swung open, Elara felt once again dwarfed by the chamber’s grandeur, and the man reclining in his throne, waiting for her.

Enzo strode beside her, which at least made her feel a little better. Leo hadn’t said anything more as he’d walked them down the stairs, leaving them at the doors.

‘Father,’ Enzo said, dipping his head.

‘King Idris,’ Elara said, resolutely keeping her back straight.

‘Princess.’ He nodded. ‘Son.’ His tone grew tight.

‘We were training,’ Enzo said, when Idris didn’t speak further. ‘Leo told us you wanted to see us?’

Idris produced a large scroll of Asterian midnight-blue parchment. Elara saw flashes of silver script as he handed it to Enzo. ‘I received this today.’

Enzo scanned it, his brow furrowing the further down he got.

Anxiety began to creep inside Elara as he finished, and handed it to her. His eyes were fixed on her, but she snatched it from him.

To King Idris D’Oro, and the court of Helios,

You are cordially invited to the coronation of King Lukas Saintsombre of Asteria.

Asteria welcomes the esteemed royal families of Celestia, and their court, to celebrate the event.

After the ceremony, there will be a masquerade ball in honour of the new king.

Elara skimmed over the rest, her knuckles turning white with fury. When she saw a stamped gloambat—Lukas’s family sigil—she angrily tore the paper in two.

‘It seems, princess, that someone has usurped your throne.’

Enzo still hadn’t uttered a word, though she felt a wave of heat caress her.

‘My betrothed,’ she got out. Her fury was about to spill out of her. ‘All of this time, Lukas—’

‘This is a clear ploy by Ariete.’ Idris interrupted her thoughts. ‘To open Asteria for the first time in decades, to allow all royal families and their courts in, to get to you. I would bet my kingdom on it.’

Idris’s hands gripped the throne arms, his knuckles bulging. ‘And he extends this invitation to me in ridicule. Knowing that my kingdom is the enemy of yours. He mocks me.’

Elara could barely listen. Who gave a fuck if Idris’s pride was hurt? Lukas— her Lukas —hadn’t summoned Ariete that day in some brave, if stupid, attempt to defend her honour. He had seen it as the perfect opportunity to put himself upon her throne.

Lady Fate had intervened again. A masked ball. Courts from all over Celestia in attendance. Elara’s mind began to turn.

‘Of course, we shall not attend. Nor you,’ Idris said pointedly to Elara. ‘Your potential value is too great.’

She bristled. ‘My best friend—the only real family I have left—is being tortured in that palace.’

Idris tutted. ‘You don’t know that.’

‘I—’ Elara bit her tongue. It would do no good to reveal to Idris how she did know, categorically, that Sofia was being hurt.

‘And you are not going to run headfirst into enemy arms before you are ready,’ Idris continued. ‘My son has been informing me of your progress. And just how painfully slow it has been.’

Elara locked away the anger, the hurt, the worry. Smoothed her face.

Idris smiled in satisfaction. ‘This serves as a reminder, Elara, if nothing else. Perhaps having your former lover on your throne will incentivize you to try harder.’

Elara nodded. ‘As you will it, King Idris.’