Page 233 of Fallen Stars

He threaded a hand through hers. “Call Eli. Get him to gather Iz, Mer, Leo, and Adrian so we can explain what’s happened. Then we’ll see what Ariete wants.”

Elara turned the card over in her hand, fingering the foiled red edge of the card as she followed the singing in her blood. She reached her other hand up to pet her baby dragun reassuringly—one that she had willed smaller with a thought until it could hide behind her hair.

Like a disturbing hymn, the card carried a haunting melody—one that only she could hear—beckoning her deeper and deeper into the forest as they walked. Her mind conjured every scenario that could happen as a small temple loomed before them.

“Of course,” Eli sighed beside her.

“What are you going to do?” Elara murmured to him. “He could kill you if he knows you’ve been here with us.”

“He can try,” Eli drawled, clicking his neck.

She knew in her bones and blood, the way she knew that the sickly tie between them was tightening, that Ariete was within.

“What is this place?” Merissa whispered to Leo.

“It’s a small temple of worship,” Enzo replied instead. “It was erected after we brought the Asterian refugees into the forest and began to build their homes.”

The group halted by the door.

“So, Ariete…” Adrian ventured. “Not a very reasonable god?”

Leo nudged him. “You could say that.”

“And Elara’s just going to…waltz right into a temple at his beck and call?” Adrian asked.

“Looks like it,” Merissa murmured, starlight playing nervously at her fingertips.

“Have Bruno and the girls gone?” Elara asked Eli.

Eli nodded. “They’re safe, already nearly out of the forest.”

“Good.”

A sickly charm had begun to coat Elara, one familiar to her. The shriek of swords, the buzzing of flies, it all called to her.

“The rest of you stay outside,” Elara said hoarsely.

Leo stepped forward. “Over my dead bo—”

“Leo,”she said,“I don’t know what he wants, what he will do. And the last time we were faced with him, he nearly killed you all.”

Isra was looking to the door with a strange expression.

“Iz?” Enzo asked.

“Something isn’t right,” she whispered, more to herself. Her eyes began to flicker.

“What do you mean?”

“They’ll huff and they’ll puff and they’ll blow your house down,” the seer rasped, her voice trance-like.

“Okay, what the fuck was that?” Adrian hissed.

Elara’s heart pounded. “She’s channelling again. Get her back to the clearing. Give her some water. All of you go.”

“Are you all going to stand out there, or are you going to summon some bravery and enter?” a deep, lilting voice interrupted, calling from within.

Everyone froze, Adrian cursing as Enzo flexed his fists.

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