Page 88 of All the Chaos of Constellations
The frown marring her forehead deepened as she processed his statement. “That…that can’t be right.”
He struggled to find a way to properly explain the harsh accusation. But he needed her to listen, to understand. Solarius’s words jumbled together at the forefront of his mind. “Star reading is the most basic form of celestial magic, it can be taught to anyone. In fact, it was your father who taught your mother how to read them.”
“Asher, wait.” Novalise sat up, bracing herself with both hands in the grass. “This is absurd.”
“I know it sounds ridiculous, but I need you to trust me.” He covered one of her hands with his own. She didn’t pull away, but her expression morphed from one of adoration into something else altogether. Something his rational mind couldn’t explain. “Your mother knows the truth of your magic, about the starstorm. But have you ever wondered why she’s made you keep it a secret all these years? She manipulated your reading to keep you under her control.”
She yanked her hand from his hold.
Damn it, he was losing her.
“She’s using you, Novalise.” He hated the desperation in his voice, the way he was practically begging her to let him explain.
“No.” She shook her head sharply and stood, smoothing the layers of wrinkles from her damp gown.
“Where are you going?” Asher was on his feet a second later. “Novalise, I beg you. Please listen to me. I’m telling the truth.”
“No,” she repeated firmly, her gaze darkening to molten silver, swallowing the prisms of rainbows. “Whatever information you’ve received is false. My mother wouldneverlie about my star reading.”
“I’m not saying she lied. She just misinterpreted it.” He reached out to grab her, but she dodged him, avoiding his grasp. “On purpose.”
Novalise laughed, but it was harsh. Grating. “I don’t believe this.”
Her lips pressed together in a hard line.
“Why else would she agree to wed you off to the Prince of Brackroth if for no other reason than to keep you under her watch? Prince Aspen and Prince Drake are working together, Nova.” Asher crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to back down. “They’re going to dethrone Queen Elowyn, and they’re going to use you to do it.”
“Enough!” she cried. Starfire burst from her in an explosion of deep purple and sapphire streaks, illuminating her from within, surrounding her like a raging halo.
Asher staggered back, stunned.
There was no storm in the sky tonight.
She flung her arms out to the side as magic poured from her. Power roared inside of him, clawing for release, flames of black and silver longing to dance with the stars that taunted them.
Novalise glared up at him, her face flush with anger. “I will hear no more of this.”
He took a tentative step forward. “If you would just listen?—”
“I have listened to everyone else the whole of my life, Asher Firebane.” She paced the bank of the water’s edge, then whirled around to face him. “Do not be like the rest of them, do not try to silence me.”
“Damn it, Novalise! I would never try to silence you. Your voice is a balm to my soul, I would die a thousand deaths before ever forcing you to bend to my will.” Her cold exterior wavered beneath his words, and something akin to trust haunted the planes of her pretty face, but it wouldn’t be enough to change her mind. “I’m only asking you to consider?—”
“To consider what?” she countered, an array of starfire cascading around her. “That everything I’ve ever known is a lie? That my mother is staging a coup?”
Why must she be so infuriating?
He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, willing himself to remain calm, to undermine the mounting frustration bubbling to boil. He sucked in a sharp breath and lowered his voice. “I told you this would be difficult to hear, Nova. I know it sounds impossible, but I wouldn’t even have brought it up if I didn’t think you were in danger. I want nothing more than to protect you, to keep you safe. The stars may never lie, but your mother can.”
Again, he reached for her, but she smacked at his arm, pulling away.
“No. Don’t you dare.” Her chest heaved as she backed away from him. All the love, all the desire she felt for him evaporated. The bond trembled violently. “Do you realize what you’re saying is treasonous? My mother is a lady of House Celestine, a High Councilor to Queen Elowyn, and here you are making these terrible accusations that she’s somehow colluding with the prince? Fates divine, Asher, are you even listening to yourself?”
He threw his arms out, flames erupting from his open palms and scorching the earth at their feet. “Tell me then, what reason would your brother have to lie to me?”
Novalise’s mouth fell open. Her starfire raged, spitting at him. “Which brother?”
“Solarius!” he shouted, incensed by her lack of understanding. “Who else, Nova? The only one of your brothers who actually gives a damn about your wellbeing. The same one who knows we’re mates, who told me I should marry you, who isn’t blind to the fact that the last person his sister should ever be betrothed to is a fucking assassin!”
