Page 25 of Heavenly Bodies

The path narrowed as Elara was plunged into the centre of Sol.

A horse and cart zoomed by, nearly mowing her down, before Enzo plucked her back. Her shadows swirled inside her stomach. ‘See?’ He looked both ways before pulling her into a warren of cobbled streets. ‘I love Sol, but it’s mayhem. Watch out!’

Elara yelped as a man heaving a tray of oranges shouldered past.

They turned a corner and bright carnelian orange and saffron yellow flooded her vision, rows of market stalls lining the way ahead. Street hawkers noisily sold their wares, shoving hands in her face, tempting her to come to their storefront.

Exotic aromas washed over her as she walked past barrels spilling with spices. Frying onions and paprika, then the scent of fresh mint, rosemary and the enticing smell of baking bread. Her stomach growled, and she slowed.

With a sigh, Enzo followed her to the stall she’d halted at.

‘What do you want?’ he asked.

She peered at some delicious-looking herbed bread, with some cured meat upon it.

Enzo spoke to the woman, slipping her some coins, and handed Elara a square of it.

‘Thank you.’ Elara smiled to him, surprised.

‘If I knew that to get you to be agreeable all I had to do was buy you food, I would force-feed you all day.’

She chuckled against her will as she bit into the still-warm bread. It melted on her tongue, and she sighed as they walked, the salt dancing on her taste buds.

‘This place is like nowhere I’ve seen in Asteria,’ she said, as they passed a shop filled with blown glass in every colour of the Light.

‘Do you not have bazaars?’

‘We have markets, but nothing like this, no.’

They turned a corner, and the bazaar stretched on, stalls overflowing with jewels and silks.

‘So what’s Isra going to do?’ she asked, as they passed a stall of flowers. She absent-mindedly brushed a bunch of forget-me-nots.

‘She’s an oracle. She should be able to read exactly why you can’t access your shadows. Once we release them, the rest will be easy.’

Elara froze.

‘Get your silk!’ yelled a voice from nearby. ‘Finest silk in Celestia! Cerulean, magenta. You, pretty lady! Come and try my wares.’

‘Not interested,’ Enzo said flatly, walking onwards. He almost vanished into the crowd ahead until he glanced back and realized she’d stopped in her tracks.

‘Past, present and future readings for five argents a pop!’ yelled another voice. ‘Come to Madame Artemis’s now!’

Enzo strode back to her, frowning. ‘What are you doing?’

‘No,’ she said quietly.

Enzo looked exasperated. ‘What do you mean, no?’

‘I mean, no. I am not going to have a stranger look within me. And I’m sure as shit not going to have another prophecy told.No.’

‘Elara,’ he snapped, moving in front of her as a man carrying a sizzling plate of meat ran by. ‘Each day is another day Ariete gets closer to finding you. Each day is another day you are not sat upon your throne. And each day is another day the Stars continue to rule above us. You are our only weapon. And you need to be ready for Ariete.’

‘Can you just stop?’ she cried in exasperation. ‘I am sick of hearing it. I know that I am a weapon. I know that Ariete cannot kill me.’ She squeezed her eyes shut.

‘I won’t come,’ she said. ‘You’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming.’

Enzo folded his arms. ‘Challenge accepted.’