Chapter Seventy-Nine
ELARA
When someone knocked on the doors of the temple, Elara tensed. Enzo gave her a reassuring look before going to open them. Merissa tumbled in.
‘Oh, thank the gods,’ Elara said, running towards her and clutching Merissa tightly. When they broke apart, they all began to speak at once.
‘Where are Leo and Isra—’
‘I saw my brother—’
‘I went to the Graveyard—’
They all halted. ‘You first,’ Merissa said.
Elara recounted where she had gone, what she had seen.
Next, Enzo asked his question again.
‘I haven’t seen Leo or Isra,’ Merissa replied.
Elara worried at her fingers as silence descended.
‘Any news of the Stars?’
‘Apart from Lias, I haven’t seen a single one.’
‘No sign of Eli, either,’ Elara muttered. ‘I know he was trying to glean more information on the Stars in Isra’s vision, but he hasn’t found us since.’
‘I saw Cancia,’ Adrian supplied from behind them.
‘Adrian!’ Merissa exclaimed, embracing him too. He looked weary, the glint in his eyes gone. ‘I can’t imagine that went well,’ she added.
‘No,’ he responded roughly. ‘It didn’t.’
‘They were supposed to meet here, though. Wasn’t that what Isra saw?’
The others nodded uneasily. When another knock came at the door, everyone jumped.
‘I’ll get it,’ Enzo said, opening the doors. Leo staggered in, and the others shot forwards in alarm.
Leo’s eyes were wild with panic as he adjusted the body in his arms, the seer slumped on him.
‘Something’s wrong with Isra,’ he said. ‘I found her after we all got split up. I ended up on Verra’s street, of all places.
Gods, the horrors, the rot…’ He shook his head as though trying to clear it.
‘I found Isra on Aquaria’s street once I left.
She was just sat there, like this, eyes bright white as people spat curses at her. ’
Elara noticed that Isra’s usually beautiful hazel eyes were indeed completely white.
‘I know she’s done this before, but never for this long. She isn’t in this realm any more,’ he finished.
Enzo stepped closer to look at her and helped Leo lay her down when she jerked.
‘The Dark’s a familiar foe. She’ll swallow you whole, and I…I will be gone with her,’ Isra rasped.
‘It’s Piscea, isn’t it?’ Adrian asked. ‘Isra can feel her?’
Enzo shook his head. ‘I don’t know. But the sooner these Stars arrive, the better. All we must do is stop whatever plan they have to bring the Dark through tonight.’
‘Don’t let her in. Don’t let her in,’ Isra murmured, and Elara shivered. Enzo and Leo murmured soft words to her, brushing her brow and trying to get her comfortable.
‘It’s okay,’ Leo murmured, kissing Isra’s forehead. ‘You’re okay, Iz. You’re safe.’
‘Don’t you see?’ Isra whimpered. ‘It’s a trick.’
Elara stilled. ‘What’s a trick, Iz?’
There was a knock at the door.
Elara turned slowly.
‘Don’t open that,’ Enzo warned.
The knock came again.
Everyone was silent.
The next knock slammed against the doors, rattling them, and Elara stumbled forwards. A strange tugging had begun in her blood.
‘Elara!’ Enzo shouted, lunging towards her.
But she was already by the doors.
Something skated under them, and the others shouted in alarm as Elara bent to pick it up.
Everything stood still around her. Her blood chilled.
The card in her hand was blood red, an image depicted on it of Elara about to step off a cliff as a ram chased her. ‘The Fool’ was written in a curling script along the bottom.
She felt that sensation in her blood again, as though it was trying to move her. She fought against it, the bargain she had made what felt like years but was instead mere weeks ago stirring and tightening.
‘Enzo,’ she whispered. He was behind her now, staring too in horror at the card. ‘Oh gods.’
Enzo’s nostrils flared in alarm. ‘What? El, what?’
‘He’s come to collect his favour,’ she rasped.
There was a blast of red starlight, so strong that the others shrieked, flinching away from it as it flooded under the door.
Elara tried to fight with all her will, but it was no use. Her blood sang to him who waited on the other side, and she clasped the doorknob, turning it as she fought.
When the starlight beyond had dimmed, the King of Stars stood in the doorway, immaculate red velvet suit in place, eyes glimmering red.
‘Ariete,’ she croaked.
He smiled. ‘My favourite enemy.’