Page 23 of Heavenly Bodies

Leonardo’s face softened. ‘Thank you, Elara. You may be the enemy of the kingdom I swore to protect. But I see that what you are doing is to help us. The Stars have ruled above us with their arrogance and cruelty for too long.’

‘I think you overestimate my magick greatly.’

He shook his head. ‘I have an eye for these things. As a general I have to. And what you are doing helps Enzo. Which is all that is important to me.’

‘I’ll never see the goodness in him that you seem to,’ she said tightly.

‘Perhaps not,’ Leonardo said. ‘But I know that for the people he loves, Enzo would set the world on fire, if we asked.’

Elara finally grasped her tether. ‘I have to go,’ she said. She latched on to the midnight-blue rope, and in a swirl of magick, the forest disappeared as she dreamwalked back to the waking world.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next morning, Elara felt like she’d barely slept after her night walking through Leonardo’s dreams. When a smart rap came on her door, she pulled herself blindly out of bed to open it, wishing Merissa would just let herself in.

To her surprise, it was Leonardo who stood there in his general’s armour. It shone golden, the D’Oro crest upon the breastplate.

‘Your Majesty,’ he said.

She stilled at the title. His lips quirked a fraction. ‘I’ll escort you today.’

‘Oh, you really don’t have to. If this is about last night, I promise I won’t—’

‘It is,’ he interrupted. ‘But I wanted to thank you.’

He produced a paper bag, and gave it to Elara. ‘I brought you breakfast.’

She looked into the bag. Two round peaches were nestled in there.

‘They’re from the palace gardens. My mother grows them.’

Elara took one out and inhaled the sweet scent.

‘They’re not poisoned,’ he said, the small boyish smile she recognized from the dream bursting through his serious demeanour. ‘Here.’

He took the other one and bit into it. Elara did the same with her own peach.

‘Mmm!’ she exclaimed. It may have been the best peach she’d ever tasted, bursting with juicy sweetness as though honey had been drizzled through it.

‘I’ll wait until you’re dressed to take you to Enzo. You’re going to see Isra today.’

‘The infamous Isra,’ Elara said. ‘Whoisshe?’

‘You’ll find out soon enough.’

Elara went to ask more, but Merissa appeared holding a tray with pastries and pear juice upon it. Her eyes widened as she looked between Leonardo and Elara in the doorway. ‘G-General Acardi,’ she stuttered. ‘I wasn’t expecting you.’

‘You know what to call me, Merissa.’ His grin displayed dazzling teeth, and Elara couldn’t help but smirk as Merissa’s cheeks grew pink.

‘What brings you here, Leo?’ she asked, her eyes on the ground.

‘I’m escorting Elara to his Highness today.’

Merissa raised her brows. ‘Right, well we’d better get you dressed then,’ she muttered, pushing herself into the room.

‘Be right back, General Acardi,’ Elara said with a mocking bow, and pushed the door to as she heard Leonardo snicker.

Merissa dressed her in fresh linens, picking out a skirt with a slit up the leg for movement and a matching cropped blouse. She carefully pinned Elara’s hair off her face with a few pearl clips while she glamoured her. Then, with a levelling sigh, Elara returned to Leonardo at the door, following him out towards another day of misery.

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