Page 156 of Heavenly Bodies

Elara’s silver gaze pierced her.

Torra spread her hands. ‘Well, youdidfall in love with a Star, and youdidboth die…’

‘The person I once was died,’ Elara breathed.

‘Prophecies…such tricky little things.Filledwith riddles.’

Elara sighed as Merissa appeared at the doors. She walked hurriedly down the throne room, her face glowing in the twilight. When she reached the throne, she looked between her mother and Elara.

‘My Queen,’ she curtsied. ‘Mother,’ she added coldly.

‘How many times do I have to tell you, Mer? There’s no need for any of that. For the love of Stars, Elara is just fine.’

‘Sorry.’ Merissa smiled sheepishly, giving Torra another wary glance. ‘Leo’s drawn up the information you requested from Asteria. And Isra has organized a list of duties that need attending to in quick succession both in Asteria and here. Your throne is vacant. Ariete is still nowhere to be seen. Then there’s the matter of your official coronation.’

Elara looked at her sharply, and Merissa paled a little.

‘I thought I wrote to the Asterian council and told them that a coronation won’t be going forward until Enzo wakes,’ she bit out.

She’d been relieved to hear that despite Ariete’s destruction of the palace and murder of so many of her court, one or two of her father’s advisors had survived, and were trying to gather a supporting council in her stead.

‘They’re worried that without someone to officially take rule of Asteria, more opportunity for rebellion will arise, for others to stake their claim.’

Elara sighed, rubbing her temples.

‘I think I’ll take my leave now,’ Torra interrupted. ‘I need to return to the Heavens, and put on a show about how horrified I am by your awakening.’

‘Is Ariete not aware you’ve been helping us, now that he knows who Merissa is?’

Torra shook her head. ‘I’ve led him to believe I shunnedmy daughter a long time ago. That she is on the opposing side of our cause.’

Elara nodded, deep in thought. ‘Thank you, Torra. If I have need, I’ll call for you.’

Torra bowed, kissing Merissa on the cheek before summoning a deep pink starlight, and vanishing before them.

‘As to what I was saying,’ Merissa continued gently once Torra had left. ‘You are next in line to the throne. With Ariete nowhere to be found, there is no better time than now to return to Asteria and take what is rightfully yours. Then there is the matter of Enzo giving you his crown…Helios could also be yours if you wished.’

Elara steepled her fingers as her attention drifted. The details of court seemed so trivial. A coronation, claiming her throne…She was apparently Queen of the Stars-damned Universe, thrown from the skies.

‘I’m not returning to Asteria yet,’ she murmured. ‘And I’m sure as the Deadlands not ruling over Helios without Enzo.’

‘You’re not?’

She rose from the throne. Without glancing at Merissa, she walked out of the throne room and down the grand hallway until she emerged into the gardens.

She knew Merissa was following her, and waited as she looked upon the forget-me-nots that Enzo had made grow with his light.

When Merissa had settled beside her, she spoke. ‘I will appoint a member of the Helion council that I trust to oversee court matters in our absence—they can liaise with the Asterians too. Ask Leo to gather me a list.’

‘Our absence?’

Elara breathed in the scent of jasmine, heavy in the black night. She smiled gently at the silver orb in the sky, beforeher thoughts turned venomous, as her gaze caught on the twinkling stars surrounding it.

‘I made a vow to my soulmate. We are going to awaken the Sun. We are going to find the Celestes. And then the Stars will fall.’

THE END

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