Page 242 of Fallen Stars

Sofia clicked her tongue. “In mortal bonds you were nothing,” she replied. “I could kill you, and you’d simply be reborn again. What I needed was for you to awaken, to become the Moon once more. And I had a plan. Oh did I have a plan.” Her smile crept up her face. “Why do you think I made you go into that oracle shop on your birthday?”

The world spun.

“For those of you who are a little slow,” Sofia said, flicking her gaze to Elara’s family, “that prophecy is what Ariete listened to. It’s what he killed everything Elara loved for. It’s what pushed her right into Enzo’s arms.”

“I thought you despised Enzo and Elara together,” Isra called out, her voice like ice.

Sofia tilted her head, raking her gaze over the seer. “You must be the beautiful Isra I’ve heard so much about.” She grinned. “I do despise them. But the only way to wake Elara was with duskglass. And who could help create it but her perfectsoulmate?” She spat the last word out. “Then of course, I planned his death, weaved the threads of fate to ensure Ariete would kill him.” She turned back to Elara. “I accepted a long time ago that you will always find each other, no matter how I try to keep you apart. I knew you would do anything, without thinking, to save your Sun.” She scoffed. “Even if it meant sending him to a dreamscape where he would waste away. But the thing is,” she said, turning to Ariete, “Enzo was never supposed to make it out of that dreamscape. You see, what I hadn’t anticipated was a spineless fucking coward to hand Elara Enzo’s tether, all for protection from me.”

Ariete’s eyes were blazing with hatred as he looked upon Sofia.

Elara let Sofia’s words pelt her, make her bleed. And she realised, true to her name—Lady Fate—that Piscea, or Sofia, had been weaving their fate all along.

It was Sofia who had urged Elara to give Enzo a chance when they were locked in the dungeons. Sofia who had died and brought the two closer. Sofia who had forced her into the oracle’s shop.

A conversation swam forward, one with Enzo many months before, when Elara had demanded to go and save Sofia.

“You think the wolf is a sign? It means many things. It’s a symbol of Piscea for gods’s sake, and do you see her around anywhere?”

The wolves, the shadows… They had been right before Elara’s eyes the whole time. It had always been Sofia.

“Why Astra?” she finally croaked. “What did she ever do to you?”

“That wolf was sent as a sign to you,” Piscea snarled. “The first time you met her, it had all been planned to appeal to your sentimental side. And it worked. But then the wolf formed an attachment to you. Ran from me. The fact she meant so much to you made her death even sweeter.”

Elara was shaking with anger and shock, and she hated herself for trembling. Enzo’s hand stroked soothing circles around her waist.

“You pretended to love me,” Elara whispered.

Sofia clicked her tongue. “Did I ever say the words?”

Elara stood stock still. She hadn’t. Elara had told Sofia time and time over how much she loved her. She realised only now that Sofia had never said the words back.

“Youtrainedme. You taught me how to fight.” Elara was grasping at straws now.

“With a dagger. Hardly formidable. And with me, so you could depend on me when your entire family tried to lock you in a tower. A small price to pay for the trust that would lead to this.”

“How did you find me? We were children in the palace together.”

“Fate,” Sofia said simply. “Two threads woven together in one lifetime. See, we were always meant to be together, you and I. My soul found yours.” Her tone was terrifyingly gentle. “We are a tale as old as time Elara. Perhaps older. And you were at home in the darkness once, with me, until your preciousSuncame and stole you away,” she spat, her face contorting in anger as she looked at Enzo.

“And if Ariete broke your mortal prison when he killed you in that theatre, then you’ve been in this realm ever since. So why wait? Why only make your presence known a few months ago? Why appear here today?”

Sofia shrugged. “Because I wanted to. Because I can. Because the moment the Sun awoke, I knew it was time for me to make my grand reveal. And because it’s your wedding day. Because I wanted to make what is meant to be the happiest day of your life your worst living nightmare.”

Elara had no power to call forth, shock rendering her body useless. Enzo braced her, holding her as he watched the goddess’s every movement.

She had played them all like puppets, Elara realised. Lady Fate herself, tying their paths to each other, exploiting their flaws, their weaknesses. Elara had thought she was defying the Stars by joining with Enzo, defying fate. But the whole time all she had been doing was following the trap that Piscea had laid long ago.

“So what do you want?” Enzo asked, his voice filled with venom. She could feel him shaking with restrained anger behind her.

“What I want,” Sofia said, sneering as she looked at Enzo, “is utter surrender. For me to rule the heavens and everything beneath, and for you to kneel before me, precious Sun.”

Enzo laughed, and it was a cold thing. “You’ll have to kill me first, you unhinged bitch.”

Sofia shrugged. “Then kill you I will.”

“Try,” Elara snarled

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