Page 29 of Heavenly Bodies

‘Elara!’ Enzo roared. She felt Enzo’s body move in front of her, a wall of flame thrown up against the onslaught as she ducked. Glass tinkled around them as he turned around.

‘Are you okay?’ he demanded, grabbing her face between his hands, his eyes scanning for injury. She could barely speak, Isra’s hands still locked on hers, her teeth chattering painfully.

‘Y-your face, it’s bleeding,’ she stammered.

Enzo brushed a fingertip to a cut below his eye, batting her concern away. His anger turned on Isra.

‘Isra!’ Enzo bellowed, slamming the table with barely restrained strength. Flames rushed off him in waves, clashing with the ice storm raging through the room. As it cut through Elara, the silver light she’d seen—whatever it was—died. The wind settled instantly. Isra’s eyes shifted back to clear hazel, and she blinked, sucking in deep breaths like a drowningwoman finding land. Elara was shaking as Isra disentangled their hands. The oracle surveyed the chaos warily, the ice shrouding them all, the shattered windows and the blood dripping down Enzo’s face. Finally, her attention rested on Elara. But the easy glimmer in her eyes was replaced with something else now.

It was fear.

Elara brushed trembling hands over her face, pushing her hair back. Enzo stood behind her, gripping the back of her chair so hard the wood groaned.

‘What the fuck was that, Iz? What did you see?’ he asked through gritted teeth. She could feel the heat radiating off him, warming the room as Isra fought for control of her powers. Isra stared at the table for a long time, taking in great heaving breaths, before answering.

‘I saw why Elara’s shadows are blocked.’

‘Why?’ he demanded.

‘I think she should tell you,’ Isra said quietly.

Enzo rounded on Elara. ‘You knew this whole time?’

Elara stared him down.

He swore, pacing the room. ‘What else? You saw something else, I know it.’

‘When I—when I was trying to leave, something sank its teeth into my magick. A power I’ve never encountered before.’

‘From me?’ Elara asked.

Isra nodded. ‘At first, I saw darkness past your shadows. So much of it that it began to drown me. Darker than black. It wasn’t a colour. It was the absence of it. Then light pounced upon me. Silver. But cold. So cold that it burned. I’ve only felt that type of power in one thing before. But it’s impossible.’

‘Damn it, Isra, what?’ Enzo growled.

Isra looked at the ground as she took a shaky breath.

‘The only cold I’ve felt like that before has come from the dead.’

The room started to spin as Elara sagged back into her chair. Enzo pulled up another chair silently next to her.

‘What is that supposed to mean?’ Elara demanded.

Isra shook her head. ‘I don’t know. My visions arealwayscorrect, but they don’t always make sense at first.’ She bit her lip, looking at Enzo. ‘There was one more thing. A golden light joined Elara’s magick. It was as fiery as Elara’s was chill. Together, the flames turned black. And then, I saw a Star die.’

‘Is that—’

‘It’s you, Enzo. Elara needs you to kill a god. When shadow and light combine, a Star will fall.’

Enzo was already out of the door, Elara about to follow, when Isra held her back.

‘Elara?’

Elara turned stiffly. She didn’t want to spend another minute in the room.

‘You need to tell Enzo. He will help you. Trust me, if anyone will understand, it’s him.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

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