Chapter 76
Seventy-six
“You naive, foolish girl,” Pluto laughs at my expense. “Take care of her and get the shard. It’s time this lunacy ended.”
Indecision wars in Leo’s eyes as he looks from me to Pluto.
When it comes to being chosen, I will never beg.
He seems infinitely better than I’ve fared through these trials.
Beyond soot and scratches, he looks unscathed.
The moment stretches as Leo considers his options.
With a finality that pierces my heart, he steps in front of Pluto, protecting him.
The coward uses the opportunity to star-shoot out of the observatory.
I’ve lost my chance with him. “What are you doing?” I whisper, backing away.
Sorrow fills the honeyed eyes I know so well. Leo clenches his jaw, shaking his head. “I don’t want to fight you. Give me the moonstone, Zell. I’ll win, and you can be done with this, just like you wanted.”
“What I wanted was to make a difference in these worlds. What I wanted, Leo, was for you to let me in.” I’m seething, angry tears burning in my eyes. “After everything you’ve said, everything we’ve done, you’re working for them?”
“We have a deal. I’m sorry, Zellie. I really am. Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
I scoff as my heart crumbles into pieces. “The power is for them, Leo. It’s not even for us. It’s not for Lunara, or Noctor, or Auralea. They’re going to take it all.”
“Give me the moonstone, Zell.” His tone is resigned; his affect is flattened. He looks at me as if I’m nothing. His betrayal cuts deep, solidifying the viciousness within me.
I recall his words to me months ago, before we became what I thought was so much more than this.
“You can only care about yourself in these galaxies.” He showed who he was long ago, but I was stupid enough to turn my head from it.
I never should have stopped despising him. He was dangerous for a reason.
I channel every ounce of hurt, anger, and pain and turn this living rage within me into something useful. Slowly, I put the moonstone shard in my pocket for safekeeping. For the last time, I give Leo my attention, spewing my venom with a sneer. “I hope whatever they promised you was worth it.”
Then I attack.
The familiarity of our sparring is not lost on me. I know his style, his tells, and his weaknesses. Unfortunately, he also knows the same as I do. Every hook, every jab, he counters or blocks. “Zellie, please,” he begs, “I don’t want to hurt you. I need only the moonstone.”
I land a kick against his stomach, knocking the wind from him.
I growl as I advance, a frenzied wrath taking over me.
Leo snaps, no longer going easy on me. He catches my wrist, twisting it behind my back and throwing me off balance.
I cry out, attempting to twist away, but he is ready, waiting.
He throws his body weight into me, and I stumble backward, hitting a shelf behind me hard.
The objects rattle, some falling to the floor and breaking.
With my hand still trapped behind me, Leo pushes up against me, his body aligned with mine.
Chest heaving, my fury is a tangible live wire. Leo leans in, and I hate my traitorous body for still reacting the way it does to him. What we had was passion, but it will only lead to destruction. His hand slides against my thigh, reaching for the moonstone.
“I hate you,” the poisonous words escape me, and I watch as they find their mark within Leo’s heart. The hurt in his eyes flickers but is impossible to miss. I use my free hand to leverage myself against his shoulder, pulling my body and driving my knee up into his groin.
The unexpected blow takes Leo down with a pained shout, and I take advantage of the opportunity, pouncing and pinning him down.
My dagger is out without a second thought, up against his throat as my knees straddle his chest. Tears blur my vision, the cracking of my soul more painful than any hit he landed. “How could you?”
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” he whispers as a tear slips from the corner of his eye, rolling down his cheek. “I’m sorry, please believe me.”
I say nothing, blinking my tears away. We will destroy each other. His throat works as he swallows, my blade digging further into his skin. “Do it,” he demands, his eyes never leaving mine.
If he gets this moonstone, Pluto wins. For whatever reason, he is now on their side. Panicking, I realize that there is no outcome where I don’t lose something in this situation.
I recall Orion’s lessons on fatal blows.
The neck, the chest, the back.
Chest aching, chin wobbling, I bite my lip hard enough to break skin. I thought home was a soul. My soul chose wrong. Determined to burn it all down, I light the match to my home. I’ll live in the wreckage amongst the ashes; it’s my burden to bear.
I drive the blade into Leo’s side.