Chapter Twenty-Five
Azazel
“I wonder what would happen if I hit Father back.”
We only had minutes, that I was sure of. Father would wake up, and he’d come looking for us.
“We’ve got to go,” I said into Nova’s shoulder, wishing I could hold her forever. Wishing I could kill that useless bastard I called my father.
He didn’t touch her. It’s okay. She’s okay.
Still, in my head, I couldn’t stop remembering the first time Benadell Zade had pulled me into a closet and forced me to fuck her.
“Wait, we didn’t get any information. This can’t all be for nothing!” Nova let me go, backing away and placing her hands on her hips.
“If he wakes up while we’re still here, we’re never getting out.” She didn’t understand, clearly. I knew that, because she started to pace, her brows knitting together and her fingers going to her lips, picking at the skin beneath the red stain. “Whatever you’re thinking, the answer is no.”
“Who made you the boss here, Altair?” She was smiling, her blue eyes alight. Great, she had a plan. We were utterly fucked.
“Tell me what you’re thinking so I can tell you no and drag you out of this castle.”
Grin still wide, she stepped towards me, straightening my lapels. “Where’s daddy’s office?”
***
“Shh,” she hissed, her hands pressed to the wood.
“I don’t care how strong your will is, that door isn’t opening. My father built these wards himself.”
“Shh!”
Rude. I watched as she worked, tapping my foot and looking around. We were going to get caught. There was no doubt about it anymore. How this made sense in her head, I had no idea. Regardless, we were, at best, going to die tonight.
Turning to look at her again, I readied to complain, but I moved just in time to see the door open. “Got it!”
“Universe spare me, how did you do that?”
“Same way I did yours and you did mine.” She shrugged, rushing inside. I followed, awe leaving my jaw slack.
“You have no idea how dissimilar those things are. My father has had years to perfect those wards. He made them when he still had the stars’ essence.” She ignored me, tossing up a burst of stars and darting around the space. “What are you looking for?”
“Anything we can bring to Commander Maitoza. We aren’t failing this worthless mission.” She began throwing open the drawers, tugging out papers and tossing the ones she didn’t care about. I groaned, closing the door behind me and rushing to her side.
“Let me do it.” Nudging her, I quickly replaced the papers before sifting through the desk, pulling out anything that I knew could be considered important or useful.
District maps with handwritten notes. Planets they’d searched for Nova and I.
Meeting times. Numbers on officials, grunts, and elites.
Then I found exactly what Maitoza wanted.
A strategy map. “Perfect. This is more than enough to—”
The door flung open, revealing none other than Cal. His head tilted to the side, eyeing us suspiciously. “So, this is who you’re impersonating now?”
“Dammit, Cal!” I shouted, unable to help myself.
I grabbed the papers, folding it all and shoving it into my pocket since we couldn’t shadow walk within the castle wards.
Father was always sure to strengthen the wards when outsiders came, making travel in and out of the grounds impossible any other way than by foot.
“What are you doing here? And how’d you know it was us? ”
“You didn’t even try to lie!” Nova screeched, her voice higher than normal. I ignored her comment, grabbing her wrist and leading her towards Cal. He crossed his arms, blocking our way.
“You’re taking me with you.”
“We can’t, Cal. Not this time.” Not ever, really. But he didn’t have to know that.
“Liar, I can tell even with this face. Nova, you have to see that I’d be useful!” He was looking her right in the eyes, not hesitating to believe it was her. She frowned, looking between us. I knew the exact moment I’d lost, because she rotated her hand and wrapped her fingers in mine.
“He’s right.”
Groaning, I threw up my free hand in defeat, trying to salvage the mission in any way I could. “Fine. I’ll write to you and we’ll plan a rescue for all three of you. But just so you know, you disappearing will be what finally pushes my Father over the edge.”
“He’s already there, Az. Send any messages to our place in the woods.” He was smiling now, his hands moving to grab my arms.
“Fine. Now you have to let us go. I can tell you why later, but if we don’t get out of here then none of us are surviving this.”
Nova nodded in agreement at my side, her arm lifting so she could squeeze Cal’s arm. “We’ll come for you.”
Okay, none of that.
I tugged her further into me, much to Cal’s amusement. His grin grew as he stepped to the side, motioning for us to go. “Don’t you dare go back on your word, Altair. I’ll find you either way.”
“See you soon, Cal!” I whisper-shouted as I dragged Nova down the stairs.
