Page 12 of Heavenly Bodies

She settled down with the book, the strange red hue of the Helion night illuminating the pages. ‘The Mermaids of Neptuna’ was the first tale, and she smiled as she read of thevicious merfolk who, legend said, had fought for dominion over the seas against the sirens of Altalune. She didn’t know if she truly believed in the fanciful tales; either way, if the mythas had ever existed, they were long gone now. But she allowed herself to walk down the familiar passages of her book, before her eyelids finally closed.

The argument had happened again. She’d demanded to know why she couldn’t go outside the palace. Her parents had replied, as usual, that she shouldn’t ask questions. It had escalated from there, until she’d been sent away in tears to her room. Moments after she arrived there, however, Sofia appeared at the door with a plate of food in hand, and sat and listened as Elara cried.

‘You have me,’ she said gently. ‘Even if you don’t have anyone else, I will always be here.’

The shadows around the room had grown darker.

‘Do you think Lukas is listening?’ Elara sniffed, looking into the darkness.

Sofia shrugged. ‘If he is,’ she said, pitching her voice into a shout, ‘then the little sneak needs a new hobby!’

‘Don’t, Sof,’ Elara said. ‘It’s so hard when you don’t get along.’

Sofia rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t trust him. You shouldn’t either.’

More tears threatened to spill, and Sofia softened in response. ‘What would make you feel better right now?’

‘Seeing something other than these four walls,’ Elara said sullenly.

Sofia smiled. ‘I may have a plan.’

The night that followed was the first time Elara ever set foot outside the palace grounds. Thanks to Sofia’s encouragement, she used her illusions for the first time to rebel—managing to sneak herself and Sofia beyond the sentried doors—and saw a glimpse of her kingdom. Theypinched cinnamon sugared buns from a night stall, and burned their mouths after gulping them down too fast as they waltzed through the Dreamer’s Quarter, hidden under Elara’s illusions. It was the best night of Elara’s life.

The sound of pots clinking woke Elara. She blinked, rubbing the remnants of the dream that had been more of a memory out of her eyes, and saw Merissa’s honeyed head bobbing as she hurried around the room. The woman smiled at Elara, bringing a tray out to the balcony.

‘I tried to let you sleep as much as possible. But the prince requires that you meet him immediately.’ She poured some mint tea, and pushed a plate of fresh berries to Elara.

‘Ah, I’m sure he was in a pleasant mood when hedemandedmy presence.’ She popped a raspberry into her mouth.

Merissa tried to school away a smile. ‘He was…a little irritable.’

Elara snorted. ‘Good. Hopefully I got under his skin last night.’

Merissa bit her lip. ‘I was watching you from across the hall. I’m not sure what you said to him, but I think you made quite the impression.’

‘He threatened to kill me, so I threatened him right back.’

Merissa’s eyebrows shot up as Elara stuffed a blueberry into her mouth, shrugging. ‘What did you expect? Him and his father are holding me hostage. I’ll train with him, but I won’t make it easy.’

And with that, Elara sauntered into the bedroom and prepared for her lesson.

The soft linen of her new clothes caressed her limbs loosely as she strolled down the grand staircase. Elara craved the dense protection her Asterian wools would afford her, but Merissa had promised her these were appropriate training clothes, breathable and cool for the heat, and Elara had trusted her word. She had also topped up Elara’s glamour, explaining that her magick only lasted a day and a night without being replenished.

She slowed when Lorenzo came into view, pacing in olive green linens, a shining gold sword slung at his waist.

From his thunderous face, he was in a black mood.

‘Enzo,’ she said lightly.

‘You’re late,’ he spat. ‘And it’s “Your Highness”.’

Elara laughed. ‘I’ll call you Your Highness when you call me YourMajesty.’

‘Then I suppose we’re at an impasse, Elara.’

She flicked her plait over her shoulder as she breezed past, the prince practically bristling with rage. ‘Training is going to be fun.’

The heat was bearing down on her, and Elara found herself cursing Enzo under her breath for the fiftieth time that day. Great company he was not. He’d marched in front of her, not uttering a word as she’d followed him out of the palace and through the outskirts of the city to a forest trail. Theground was dry and cracked, the trees sparse. There was little to cover her from the burning Light, and it made her antsy. After an hour of climbing in silence, she called after him in exasperation.

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