Chapter Forty-Four
Nova
“Celeste got into another fight at school today. Mama says fighting is for people too stupid to use their words. I told Celeste that I think she’s the coolest person in the whole world.”
Before I could charge forward, Az stepped in front of me, his arms spreading as if he was a shield.
“Az,” Talon spit, taking another step closer.
Huffing, I leaned to the side and lifted my hand, willing a burst of magic out of my palm. Talon easily dodged it, side stepping out of the way, letting the beam soar into the back of one of the officials dragging the unconscious woman.
Now furious, I took my knife and threw it as hard as I could, watching with triumph as it sailed into the back of the remaining official’s skull.
When I turned my face to Talon again, he was staring at me already, his mouth popped open.
Letting out a noise similar to Death’s screech that one time I stepped on her tail, I jumped forward, Az’s arm lifting just in time to catch me midair, my hands swiping viciously towards Talon.
“What are you, her guard dog?” Talon growled, daring to take another step, this one larger than the last. That’s right, come to me. I’m going to rip your fucking head off.
Az’s voice was calm, a smile noticeable in the sound of it as it lifted at the end. “I’ll be whatever she wants me to be, Tal.”
Just as I was ready to go barging past Azazel and claw at Talon’s face, someone wrapped their hands around my waist. I yelped, my legs leaving the ground as whoever it was lifted me.
Az was turning in a second, his hand soaring towards whoever it was, but then I was gone, appearing on the opposite end of the alleyway behind Talon.
“Oh, Son, what a piss-poor attempt. I taught you better than that.”
That was when I realized who had me in their grasp.
Iblis Altair.
Az stood straight, slowly turning in a half circle.
Talon backed away, pushing towards the wooden building to our left.
All the while, he let his stare flick between Az and I, his head moving so quickly from left to right that it was beginning to irritate me.
Impressive how he could aggravate me even when I was facing sudden death.
“Father,” Azazel said, his voice cold and dark. Like a living shadow.
General Altair’s hold on me grew tighter, one of his hands moving up to grip my throat while the other remained around my waist. His touch was vile, his skin so cold I could have sworn blood didn’t flow through it.
“You know, when I received the anonymous tip that a protest would occur today and my general in training would be in attendance, I almost didn’t believe it.
After all, who would have the knowledge and be willing to offer it up?
” Someone had tipped off the general? But who?
“But, Talon here believed it. He said it was worth the risk to potentially bring his Nova home. What a surprise it is to see her hiding behind you of all people.”
As if the words hadn’t come at any surprise, Az only shrugged, his feet bringing him closer to us one breath at a time.
If he felt fear in that moment—which I was nearly positive he did—he didn’t show it.
Rather, he looked as if he felt nothing at all.
Every feature on his face seemed relaxed, almost bored as he stalked forward, the screams in the square growing louder.
“Sounds to me like your luck has run out, Father. Maybe if I hadn’t been here, you’d have walked away with the stars’ essence once more in your grasp.
” I felt Iblis Altair loosen his hold, his head pressing into the top of my skull slightly.
Egging Azazel on, no doubt. “However, I am here. Which is why if you don’t let Nova go immediately, then I’ll fucking flay you alive. ”
Before the general could respond, Talon’s voice cut through the growing tension. “I don’t understand.” Taking my eyes off Az, I looked to Talon, watching as a tear ran down his cheek. “You hate him, Supernova. You’re…you’re mine…”
Gawking, I blinked, unable to form the words needed. How deranged could one man be? Was he truly so stupid?
Az let out a deep, threatening growl, his body tilting towards Talon. As if the sound snapped him out of his delusion, Talon bared his teeth, his fists clenching at his sides as he pointed at me.
“I knew it. I knew there was something between the two of you! You made me feel fucking crazy, but I knew!” Spit flew out of his mouth while he spoke, his body spinning towards Az.
“You wanted her the second you saw her! I fucking saw it in your eyes!” Again he faced me, Iblis Altair’s chuckles shaking me. “You left me for him?”
“I left you because you murdered my entire family, you sick son of a bitch!” I screamed, trying to wrestle out of General Altair’s hold. He only squeezed me tighter, making my ribs ache. I’d kill him too, the slimy bastard.
