Chapter 56
Fifty-six
Zellie
“Something has happened.” I push up from where I was sitting at the small table, unease turning my stomach queasily.
Orion’s face twists with concern. “How do you know?”
“Something in the fabric of this world—in the threads connecting us all has… shifted.” I search for the words to adequately describe what I’m feeling, coming up short.
Lando scoffs, likely not believing the nonsense I’m spewing.
We’re back underground, Seb operating the surveillance headquarters.
He has eyes on the Kosmos and the human planets, monitoring to ensure all is calm above.
On the screen, Pluto pauses mid-sentence from where he stands in the Cosmic Hall.
If I felt this shift, did he feel it too?
He finishes instructing the poor soul on the receiving end of his fury before resuming his pacing in the throne room.
It’s only a matter of time before his next rampage begins. Who will he terrorize next?
Meanwhile, Leo and Lando continue their argument about Leo keeping up appearances above.
“You can’t just up and disappear.”
“And you don’t understand what they will do to me if they know what I’ve done.” Round and round they go.
“Let him stay, Lando,” I mumble as I pick at my nail bed.
The room stills at the sound of my voice, but my statement stands. Leo’s given enough.
Leo’s throat works as he roughly swallows. A moment passes as I glance his way—a mutual understanding. Neither of us will suffer any longer. He’s been through plenty for me. I’ve endured enough for them. It ends here.
“We should’ve put a willow wisp on her,” I fret.
Seb shakes his head. “It wouldn’t have worked. The distance is too great.”
I lean back in the chair, sighing. I need to change the subject. Sitting here worrying about Jada is going to destroy me. “Is Brinn back yet? She was meeting with someone from Lunara, right?”
“Yes, then checking in on the weaponry. She keeps her head down and moves quickly; she’ll be fine.” Seb adds the last bit in anticipation of my worries.
Everyone is risking their lives while I’m sitting here, useless. Anxious energy pulses through me, overwhelming my senses.
“Get it out before you explode,” Lando snaps.
“I’m not going to explode.” My voice comes out in a low snarl.
“Zi, come on,” Orion coaxes, pushing off from where he was standing against the screens.
“You’ve regained so much strength already.
It doesn’t hurt to push your power further while we wait.
” As if in agreement, my magic dances beneath my skin, begging me to put it to use.
Maybe I should… Between worrying about Jada and this strange shift I felt, I’m edgy.
“I’ll spar with her.” Leo suggests with a shrug.
A disbelieving laugh escapes me as he stares. Oh—he’s serious? “No way.”
“We’re a good match. We always have been.” His amber eyes twinkle mischievously at his obvious play on words.
Orion shifts irritably, crossing his arms. “Yeah, no. I agree. Not a great idea.”
I raise an eyebrow at Leo. “Do you need a reminder of what happened the last time we sparred?”
In response, he raises his shirt, exposing curved abs and a thick, angry scar. “I’m reminded every day.”
Silence falls over the group, so quiet I can hear dripping water from the dirt ceiling somewhere down a nearby tunnel. “Okay. Zellie, no stabbing anyone.” Lando instructs, and for once, I’m thankful for his sassy interruption.
I stand, mumbling, “No promises,” as I head towards the empty space Seb has created for sparring while actively ignoring Orion’s exasperated look.
Leo and I have already hit rock bottom, so things can’t get any worse between us… can they?
“You still favor your left side, I see.” Leo infuriatingly blocks my incoming hook with ease.
Gritting my teeth, I mutter, “Shut up,” as I feign a jab to his torso, then aim right for his fucking stupid head. He rears back, amusement shining in his eyes.
“Someone’s a bit crabby.”
I wipe my brow, straightening. “This is not a fucking bonding session, Leo.”
“Well aware, Zellie.” He resets his stance, arms up to protect his face.
I remain in place, hands loosely hanging by my side. “Why did you do it?”
Leo’s jaw works through a tick. “You were all I had, Zellie.”
“You had so many chances to tell me.”
“I was fucking scared, okay? Remember when Atlas hit you?”
“You mean when we were sparring?”
“I thought they got to him, too. I thought he was trying to take you out. They are so fucking set on eliminating you, Zell. They look at you as if you are the problem. I didn’t want to lose you.”
“You know, these are the types of conversations we should have had when we were together. Instead, you kept all your secrets to yourself, and for what? You still managed to lose me in the process, regardless.”
“You don’t think that’s lost on me?” Leo’s brows furrow, his whiskey eyes darkening with anger.
“I’m sorry I tried to stop you. It wasn’t about winning.
I would do it again and again and again if it meant protecting you.
” He takes a step closer, chest heaving, “ I told you I would always choose you, and I’m still paying for those feelings.
I will continue to be their fucking bitch, letting them experiment on me, pull on my strings, as long as it takes to keep you safe.
Your life is worth it all, Zell. I didn’t tell you what was going on, and that was the biggest fucking mistake I could have made. But I can’t change the past.”
“No, you can’t,” I whisper, emotion weighing on my chest.
“I tried to stop. I tried to run away from everything. You were too fucking consumed by your vengeance to consider what we could have had.”
“‘Consumed by my vengeance?’” My magic flares, eliciting a gasp from Leo. Seething, I continue, “I won’t apologize for trying to make these galaxies a better fucking place for everyone in them.”
“You are so fucking hellbent on taking Pluto down—”
“You would be too, if you went through what he did to me—”
“I have been through what he’s done to you!” he bellows. We’ve unknowingly stepped closer to each other in our irate states. “We could have had a life, Zell. One full of peace and safety and happiness. We were happy.”
“No,” I shake my head. “It never would have been possible, not with knowing how unjust their power is.”
“But we would have had us. Instead, look at you. Look at what you’ve become. Consumed by anger… what is left of your soul?”
I rear back, feeling as if he’s taken a knife straight to my heart. Tears prick my eyes, hot and indignant. I do what I do best—I take that knife and turn it towards him.
“What is left of yours?”