Page 82 of Fallen Stars

“What the fuck happened to your throat?” he hissed.

Elara covered the bleeding wound with her hand, feeling Enzo’s tether laced around it. It seemed to warm and buzz as though it could sense it was no longer trapped with Ariete.

“It’s nothing,” she said hurriedly. “It doesn’t even hurt.”

Eli clenched his jaw but said nothing more as he made people veer out of their way left and right with his charm.

Ten seconds. They were halfway across the room.

Eight seconds. Eli’s eyes turned black, his head pointed in the direction of Isra.

Six seconds. Isra by the door, thank gods, Merissa waiting there for them.

Four seconds. She could feel the breeze from the open door beckoning. Freedom. She’d done it.

Two seconds. The roar of a Star of vengeance and the splintering of a wooden door.

Fuck, Eli said into her mind.You’re going to have to go on without me.

Elara nodded, launching into a sprint, dragging Merissa by her wrist.

“Elara!” Ariete roared, and members of the club began to turn, frowning at where the voice was carrying to.

But Elara was frozen by the door as she saw the doorman who had touched Merissa.

"Both of you run," she said. "I'll be right behind you."

"Elara," Isra pleaded, but Elara's fury, still writhing in her bones, was set on the lecherous man who had touched what was not his to touch. His focus wasn’t even on her, too busy looking over the packed crowd to the incensed Star trying to make his way through it.

She shoved Merissa and Isra out of the door, blocking it as the doorman turned around. Her dagger was already in her palm, and she wished she could give him a slower death. But time was not on her side. Her anger was still writhing within her, itching to kill.

“Markus, was it?” she said brightly. He turned, frowning.

Before he could reply, Eli’s hand snaked around her waist, yanking her to him.

“You need to go,” he hissed in her ear, his other hand forcing the dagger from her palm.

“He touched Merissa!” she snarled.

“He thought she was adancer! Save your vengeance for a more deserving soul.”

Elara bared her teeth, swearing as she pushed away from Eli, snatching her dagger back and shoving past the doorman.

“Forget this,” Eli growled to Markus, whose eyes went blank.

Elara turned back once, hearing Eli’s voice carry as she escaped. “Every time you touch a woman without her permission, I want you to piss yourself,” the god commanded, his charm thick in the air. She saw the doorman nod vacantly, and the anger within her abated a little, a small smile on her face as she leapt over the threshold and ran full pelt down the street, feet slamming on the wet cobbles.

As she turned a corner, she saw Isra and Merissa finally, still running, and let out a shrill whistle. The two whipped their heads around and gasped in relief, slowing as Elara caught up.

“Come on,” she panted. “We can’t stop here.”

She wouldn’t let up for even a moment as they put as much distance between The Ruby and themselves as possible.

They veered, twisting through the slick streets of The Remains.

The streets began to clean up, the fashion of the passers-by growing more refined as they slowly left The Remains and transitioned into the Pollux Quarter.

Isra pointed in front of them to a side alley, breathing heavily, and Elara and Merissa followed her.

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