Page 41 of Heavenly Bodies

Indignation rose. ‘And you’re so noble, are you? Kidnapping your enemy and forcing her to do your bidding. I am your weapon, and nothing more. Why should I have thought you anything other than the monster you are,Lion?’

‘Oh, I’m a monster, am I?’ he said, bracing both hands on the door behind her. She was trapped, his tall frame blocking out the pale streams of the afternoon Light.

She could feel the heat that radiated from his skin, see the bronze that glowed from it.

‘Of course you are. I know of the Borderland Fires.’ If she had been calmer, perhaps she’d have felt scared.

‘Go on,’ he hissed, his voice so low it skated over her nerves, his eyes dimmed to the deepest coal.

‘Women, children,’ she near whispered. ‘Innocents burned to ash. You obliterated a whole village in minutes. Started a fire that raged for two weeks, cutting off our trade, our food supplies.’ Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she gritted her teeth against them, her face still inches from his.

‘What else?’ His black gaze bore into her, his expression closed and drawn.

‘So you don’t deny it.’ She shook her head. ‘Your father may think he had a reason to lay siege to Asteria. But the only people he hurt were innocents, those who played no part in the decision my parents made—ifwhat you say about my mother and father is even true.’ Enzo tensed. ‘Your father executed his own damn people if they tried to speak out against the D’Oro’s treatment of my kingdom. He’s a tyrant, and you’re nolion.Just the mutt who does his bidding.’

‘Careful, princess.’ Enzo’s voice was low and deadly as he dipped his head, his eyes fixed on hers. ‘You’re very close to committing treason. People have burned for less.’

She gave a brittle laugh. ‘You sound just like Idris.’

Luminous flames erupted over Enzo’s body. She started, still captured between his arms. But the flames did not sear her skin. They were bitingly icy, and he drew a smile to match. His lips were now centimetres from hers.

‘Then run.’

‘Wh-what?’

Enzo shot her a look of disdain, as he pushed off the door. ‘I won’t stop you. This is what you wanted, isn’t it? You got your shadows. Now you want to go home—to your throne, to your kingdom. So, go. I won’t stop you.’

He turned, knocking sharply on Isra’s door.

Elara looked to the stables. ‘What about your father?’

‘I’ll deal with my father. And you’ll get your wish. When you’re back on your throne, we will be enemies once more.’

‘Once more?’

Enzo’s jaw clenched. ‘Farewell, Elara.’

The door swung open, and Isra stood there, a warm smile on her face. ‘Enzo. Elara.’

‘She was just going, Iz,’ he said tightly, walking through the door. ‘I won’t be the one to keep her here against her will any longer.’

Elara looked at the woman who had blanketed her pain. Who had seen it, and kept it secret. The oracle looked between them both. ‘But what about King Idris’s plans? What about Ariete?’

‘Elara can face him on her own now. Isn’t that right?’

Elara couldn’t understand why tears were beginning to prickle at the backs of her eyes, but she forced the unwelcome emotions down into the box that was beginning to overflow.

Isra’s eyes filled with sorrow. ‘So this is the path you choose. I only wish you luck, Your Majesty.’

Elara’s hands danced at her sides as she nodded. ‘Thank you for…Thank you, Isra.’

And Enzo slammed the door shut.

Elara stood outside the door for a long time, trying to control her breathing. Here it was. Enzo had given her freedom. She tried to force her feet to move towards the stables, to continue on with her plan.

‘So this is the path you choose.’

Isra’s expression as she’d uttered those words had made her pause, but Enzo’s had made her stop entirely. The fury, followed by emptiness. He had jumped off a cliff after her, had helped her kill the fear that had paralysed her for nearly two decades.

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