“Let me take the akhata,” General Altair said, cutting off whatever bullshit Talon was about to spew. His words were honey coated, soft and enticing. “You can come home. Be at my side while we finally do what the stars have been asking of us for millennia.”
Azazel paused, his head tilting to the side. It was at that moment that I realized the screams had died down, only faint shouts and pounding feet left.
“You’d let me come back?” Azazel asked, his arms going limp at his sides.
“Of course, Son,” the general said, his voice bordering on a hum.
Talon stepped forward, clearly not interested in Az’s return. But neither General Altair or Talon Zade mattered in that moment. Every ounce of my focus remained on Az as he stared at his father behind me.
“Wow…” Az’s voice was awe-struck, absent of the normal rasp.
His face was slack, grey eyes wide and jaw round as he popped his mouth open.
“And maybe after, we can have a tea party and gossip about boys? Or we can take a bubble bath and share chocolate? Or, even better, maybe we can throw around a ball and you can tell me you love me?”
Iblis Altair tightened his hand around my neck, my already sore throat burning. “Watch yourself, Azazel.”
“No, you watch yourself. Don’t you ever, ever call her an akhata again.”
Talon took a step in Az’s direction, his eyes widening and his brown skin flushing. He looked…scared. As if he was worried about the friend he’d thrown away. And maybe he did. Perhaps it took a life or death moment to finally realize what he had. “Az…”
“The only mistake here is you,” Az spit, his steps forcing his father to retreat, dragging me backwards. “The stars deemed you such the day they took their essence from you.”
“You little—“
Furious beyond belief, I slid one of my knives out of the sheath and jammed it into Iblis Altair’s side, earning a violent grunt.
Capitalizing on his pain, I shoved back my elbow, digging it into his wound and forcing him to release me.
When he loosened his hold, I leapt out of his grasp, shadow walking the second our skin lost contact.
By the time I was at Az’s side once more, both the general and Talon were readying themselves for a real fight, taking on a sort of crouched stance.
To run with Az or kill them both? That was the question that raced through my mind. If I left now, I might never get the chance to face off with the two of them again. But was this fight worth the risk of Az’s life? Of mine? Of ours?
Az reached for my hand, his fingers just grazing mine when a burst of blazing darkness shot between us. We were both forced to side step the magic, pushing us apart. In my mind, I pictured leaving, only to never see Az again.
Together was the only option.
Straightening, I lifted both of my hands and willed my black chains to crawl up my arms, a few links hanging from my fingers. Then I jumped towards Azazel. He seemed ready, leaping my way as well, as if he’d understood exactly what I was hoping to do.
Get to Az, shadow walk home, survive.
Another burst of darkness shot between us, forcing me to nearly shatter my ankle as I hit the ground and pivoted back the other way.
Iblis Altair chuckled, the deep sound almost seductive in the way it bubbled out of him.
As if he enjoyed this moment very much. I looked up, catching sight of Talon’s wide, slightly watering eyes settling not on me, but on Az.
“He’s your best friend,” I said, trying to get Talon’s attention. “All you’ve done this last year is exactly what you once believed he’d done to you. You’ve given up on him, Talon.”
A tear traveled down Talon’s cheek just as the general once again began his attack.
Passing Talon, Iblis Altair charged forward, sending burst after burst of magic out of his palms. Not every shot sailed towards us at blazing speed, some of them morphed into snakes, viciously biting at our ankles and wrapping around my legs, forcing us apart.
With a deep, guttural scream, Az ran at his father, ducking and dodging every offensive attack thrown his way.
I watched in awe as he stomped snakes and twisted in the air, his boot just barely missing his father when Iblis Altair leaned backwards.
Az landed on his feet, his hand reaching towards the stone ground to steady himself as his head flung up.
As Father and son locked in battle, Talon darted towards me, his amber eyes soft and his lips curved down into a frown. His skin was sallow, undereyes dark. He looked exhausted. Lifeless.
“Supernova, please, just come home. I’m sorr—”
I punched him in the face.
My knuckles collided with his cheekbone, bones rattling as my hand cracked slightly beneath the pressure. Nearly unfazed by my action, Talon wrapped his thick fingers around my wrist, yanking me forward.
