Page 206 of Fallen Stars
“Lias.”
The Star and titan continued to dance and sing.
“My brother?” Merissa gasped.
Eli nodded grimly. Sagitton’s charm must have been strong tonight to be affecting aStarlike that.
Merissa’s face went white with fury, but then froze as her eyes caught on something. “Oh. My. Gods,” she whispered, a hand to her mouth as her other hand pointed ahead.
Eli turned, following as he saw what she was horrified by. Even Enzo let out a laugh despite his clear worry.
Because before them, near naked and gyrating on a woman, was Leo.
Adrian and Lias continued to sing and clap as the commander wound around the seated woman, sinking low before moving his hips over her, pushing his crotch into hers.
“That’s not a woman,” Eli chuckled. “It’s a statue.”
The three watched, transfixed by the scene, before Merissa gasped again.
“Isra!?” she called out.
“Shit,” Enzo growled, taking his attention off the commander lap dancing a statue to see Isra slumped by the temple doors.
“Fucking idiots,” Eli muttered, running over to her with the others. Adrian was still in a stupor, Leo in his own world.
“Lias,” Eli barked.
“Eliiii,” the angel crooned back. “Wait…sister?”
Merissa gave a sardonic smile. “So nice to see you being as useless as ever, brother.”
Seeing his sister seemed to sober something in Lias, the purple that had been flashing through his eyes clearing. They roved over Merissa, something in them that Eli couldn’t read. “Merissa, I felt something. In your love line. I was coming to find you—”
“Save it,” Merissa snapped. “Another taunt that I’m stillcursed?” She turned back around to where Isra lay, shaking her.
“Isra?” she shouted, her voice high.
Lias went to say something else when Eli felt it.
He stood slowly as Enzo and Merissa continued to crouch over Isra’s body, trying to wake her, Lias leaning against the temple wall, still scrutinising his sister.
“The dark never forgets. A grey eye for a grey eye, blood and sisters and sisters and blood,” Isra croaked behind Enzo, and he cursed, taking off his lionskin to wrap around her.
Eli turned slowly away from the temple as one by one, each lamp extinguished, a curling, black fog seeping through.
“Lorenzo,” Eli said calmly, taking a step back. “Get Adrian and Leo.Now.”
The Sun didn’t need telling twice, his eyes widening as he saw the approaching fog before he sprinted up the stone steps to Leo.
“Enzooooo,” his friend said dreamily, slinging an arm around him. Enzo gritted his teeth, hauling him down as Eli took steady steps backwards toward the door.
He crouched, eyes still on the darkness as he took Isra and slung her over his shoulder then grabbed Merissa’s hand.
“To the doors,” he murmured to Lias.
“But Sagitton—” Merissa whispered.
“Is a safer fate than this,” Eli bit.