Page 191 of Fallen Stars

Merissa grinned, nodding. “Iloveit.”

Elara felt Merissa’s magick, warm and cool at the same time, washing over her face and tickling her eyelids. She felt the black dress she was wearing tighten and cinch at the middle, draping and flowing down her arms and feet, and a hood beginning to appear over her face. Merissa produced a small mirror, showing her the work.

Black curled around Elara’s eyes, forming a mask, her lips blood red as though she had just finished drinking a soul, the way wraiths did. Her skin gleamed.

“Holy shit,” Adrian remarked. “You look terrifying.”

Elara pressed a hand to her heart. “Thank you.”

“I think you look beautiful,” Enzo murmured. “Is it strange that I want to fuck you in this robe right now?”

Elara looked around before revealing the naked length of her thigh underneath the robe’s slit. “Not at all,” she murmured back.

Enzo made a pained sound. “We will find a moment,” he promised, looking ruggedly handsome as the mythical lion.

Merissa was waving a hand artfully around her face, her hair sleeking into straight sheets of blonde, leaves rippling up her body and twisting, twigs growing from the crown of her head and wrapping to form a mask around the upper half of her face. She added a few more touches, the illusion of bark coasting down one side of her body.

“Wow,” Elara whispered.

Merissa twirled. “A forest nymph of Verde,” she beamed.

Enzo and Isra were far ahead, and the rest trailed down the hill, now ready.

“Are you two going to keep using those weird seer gifts, or are you going to deign to tell us what’s going on?” Adrian said as Elara caught up to them all.

Enzo smirked. “You’ll know in a moment.”

“You see it?” Isra asked, ignoring Adrian.

Leo sighed beside them. “Try growing up with them,” he muttered to Adrian, earning his chuckle.

Merissa linked arms with Elara.

“How are you feeling about all this?” Merissa whispered.

Elara shrugged. “Oh, you know, impending doom should we fail, the threat of yet another murderous entity… I feel great.”

Merissa nudged her, and Elara dropped her bravado.

“Honestly? I just pray this witch knows what she’s doing. That way we can get this over with and return to as peaceful a life as we can on the run.”

Before Merissa could reply, Elara heard a muffled laugh and turned, scanning the skies. They were approaching the citadel now. “Did anyone else hear that?”

Israand Enzo exchanged knowing grins as they tumbled down the last steps, pacing towards an arch. “Just as we thought,”Isra said.

“This is getting really old now,” Leo drawled.

“We’re just building up the suspense,” Isra replied.

“Eli went ahead of us but… I don’t see him anywhere,” Elara said, frowning as she looked to the quiet street ahead. Not even a breeze stirred.

Enzo kissed her on the forehead before bending to pick up a pebble. There was another muffled sound, but this time it sounded like music that was coming from behind three closed doors. Her eyes narrowed as Enzo grinned, pulling his arm back and launching the rock through the arch. The group watched it volley, flying through the air and into…

Nothing.

Merissa took a startled step forward. The rock had simply vanished, into thin air—quite literally.

“Magick,” Isra said, pushing a hand through the strange gate, half of her hand disappeared as a blast of music sounded through, louder and upbeat. “See you on the other side,” she winked and stepped through the arch, vanishing.

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