Page 184 of Fallen Stars

Adrian had been played like a fool, used by the goddess who had convinced him she was someone else.

He looked at the tome in front of him. The book he’d swiped from Eli’s collection was one on ocean lore. Adrian had never heard of the book before, and Eli had smugly reminded him that it was because the books in his library were restricted—knowledge that only the Stars possessed—books that had been wiped out and stolen by the Stars when they fell to Celestia.

The reason why he was finally picking up a book? Because as the others had been visiting Piscea’s story, fixated on how to kill the darkness itself, Adrian wanted to know how to kill Scorpius.

The god had taken his freedom and his joy, his eye too, and was lying in his temple, likely with Cancia straddling him, thinking that he had emerged the victor.

Adrian ground his teeth, rubbing his eyes as he opened the book.

Elara turned from where she sat, quirking a brow at him.

“Yes, Elara. I’m reading a book,” he drawled. She laughed softly, turning back to her conversation with Enzo and Eli.

“Water is an ever living, ever unequalled force,” the text began. “It is utter softness and utter strength. One moment it can quench you, and the next it can drown you.”

Adrian felt an excited leap in his heart as he read about himself, what others long ago had said of the titan he once was. It helped, to read about how powerful he had been—more powerful than a conniving Star who currently had his heart in a chokehold.

“From Water, we receive the oceans and the rivers, lakes and rain. And he gifted us with drops of his own power, showing us how to create water with bare hands, how to move oceans and make rain fall. That is, until Scorpius.”

Adrian leaned forward then.

“The god quickly began to assume a role beneath the titan, learning and watching from him. Envy was a thing familiar to Scorpius, and thus he used his charm, that envy, to become a copy of the Water, to adopt as many skills as he could from the titan.”

Adrian scoffed, as smug as he was angry. Cancia had picked a poor imitation of Adrian for her consort, and here Scorpius was ruling over Adrian’s domain.

He slammed the book shut.

“How likely do you think that war will come, Eli? Whether it be Piscea or Ariete who brings it? How likely?” he asked, violence burning beneath his skin.

“War began to brew the moment Elara had her prophecy told,” Isra replied.

Adrian looked at her and jumped. The Seer’s eyes were white again, utterly blank as they stared at the wall in front of her.

Elara turned in surprise. “What did you just say?”

“You can’t escape it though you’ve tried so hard. When will you learn that fate will always win?”

Eli’s nostrils flared slightly as Isra continued to gaze at something that no one else could see before blinking and coming back into the room.

“What?” she said, looking around.

Adrian squeezed her arm gently. “You were channelling again.”

“Is this true?” Elara asked Eli.

Eli seemed to observe Isra a moment longer. “Yes,” he finally said. “I don’t see a peaceful resolution here. Either we put Piscea back to sleep, and Ariete continues to hunt you, or Piscea makes her way into this world and…” He paled. “Well, let’s just hope we stop her before it gets to that.”

“Speaking of Ariete, I’ve been thinking…” Isra said, closing her book. “Why do you need the witch to stop Piscea? Can’t you just do what you did the first time to bind Piscea once more?”

“Ariete would never help Elara and Lorenzo,” Eli said, shaking his head as he stood up and picked up one of the worn books from his shelf. “He now has a throne, one that Elara and Enzo contest. Perhaps he was more hellbent on killing you when he thought you were simply a mortal that symbolised the end to him, but as a titan, you are still as much his enemy.”

“Then where is he?” Merissa asked. She was chewing the inside of her cheek. “The bounty was placed on Elara and Enzo’s heads, but the last time I spoke to my mother, she said Ariete hadn’t returned to the heavens since his battle with Elara. So who exactly set the bounty? Who exactly is hunting us right now? Aquaria and Scorpius we know of, but…”

Eli pulled a book out, splaying it upon the table. “The Usurpers. They are who are hunting you.”

Adrian frowned, pacing over to the table. “Usurpers?”

Eli pointed to an illustrated diagram, one painstakingly drawn in intricate detail with deep blue and glittering ink.