We’d spent far too much time in that office, and I had a feeling we were pushing it.
I pulled her into my side, lifting her as we made our way down the spiral staircase that led to the foyer.
We were down and both speed walking to the door before the first scream came.
Yep, time to go.
We passed a group of people who were jogging towards the ballroom, looking for what the commotion was about. Another chorus of screams came from the room moments after. I had us at the open double doors before the shout came.
“Find me Adam and Jenna Harmen, now! Lock everything down!” Father’s voice was garbled, but still demanding.
More shouts came after, and I heard someone scream, “There they are!”
Nova was breathing heavy at my side, the two of us all-out sprinting towards the wards that locked us inside.
“Harmen!” Father bellowed, his voice echoing in the foyer. Nova and I looked back, catching sight of his bloody face. It was swollen and bruised, his hair red and his suit stained. He looked hideous.
We stepped through the wards just as his final scream rang out, and I shadow walked us before he even started running.
The cottage appeared around us, our breathing louder in the confines of it.
We stared at one another, neither of us so much as moving for what felt like ages.
But then, as if we finally came back to life, we both burst into laughter.
Stomach cramping, back bending laughter that made absolutely no sense at all.
Because we could have died. Yet, we laughed.
“You beat the shit out of him!” she howled, gripping her stomach as she leaned forward. I laughed so hard a snort came out, causing both of us to keel over.
“Did you hear…the way…he screamed?” I could barely breathe, my words coming out between coughs and gasps and uncontrollable chuckles.
“Harmen!” she mocked, shaking her fist in the air. Unable to contain it any more, we toppled to the ground. Laying there, heads almost touching, we burst into another fit.
For a few minutes, all we did was relish in the odd humor. Then, when we’d finally settled down, I turned my head towards her, chest rising and falling in rapid succession. My smile fell as I looked at her, wishing I could turn back time.
“I’m so sorry I let him take you.”
Head falling my way, she smiled, “You didn’t let him do anything. You saved me. Again. Plus, nothing happened. I swear. I’m okay. Maybe that says a lot about the fucked up things I’ve experienced, but I’m honestly fine.”
Sighing, I nodded, facing back up at the ceiling.
“Are you okay?”
Was I? “No. Yes. Both?”
“Being confused is allowed, you know.” Her voice was soft, tone patient.
“Yeah, I know. Or, well, I know that in theory. Hard to do in practice.”
“Want to talk?”
Turning on my side, I said, “Actually, how do you feel about marshmallows and starshine?”
“Alone or together?” she asked, mirroring my movement.
“Together.”
“I feel pretty good about them.”
“Excellent.”
Standing, I made my way to the kitchen, opening the far right cupboard and pulling the marshmallows down. It took effort at this height, reminding me that I still needed the antidote.
“Do you remember where you put the antidote?” I asked, pivoting.
As if she’d known I would ask, Nova stood only a foot away, holding out the antidote with a smile. Her smile. She was back to herself, her curls a mess and her lipstick smudged. And stars, I loved it. Loved her.
Taking the vial, I used my teeth to uncork it, nearly groaning at the way her eyes seemed to focus on my mouth as I drank the antidote. Was that wrong after what she’d been through? Did it mean I was no better than my father?
No. I wasn’t like him. Definitely not like Captain Zade. I’d always give her a choice.
My body began to change, the antidote almost hurting as parts of me shifted back. Nova took a step forward, reaching up to touch my hair. “I missed this perpetually perfect hair of yours.”
Grinning, I grabbed one of her curls, wrapping it around my finger. “Agreed.”
Rolling her eyes, she snagged the sack of marshmallows, turning to walk towards the sofa. “Don’t forget the starshine!”
Feeling like a lunatic with the way my emotions jumped back and forth, I almost skipped to the cupboard with the starshine, which had been left untouched for months.
Grabbing it, I headed towards her, loving how she watched me as I walked.
There was something different about her.
A hunger that hadn’t been there before. Or I was imagining it. That was possible too.
As I sat, she opened the bag, shoving an entire marshmallow into her mouth. She moaned as she chewed, her eyes fluttering closed. “I’ve only ever had these once. They’re so good.”
“You haven’t tasted anything yet.” Uncorking the starshine, I tipped some into my mouth, quickly shoving a marshmallow in with it. The sweetness paired perfectly with the burn of the starshine, almost making the alcohol tolerable. She watched with wide eyes, the stars in them seeming to flutter.