Page 64 of Fallen Stars

She banked, the dragun soaring until it hovered metres above the trio, as Elara fed shadows down to the slick cobbles.

Eli took a drag of his cigarette, stamping the roll out on the cobbles, flecks of ember drifting into the air, which sent a painful memory of Enzo’s eyes through her.

“A little dramatic, Elara,” he remarked, looking indifferently to the enormous dragun hovering above him.

“What can I say, I like to make an entrance,” she winked. “Iz, Mer.” She nodded, giving a small wave. Merissa crossed her arms, shivering.

“Did you bring the clothes?” she asked.

“If that’s what you could call them,” Isra muttered, handing a small cloth bag to Elara. “Your charms have been stitched within them, don’t worry.”

“I don’t know why we couldn’t have just done this at the inn,” Merissa muttered.

“Because I didn’t fancy freezing my tits off while I stretched out some magickal muscles, and you two trailing through Castor in nothing but what the gods gave you didn’t really appeal to me either.”

“Aww, you’re like our protective mother lioness.” Merissa grinned.

Elara chuckled. “Anything for my pride.”

“Gods,” Eli said, looking heavenward. “You’re best all changing here,” he added. “There won’t be a chance to when we arrive at The Ruby.”

Merissa scanned him up and down, a groomed eyebrow arched. “I’m sure there won’t be,” she muttered.

The god rolled his eyes. “Elara cast your shadows around them if they’re that concerned with modesty. But hurry. Ariete is already there.”

Butterflies enveloped Elara’s stomach at the mere mention of his name. He was in her vicinity, only a street away. The man who had tried to kill her love, had stolen from him…from her. She clenched her jaw as she ripped the clothes from the bag, raising her brows. Isra was right; clothes were definitely a stretch.

“In what world are these clothes appropriate for fucking Castor?” Isra seethed. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I’d flaunt this in Helios. But how don’t the dancers here die of cold? And that’s coming from a Svetan.”

Merissa and Elara chuckled. Elara held up her ‘outfit’ gingerly between two fingers. The ensemble was…revealing to say the least. Wisps of raspberry red gauze trailed down her fingers, coins sewn together to jingle as one walked. It consisted of a brassiere and a skirt that wrapped around her hips, supposed to be tied to the side, knickers underneath.

“Remind me why Elara can’t just illusion us in,” Merissa sighed.

“Because she needs to save her energy for dreamwalking. If she’s trying to illusion you all as invisible, how exactly is she meant to concentrate on finding Enzo’s tether?” Eli retorted.

Merissa nodded tightly.

“Wouldn’t think you were so uptight anyways, Merissa. Being Torra’s daughter and all.” He smirked.

A slap swung out of nowhere, the sound of skin slapping on skin as Merissa’s hand flew.

Isra let out a low whistle.

“You’re a prick,” Merissa hissed. “And I am nothing like her.”

Elara stalked, stopping when Eli and she were nose to nose. “Say another word like that to my friend, and I will forget all friendship from our past and kill you the same way I did your sister.”

Eli only scoffed, his eyes alight as he rubbed his jaw, slightly red, Elara noted with satisfaction.

“We don’t have time for this,” she added, shimmying her dress off, her skin prickling in the damp cold. With a sigh she tugged on the outfit, trying not to look at how prominent her hipbones looked. “Might need yourmagick, Mer,” she added as she tied the sides of the skirt into a knot. With ease she drifted shadows from her hands to give Merissa and Isra some privacy as they changed into their own ensembles.

“So what exactly is the plan?” Isra murmured as she made her way out of the smoke, flicking a curl from her eyes. Elara let out a low whistle. Isra looked… Gods. She’d be catching the eye of every man and woman in Castor. Her lush curves blended to the fabric like a second skin, glowing in the moonlight. Elara caught Eli’s eyes resting on her too before he cleared his throat.

The seer raised an eyebrow at Elara. “What are you gawping at?”

“You just look so…good,” Elara said.

Isra smirked, sidling up to her. “Regretting choosing Enzo to fall for yet?”

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