Page 210 of Fallen Stars
Ophelia smirked. “A smidge of Ariete’s charm.” She waved her hand, and the anger seemed to leave Elara’s body, replaced by lust. It drifted off Ophelia, pink and swirling as it wrapped around her.
Elara rose, turning to Enzo and wrapping herself around him as she tried to kiss him. Enzo watched in alarm, halting her gently as she tried to leap on him.
“You know, Elara and I don’t need that charm,” he said icily, gripping Elara’s waist tightly as she scrabbled at him.
Ophelia only smiled before pinning her gaze on Eli. Those brown eyes flicked with ire as the pink starlight morphed, fog drifting off her in curls as the light became grey, tendrils stroking Eli.
He bared his teeth, his own charm snaking around the room, the familiar scent of raindrops and honeyed tobacco reaching Elara. But Ophelia only chuckled as she held his gaze.
“As impenetrable as I imagined. But one day, Eli, I will turn those walls to rubble.”
Eli laughed, the sound hollow. “What you have is but a drop of my power. You’re up against oceans, sweetheart. And as for threats, mine aren’t empty.”
Sagitton still hadn’t said anything, watching from his seat.
“Is this what you do now, Sag?” Eli asked. “Host impostors under your roof?”
“You don’t have the slightest idea who I am,” Ophelia snapped, standing.
“No, sweetheart. It’s you who hasn’t the slightest idea whoIam. You cannot fathom the power that I possess. I could make you scream without lifting a finger,” Eli said softly.
Ophelia’s arrogant smile fell.
“Make you beg, make you cry.”
He smirked, thrusting his hands into his pockets. Elara watched as Ophelia rose, her body shaking as she lost control of it. Another bout of Eli’s charm washed over the room, and Ophelia moved away from her chair, gritting her teeth against his magick. Eli cocked his head, as though he had nothing better to do. As though forcing her to do as he pleased waseasy.
One knee slammed to the ground, followed by the other as Ophelia fell to the floor.
“But for now,” Eli murmured, “I think I’ll just make you kneel.”
A chilling scrape at the door made them all still, Merissa gasping as the others cursed.
“Time’s running out,” Sagitton whispered hoarsely. “Enough games. Ophelia tell them what you told me.”
“Eli,” Elara hissed. “Enough.”
Ophelia’s lip curled into a snarl as Eli held her for a moment longer, a gleam in his eye, before finally she sagged, the Star walking away.
“Ophelia,” Enzo growled, a hand snaking around Elara’s waist. “Sagitton. One of you had better start speaking before I get far more creative than Eli with my punishments.”
“She’s here to help,” Sagitton said, finally breaking the silence between the two, his eyes wide. “To help banish the Dark. It will huff and puff and blow us all down.”
Elara’s eyes narrowed at Sagitton. “You’reon our side. What about Ariete?”
Sagitton snorted, slight lucidity coming to his face for a moment. “On your side is a little much. I haven’t spoken to Ariete since heabandonedus all months ago. He’s running, always running, and even the Ram can’t escape the Dark.”
“So what? You don’t want the depraved Dark to reinstate her rule? You gave her your heart. Don’t you want her awake?” Elara said.
“The Dark has taken much from me,” Sagitton replied, his eyes hollow. “I would rather kneel before the Moon than the night that surrounds her.”
Elara let out a deep breath, her head reeling. This was too much. Sagitton was one of the worst Stars; she had thought he’d feed off the darkness. She turned to Ophelia next.
“And you… How do I know your plan isn’t to wake her fully? To bring her through the veil tonight?”
Ophelia cocked her head. “You really think I would side with that sadistic bitch?” The Star tutted, studying her long, red nails. “You wound me, Elara.”
“It’s Majesty to you,” Enzo growled.