Lanterns floated up into the night sky around them, splattering the black velvet with glowing spots, dancing gently on the breeze. Music started again, this time slower, pensive, a soft rise and fall of notes that gripped Astra’s heart.
“Can I get a light?” Lux’s eyes dropped to her fingers.
“Only if you tell me what you’re wishing for,” she laughed, a considerable effort given how tight her throat was as it filled with questions she dared not ask herself.
Loleena’s head whipped around, preoccupied with her own lantern but always listening. “Don’t tell her! The wish should be a sacred secret between your soul and the ones that came before you.”
“Well damn,” Lux chuckled. “I would have told you, but it’s against the rules.” She swatted at his arm, sending a tiny stream of fire, or rather sunlight, to her fingertip. She touched the candle inside softly and it sparked to life, washing Lux in a soft glow.
He held up her lantern as she lit the candle, passing it back as they turned to look over the trees, hundreds of lanterns taking off from the whispering branches.
Lux sent his skyward and her mind turned toward the last wish she requested from the gods, standing ankle-deep in the sea with Mirquios. She thought she’d wanted him—needed him—to accomplish what she dreamed of.
But the gods did not agree. This time, as she pushed the lantern into the plume of lights, she did not make a wish.
She asked a question.
What do you want from me?
“A million wishes,” Lux said beside her, resting his arms against the banister as sparkling lights arose around them. “What do you think your chances are?”
“Slim,” she laughed. “But not none.”
Lux’s eyes settled on her face as she watched another wave of lanterns bubble up over their heads.
“That sounds about right,” he agreed.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
“I believe I have something of yours, Commander.”
Ehlaria motioned for them to follow her, weaving through the crowd of wobbling dancers and into her mighty oak home. Astra’s feet hurt from hours of dancing and drinking. Her head swam in a hazy mist of Elven wine.
She’d never made it this high into Ehlaria’s retreat before, the opulent home carved into the center of an impossibly large tree. The hollowed home buzzed with elves, who were drinking, eating, and tangling themselves up with one another.
Astra did her best not to absorb the rising clouds of petal-pink lust and desire. She had enough nerves of her own to contend with. Ehlaria pointed to a deep blue velvet cloth hanging over a round object on a console table.
Astra knew what it was immediately.
“You were the Solarian spying on me?” She turned, the fire in her—no, the sunlight—bubbled to her fingertips.
Lux held up his hands. “I used the looking glass to locate you, that’s true, but?—”
Ehlaria clucked her tongue. “Not here, you two.” She glanced around at the dozens of eyes trying not to stare.
They followed her up the spiral stairs and passed two more floors before she veered off the landing and into a hallway, pushing a tall door inward.
“You can stay here tonight. Discuss whatever you need to, but please, no blood on the rugs.”
“We can’t share—” Astra protested, but Ehlaria cut her off.
“You two have wasted enough time. All of our time,” she sighed. “Figure it out. And Commander,” she said, the tone cutting. “Thank you for letting me borrow your toy. We’re paid up.”
She shut the door behind her, shaking her head the whole way out.
Astra surveyed the room—small, but cozy, exactly what she pictured a guest room in the Queen of the Lunar Elves’ home to look like. Curved shelves lined the walls, boasting books and crystals and potions of gods only knew what.
