Page 145 of Heavenly Bodies
‘Isra,’ Enzo whispered hoarsely.
Idris chuckled. ‘The second vision was of a girl, just born, with a magick so dark she could survivedivinitas.A girl who would fall for the King of Stars, and it would kill them both. Two Starkillers. And it was spoken to me. If the King of Stars was killed, so the rest of the Stars would fall.’
‘What does this have to do with Mother?’ Enzo growled, though Elara said nothing, her mouth dry.
‘Because I have held a string of Elara’s fate as much as Piscea has. The seer who brought me the second vision was my wife.’
Elara’s heart turned to lead. ‘What did you just say?’
‘Lorenzo’s mother was one of the most powerful seers in Helios. And when she uttered the prophecy, divined by the Stars or some other fate, I sent her to you. The newborn princess of Asteria. I could hardly believe my luck. I ordered her to take you, to steal you away in the night immediately after your naming ceremony.’
‘No,’ Elara whispered. Enzo raised his head slowly.
‘Yes,’ Idris replied. ‘But it seems my soft-hearted wife had other ideas. To warn your parents of the prophecy, rather than adhere to her king’s command. It didn’t help her in the end. Your parents still killed her, just for knowing what she did.’
Nausea rippled through Elara.
The king spoke in a monotone, as though he had no attachment to the words he was saying.
‘A shame, really.’ He glanced over at her. ‘And so I lost you, your father making Asteria impenetrable, keeping you behind walls, though my men tried to find…ways to reach you.’
Elara’s hand twitched, a spew of shadows flying from them, though Idris only looked to them in amusement.
‘You sent that guard,’ she said hoarsely.
Enzo was fixed on Idris, utter fury writhing in his stare. Fire began to lick the light ropes that bound him.
Idris smiled. ‘One of my most trusted soldiers, and the moment he touched you he turned into a fanatic.’
Elara had always loathed Idris—before she had even met him. But as the king spoke, revealing his hand in every miserable moment in her life, she promised herself that if Enzo didn’t kill him, she would.
‘You’ve played your hand a little too early, Idris,’ she said, forcing her voice steady though barely restrained rage made her shake.
‘I tell you this so that you understand. That all you haveever been, since the day you were born, is a weapon. A weapon that I was destined to wield. You have become brash, disobeying orders, running to Asteria, seducing my son and following your silly littleheart.I hope now that you understand your place. Your life is in my hands.’
‘If Ariete couldn’t kill me, then I doubt you can,’ Elara drawled as she composed herself.
‘Perhaps not,’ he said. ‘But I can hurt you, until you stop resisting your destiny.’
Rays of light flew to Elara, but Enzo roared, flames hungrily devouring the light that kept him bound. He leapt in front of her. Fire rippled into a shield against his father’s magick.
‘Your mother’s son indeed, betraying your kingdom.’
The king’s voice had ascended into a roar, and he slammed light into Enzo, knocking him to the floor. Elara’s hands were already raised, but Enzo raised his own, stopping her.
‘You know what I said when Elara’s parents killed your precious mother?’
Idris crouched on his haunches before his son, lifting his chin. ‘ “Good.” It was what she deserved.’
Elara started to smell smoke. ‘Enzo,’ she said hoarsely.
Enzo’s eyes flicked to her—fire dancing in them, but pain, so much pain, threatening to suffocate those flames.
‘I killed my monster,’ she said. ‘It’s your turn now.’
Flames leapt from Enzo’s body, and Idris hissed as he was pushed back.
Enzo stood slowly, taking step by staggering step as more fire billowed from him, racing around the room.