Chapter Fifty-Four
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
When they tumbled back through the soverin , Elara kept moving, walking past the mirrors, which now seemed duller in the evening light. Keep walking , she told herself. Away from Aphrodea, from the Stars, from everything.
Someone grabbed her hand, and she turned, expecting it to be Enzo, but it was Merissa. ‘Please can we talk?’ she said.
Elara deflated. ‘Of course.’
She looked at Enzo, who was watching Merissa with a hawk’s eye. ‘Try not to miss the celebrations, princess,’ he said lightly.
Isra looked amused. ‘Oh yes, we’ve arrived at the perfect time.’
Elara didn’t wait to ask what they meant, instead leading Merissa silently out of the lucirium and back up the stairs to her own room.
She maintained the silence until her door was firmly closed behind them, before turning.
‘Who are you?’ she demanded.
‘I am everything that I was before,’ Merissa said hoarsely. ‘I swear to you, Elara.’
‘So, what? It was just coincidence that you, the daughter of a Star, were assigned to aid me here?’
‘My mother asked about you,’ Merissa admitted. ‘When you first arrived. She knew everything—your prophecy, how you survived Ariete’s death blow. It was divine timing that I was already working at the palace.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ Elara said, although her conviction was already waning. ‘Why work in Idris’s employ if you have the blood of a Star within you? Surely you could live in the Heavens if you wished?’
Merissa shook her head. ‘No,’ she said vehemently. ‘I couldn’t. Stars can have children. But they don’t. And there is a good reason why—because of the weakness that it provides, the potential target. My identity has been kept hidden my whole life. And I would never be accepted amongst the Stars.’
Elara allowed the words to soak in. ‘But surely your mother could have given you a home, riches…’
‘There is a lot about my childhood you don’t know,’ Merissa said quietly. ‘A lot that I do not feel ready to share. Torra is a Star. Not a terrible one, no. But it certainly didn’t make her a good mother. Everything I have in life, I worked for myself.’
‘Do you…do you have any Star magick?’
Merissa raised her palm, and a faint stream of rose starlight shone weakly. Elara’s eyes widened.
‘That’s about it. And a little charm from my mother and brother—a magick of lust and love, that I refuse to use. And my glamour magick from an Aphrodean father that I never knew.’
‘Brother,’ Elara mused, then gasped. ‘Holy shit. Lias is your brother.’
‘Half-brother,’ she replied coolly. And Elara knew not to press further. Elara looked at Merissa, truly taking in the half-goddess—her eyes open and pleading, her hands clasped.
‘Is there anything else you have to tell me?’ she asked.
‘It was my mother’s blood that I gave Enzo for you to drink.’ Merissa bit her lip. ‘And that’s it. There’s nothing more about me that you don’t already know.’
Elara sighed, and then without another thought, crushed Merissa to her. Merissa froze, before softening against her. ‘I’m sorry,’ Elara said into her hair.
‘So am I,’ Merissa replied.
When they pulled away, Merissa was wiping her eyes.
‘Now what’s this about tonight’s celebration?’ Elara said, eyes twinkling.
Merissa gave a watery smile. ‘On the summer solstice, when the Light begins to dim, there’s often a soiree in the throne room. Although the D’Oros always swear they loathe the Dark, they still seem taken by it on this night. For one night they give in to sin.’
There was a soft knock at the door. Elara answered it, and was greeted by Isra, a bottle of honeywine in her hand.
‘Ready for a night of darkness and debauchery?’ she asked.
Elara grinned. ‘Always.’
Merissa was just applying the finishing touches to Elara’s new outfit, as Elara wrapped up telling her and Isra about the kiss in the clouds of Aphrodea.
The glamourer sighed dreamily. ‘So, do you think it’s going to happen tonight?’
Isra rolled her eyes. ‘I think this is Mer’s very delicate way of asking, are you finally going to fuck?’
Elara snickered ‘Skies, I want to. He’s so—’ She moaned for emphasis.
Merissa flashed her a wicked smile. ‘Don’t ever let him know that I said this, but if there is one thing about that man, it’s that you can just tell he knows how to satisfy a woman. It’s in his walk.’
Heat bloomed through Elara.
‘Gods, Merissa,’ Isra groaned, ‘please don’t tell him. He doesn’t need the ego boost.’ She rose from the bed and drifted to Elara’s wardrobe to scan the dresses hanging inside it. She was already dressed in a stunning tangerine dress that left little to the imagination, and Elara knew the whole court’s eyes would be glued to her.
‘What’s wrong?’ Merissa asked as she noticed Elara remained quiet.
‘It’s just, I’ve thought a lot about Sofia today. How proud she’d be of me. How much fun she would have had with the two of you. She would have loved you.’ She willed her tears away as she looked at the ceiling. ‘Especially Isra,’ she said, and laughed.
Isra’s hazel eyes livened with amusement. ‘She is with you, El. She’s always with you.’
Merissa took Elara’s hands, pulling her up to inspect her fully.
‘Dear skies, this may be some of my best work.’
When Elara turned, Isra let out a low whistle. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to be my date? I’m much prettier than Enzo.’
Elara laughed, turning to the full-length mirror.
She hardly recognized herself. She’d never worn a dress like this before. Sheer panels the colour of emeralds slid down her legs and pooled like molten lava at her feet. A slit so high that you could see the curve of her hip crept up a thigh, showing the length of her tanned leg. Two thin straps graced her shoulders, the neckline plunging dramatically. Merissa had slicked her ebony hair up into a high ponytail, a golden cuff placed at the base of it, its length swinging to her waist. The look left her face severely open, showing every sharp plane of her high cheekbones, smoked kohl winging her eyes out felinely, her lips shimmering like diamonds, ripe for kissing.
Her eyes rested on the peek of golden underwear visible at the top of the dress’s slit.
‘Yes,’ Merissa said, her eyes following Elara’s. ‘I think you’re going to have to lose those.’
Isra howled and Elara pushed her off the bed, as she went to the bathroom and did as Merissa advised, nerves thrilling through her as to how the night may unfold.