“Be reasonable, Nova! For once, just fucking listen!” Talon pleaded. I brought my knee up into his groin, smiling when he grunted in agony. Rotating my wrist, I ducked under his arm and pulled, freeing myself.
Hunched forward now, he groaned, letting his hands rest on his knees.
I took the opportunity to lift my leg and shove my boot into the side of his face, watching with glee as he collapsed.
He was making it far too easy, but I wasn’t going to complain.
If he wanted to act like a fucking idiot, then I’d take advantage of that.
Daring to look away from him, I watched as Az and his father fought.
It seemed Az was on defense more often than offense, forced to evade twice as much as he fired back.
Blood dripped from somewhere beneath his cloak, just as it dribbled from his mouth.
His father appeared unscathed, but I could tell by the way he scowled that Az was doing better than either of them had thought him capable of.
Only seconds after I looked away, Talon came barreling towards me, taking my legs out by shoving his shoulder into my thighs, wrapping his arms around me like a vice. I flew to the ground, the back of my head slamming into the stone and making my stomach roll with nausea.
Gasping for the air that evaded me, I wheezed, tilting my head to the side and watching as Azazel’s body flew into the wall behind him, his back and head slamming into the wood so hard that it cracked beneath the weight.
He slumped to the ground lifelessly, blood coating his face.
As if we were destined to mirror one another, I felt the blood seeping from the crown of my head spill across the stone, coating my cheek and temple.
“Are you okay? Stars, I didn’t mean to hit you so hard! I just got angry!” Talon’s voice was hysterical as he leaned over me.
Iblis Altair stalked our way, shoving Talon to the side as he bent down with a twisted sneer.
He lifted me by my braids, forcing my feet to go under me as my scalp cried in protest. When I was upright, he used his grasp on my hair to pull my face towards his, the spit flying from his mouth coating my blood-soaked face.
Up his neck and across his cheeks twirled shadow marks, the dark swirls making his protruding veins less noticeable.
“You worthless, disgusting excuse of a shaytan!” he screamed into my face, his eyes wild as they stared into mine. That was when he finally noticed. “Your eyes…”
Laughing, I tried to shake my head, earning a violent jerk of my hair. “They went away for a while. Apparently, they finally decided to listen to me.”
“What have you done?” he asked, his voice hysterical.
I only continued to laugh, smiling now. “I reminded them of what the real goal is.”
Roaring like a wild beast, he dragged me to the wall and slammed my face into the wood, a loud crack following the jolt of agony that traveled from my face down my spine.
I screamed, blood pouring into my mouth and causing a sort of garbled shout.
Iblis Altair grabbed my neck—men truly couldn’t fathom any other way to kill a woman apparently—squeezing as he once again spit out his venom inches from my face.
“You are a disease! A stain on our society! The stars will once again choose me, because they now see you for exactly what you are.”
“Or maybe they understand the world better now,” I wheezed.
“I lived with them in my head for decades, stupid girl! The stars won’t save you now because they understand the world—the universe itself!
The strong conquer and the weak serve! Men rise and women fall!
I was raised to be more than anyone else could ever fathom, and you were raised to die of starvation and become nothing, just as everyone in your foul eadi family before you!
” Blackness creeped into the sides of my vision, the blood leaking into my mouth dripping down my throat and making what little air I could swallow flood my lungs.
All the while, the general continued to shout in my face.
“Our mighty rulers will do anything for entertainment. They’d give up any of us for a moment of reprieve from their monotonous existence.
Do you think they’d throw everything away for whatever ideals you hold?
Please. They’ll never give up their search for amusement, because it’s all they have.
And now that they’ve finally realized you can’t give it to them, I’ll kill you and earn their favor by burning down everything you eadi care about!
I’ll finally be enough! I’ll be their chosen one again! ”
“Put her down!” The yelled order startled Iblis Altair enough that he did release me somewhat, the sudden flow of air so harsh I wondered if I’d suffocate on it.
My eyes, which had felt like they might burst, strained to see the figure who stood across the way. Was it Az?
No, not Az.
Talon.