Chapter Sixty-Two
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
Black began to gather around the edges of Elara’s mind as Enzo turned, beside Ariete, a cruel smile on his face.
‘Enzo, what is this?’ she asked, her voice betraying a slight tremor. Idris shouted behind his gag, his eyes filled with fury.
‘Princess Elara,’ Enzo mocked. ‘Did you really think I would ever be your ally?’
‘I don’t understand.’ The closed box within her, which had been quiet these last few weeks, was beginning to rattle.
Enzo exchanged a glance with Ariete, who let out a peal of glee.
‘My father wanted his alliance. Wanted you as a weapon.’ He threw a contemptuous look to the bound king, who tried to shout again. ‘But I saw you for what you really were. A bargaining chip. So I let my father carry on with his little plan, as I plotted. A fair trade, with our esteemed King of Stars. Your life, and my father’s, for the Helion throne.’
‘No,’ Elara said scathingly. ‘It’s not possible. The last few months—’
‘Ah, yes.’ A small smile played on the prince’s lips. ‘To make you believe, to make you all believe. It was fun to toy with you, I’ll admit. She’s a good fuck,’ he added to Ariete.
Elara lunged as Ariete cackled, but her shield wasn’t raised, all her training forgotten, and the god whipped out starlight, binding her wrists and feet as she fell to the floor.
‘Why?’ The word broke from her lips.
‘You’re not the only one good at illusions, Elara,’ Enzo crooned. ‘It was easy to pretend, easier still to get you to trust me.’ He chuckled. ‘You’re weak.’
As she searched his face, she found herself looking at a stranger’s. A thousand memories flitted behind her eyes, each one a lie.
Ariete stood. ‘You can acquaint yourself with the dungeons this time while I make preparations. I won’t let you escape again, Elara. You will come to the Heavens with me. And while I may not be able to kill you, I’ll make sure to lock you in a pocket of darkness, until the lost princess of Asteria is a mere memory in this world.’
He was upon her in two strides, patting over her body roughly as he checked for weapons. When he reached the tops of her thighs she hissed, and he grinned as he hitched her dress up, tutting when he found them both bare.
He hauled her up, propelling her towards the doors as she struggled. Idris tried to fight, to move, to shout.
‘Silence,’ Ariete roared, and Idris cowered.
Elara was hauled along the length of the throne room, and it was only when she reached the doors that she wrestled out of Ariete’s grasp and turned, head held high, shoulders thrown back.
She gathered as many nightmares as she could from her broken heart, and fixed on Enzo’s cold, empty gaze.
‘I survived divinitas ,’ she said. ‘I’ll survive you too.’