Page 103 of Heavenly Bodies

‘Well,’ she said, clearing her throat as her cheeks flushed.‘It produced the duskglass for us, so I would hardly complain.’

Enzo’s lip quirked then. ‘Yes, I’d hardly say you were complaining at all.’

She hit his arm. ‘About Aphrodea…’

‘El, you really don’t have to go. You’ve been through enough,’ he said behind her.

Elara rolled her eyes. ‘Who’s going to believe a rumour without living proof? Any courtier with sense would see it as nothing more than baseless hearsay unless I’m there.’

Enzo looked amused as he caught up to her, veering them the opposite way to the studio.

‘What are you smirking at?’

‘Nothing.’ He shrugged. ‘This wouldn’t have anything to do with what Isra said, would it?’

Elara stopped short, and Enzo bumped into her. ‘And pray tell, whatisit about what Isra said that would motivate me?’

Enzo’s smile deepened as he pulled her to a food cart, motioning to the man behind it.

‘Let’s not make a fool of either of us by spelling it out, princess.’

He tossed a few coins to the seller, clutching the paperbound goods in his hand.

‘Where are we going?’ Elara demanded as he steered her by the small of her back down a line of brightly coloured houses, the hill declining sharply.

‘To cool off. It’s sweltering today.’

Elara frowned, peering down the long hill.

‘And anyway,’ he added, ‘don’t change the subject.’

‘I’m not,’ she scowled, and became lost in her thoughts as they walked down the hill. It wasn’t that she was in denial. She was simplywary.As much as things had changed between her and Enzo, as much as she cared for him…that uglyprophecy rang through her head. She could not let herself fall in love. Not when she knew she was destined for a Star. But she couldn’t deny the feelings that had been growing, nor the physical need that had started to consume her whenever she was in his presence.

They reached the bottom of the hill, and she was jolted out of her thoughts.

‘So…’ Enzo said, plucking a peach from the paper bag. ‘You’d be completely fine with me surrounded by Aphrodean women, all possessed by Torra’s charm at its absolute peak on the summer solstice?’

Elara’s eyes narrowed.

‘Or are you forgetting what only a fraction of her charm did to you in Asteria?’

‘And what it did to you too,’ she fired back. Images of them both in the carriage filtered through, the ones that kept her awake at night, hot and wanting. ‘I don’t understand why I wouldn’t be fine. Do as you please.’

Enzo took a bite of his peach, shit-eating grin still upon his face as they came to a halt.

The conversation was flung from her thoughts once she realized where he had taken her. She stumbled down the verge, ripping her sandals off, spongy sea grass making way for powdered white sand. She flexed her toes in it, sighing, her white cotton dress ruffling in the gentle breeze. They’d reached a secluded cove, just a small stretch of sand and crystal-clear water, brighter than any she had ever seen. She turned to him.

‘I know the ocean calms you,’ he said.

Elara lay down in the sand with a contented sigh. Enzo sank next to her, propping himself up on his elbows.

‘Going back to what we were discussing…’

‘Enzo,’ Elara groaned.

‘I want to hear you say it.’

‘Say what?’ she snapped.