Chapter 84
The blackness that engulfed Orra came with silence. But then it faded to a dull gray, and muffled sound returned. With it came awareness of Andreas’ arms surrounding her. The suffocating heat of his partially shifted human form—the cause of her blacking out.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, wincing, but she knew his back was taking the brunt of Reyna’s anger.
“Let her take me,” Orra offered. “She’s partway right, you know. If you want to bring the barriers down, that’s the final step.”
He frowned but didn’t move. “I suspect there are several other steps that need to come first. I won’t let her rush things.
” But even as he said the words, he fell against Orra as Reyna’s blows became too much.
She welcomed the burn of his skin but still backed away, knowing her grounded form couldn’t take it.
Reyna shoved him away from Orra. “It’s time we’re no longer weighed down by what you did.
” She released her glow enough to grab Orra’s wrist without burning her to a crisp but then dragged her forward, turning her around to face the other Stars on the balcony.
“We’ve all watched as Sheen has continued interfering while here on the earth.
She has no respect for the Sun’s authority, and she acts on her own will. ”
“And what is it that you’re doing?” Orra murmured in Reyna’s ear. “You can’t tell me that working with the likes of Mayvus is the Sun’s will, even if you plan to betray her. Maybe especially if that’s your plan.”
Reyna ignored her accusations. “It’s time we sent Sheen to the Sun to receive her judgment.”
“I was judged a thousand years ago,” Orra added. “And the Sun chose to keep me here.” Even as she said the words to counteract Reyna’s, the truth of them hit her.
The Sun had left her here to do something. The Sun had still given her a purpose, despite all she’d done wrong. The Sun still wanted a relationship with her and still desired for her to do its will.
Something in her heart shifted, a crack mending, something frozen thawing. She’d been trying to listen to the Sun, to make decisions based on what the Sun would have her do. And while that was right, it came from the wrong place. “Everything we do should come from a place of love, not guilt.”
Reyna frowned at her, the words not lining up with the lies she’d spewed to the other Stars. But Orra didn’t care. She didn’t need to prove anything to Reyna or the other Stars.
“The Sun’s light exposes the darkness within us,” Orra murmured. “Forces it out until none remains. It’s not that we have no darkness—it’s that the Sun removes it.”
Reyna’s light flickered, but Orra couldn’t tell if it was from anger or if the Star was considering her words.
Orra turned to the rest of the Stars. “The Sun does not want you aiding Mayvus,” she shouted. “Even if it’s temporary.”
The Stars with Andreas all exchanged nervous glances.
“And what would you know of what the Sun wants?” Reyna shouted back, those behind her calling out their assent.
She pulled on Orra’s short hair, forcing her head back and chin up.
“You’ve disgraced yourself in a number of ways, the least of all shearing a source of the power given to you by the Sun. You’re an embarrassment to the Stars.”
Tears filled Orra’s eyes as Reyna pulled harder, the reminder of why she’d cut her hair stinging far more than the pain of Reyna’s grip.
“Give her to Mayvus,” one of the Stars shouted. It sounded like Telnar, but Orra couldn’t turn to look.
“Yes,” another shouted. “We’ve offered our sacrifice, but giving up Sheen would be better.”
The heat of Reyna’s presence suddenly burned hotter as Orra’s skin grew cold and clammy.
“Sacrifice?” Orra whispered. “You’re going to gift her with your power? With a Star’s death?” Orra’s calm nature gave way to a panic she hadn’t felt since the day she’d been grounded. “You said you weren’t truly working with her. Have you already done this?”
“Of course not,” Reyna said. “Have you seen us fast from the skies? Not that we would do that for the likes of you.”
Orra shuddered, her horror slightly tempered by this bit of relief. With Lucian’s death, they’d all remained grounded for a night, fasting from the Sun’s light as they mourned their fallen brother. “Why would you give her the power of a Star if you’re not working with her?”
“She’s uniting the people,” Reyna hissed. “We’re willing to do anything if it means we can return the world to its unified state.”
A moan rose from one of the Stars on Orra’s right, catching Reyna’s attention as well.
“Emeris,” the Star murmured, and Orra went still.
“What about her?” Orra strained to see the Star’s face, finally catching Excelsus’ wide eyes and slack jaw. “What happened?” A new sense of urgency bled through her tone.
“She’s dead.”
Another cry broke out from Telnar. “Mayvus is dead too.”
Every form on the balcony went still. Even the wind calmed beside them.
“No,” Orra murmured. But she knew they were right. The Stars who had gifted them with starlocks would have sensed it. It wasn’t like the starbridges being used. Orra was blind out here, but they were not.
“How?” she murmured, not really expecting an answer.
Reyna slapped her cheek. Orra’s head flew back with a sharp crack before snapping back, her hair still in Reyna’s grip.
“This was all a ruse just to distract us, to keep us from aiding her in her need,” Reyna said. “How could you? You’ve ruined everything.”
“The Ahmranans retreat,” another Star called out. “We must guide them.”
Several took to the skies while others made partial transfers to leap from the turret down to the courtyard. Orra closed her eyes, waiting to take whatever punishment Reyna offered. When the silence continued, Orra let her eyes flutter open.
Reyna dropped Orra’s hair, letting the grounded Star fall to her knees beside her.
“Now what?” Reyna murmured.
“Now we turn to the Sun,” Orra whispered. “Something I suspect you haven’t done for a while.”
Reyna snarled but backed away, letting her body burn brighter and brighter until she was like a flame burning Orra’s eyes. When she leaped to the skies, Orra watched the trail of her fire fade into the night before closing her eyes in defeat.
She knew she shouldn’t waste her power, but she used the dregs of her energy to reach out to Aeliana, to use the connection of their blood to sense the other woman’s well-being. And while she sensed life in Aeliana’s soul, it was full of grief and sorrow, and Orra fell down to cry with her.