Chapter 64
Sixty-four
In the first half of the evening, the Kosmos leaves us alone.
After dinner is when the night unravels.
The Order rises from their thrones, gracing us with their presence as they mingle with contestants and citizens around the hall.
As the music picks up, drunken citizens gleefully pull one another into a dance, as some of the Kosmos join.
The remaining linger, one of them being Portia.
I watch as she approaches Leo, placing her hand on his forearm with a familiarity that should be nonexistent between the two of them.
What the fuck? Jealousy, an emotion I’m rather unacquainted with, has my blood boiling.
I stare pointedly as Leo looks up from his seat at her, a scowl on his face.
They speak briefly, Leo’s eyes darting my way as she departs.
I refuse to look away, taking a long sip of my wine.
The drink has made me bold. I place my glass down, rounding the corner. “Care to share what that was about?” I ask, sliding into an open seat next to him.
“What what was about?” Leo takes a sip of his wine.
I lean closer to him. “What is going on with you, Leo?”
“Zellie, what lovely timing this is. Come dance with me.” Portia’s voice is smooth.
“No, thanks.” I keep my eyes trained on Leo, internally begging him to look at me, to talk to me, to let me in. He avoids my gaze, clenching his jaw tightly.
“I wasn’t asking.” I give Leo another second, wishing for him to do something, anything.
“Fine,” I sigh, getting up and adjusting my cape. My rage is a living, burning thing within me at this point.
Portia’s power pulses steadily towards me, but it isn’t nearly as strong as Pluto’s was the last time I was forced into a dance.
“Are you prepared for the last game, Zellie?”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” I look around the ballroom, grasping her hands as lightly as possible.
“It would be a shame if Leo could get the last two moonstone shards. What an upset that would be for you.” Funny, she doesn’t make the idea sound like a bad thing at all. I don’t like the way she’s talking about him, either.
“What do you want with him?”
Portia looks down her nose at me, her giant stack of hair unmoving. “Oh, I take it he hasn’t shared that conversation with you, then?”
My stomach drops. “What?”
She huffs a laugh, looking around the ballroom. “I guess you two aren’t as close as you thought.”
I drop Portia’s hands, my heart thumping wildly. “What does that mean?”
“Enjoy your night,” she smirks as she turns away.
Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal. The words pulse within me in time with my erratic heart. Queasy, I look to Leo. Leo’s guilt-ridden face is evidence enough. “What aren’t you telling me?” My voice sounds small. “What did you do, Leo?”
He shakes his head, running his hand through his hair. “Tell me.” I plead. My eyes are dry despite the crushing weight currently crumbling my heart.
He swallows roughly. “I can’t.” He’s shutting me out. He didn’t choose me.
“You can’t, or you won’t?” More silence.
My voice trembles. “We were supposed to be a team, remember?” He told me we were a team.
I take a step backwards, away from him. He blinks, eyes wildly searching mine as he attempts to create some excuse to sate me.
There are no words that can repair this damage. “We’re done.”
Our failure was inevitable, but I thought there was trust between us up to this point. Not anymore.
“Zell—” Leo stands, but I turn on my heels before he is off the chair.
“Don’t bother.”
This ball is a fucking nightmare. Fuming, I storm back towards my seat, faces passing me in a blur.
I walk with purpose, my cape floating behind me as I weave between people.
I stick to the outskirts of the hall and quicken my steps as the pillars and arched alcoves pass by.
A cloak belonging to someone in the Order sweeps into my line of vision.
What now? I’m on the precipice of bursting; I don’t need any further Kosmos bullshit.
“Zellie,” a menacing voice calls out. I slow my steps as Pluto intercepts me.
“Yes?” I lift my chin, displaying a confidence I do not feel.
“I wanted to wish you luck at the upcoming game personally. You’ve retrieved the most fragments of our constellation. The human planets will be thankful for your contribution.”
I force my retort down, focusing on the task at hand. This is it. This is my opportunity. I glance around us, ensuring there aren’t any eyes observing our interaction. “Thanks,” I mumble as I scan the room an additional time. All clear.
“Glad we’ve come to an understanding, even if it took us this long.” Pluto’s smile does not reach his eye. Then he clicks his tongue. “It's such a shame about your friend.”