Mirquios pushed her forward, unwilling to let go of her, but desperate to get to his friend.
“Brother,” Mirquios said, stepping into the courtyard.
Lunelle reached for her sister’s hand—her poor, singed fingertips warm with angry heat, fighting so hard to keep it all in. Astra’s eyes caught hers and it was as if she truly saw her younger sister for the first time.
Lunelle cleared her throat.
“Well. This is certainly more complicated.” Her eyes fell on Luxuros’s hand, holding onto Astra’s arm for dear life. She knew, of course, that he loved her. She’d told him as much to his face. She was not sure ifheknew just how deeply he’d fallen, but in the desperate grab for her, it was there. Pure devotion. “Much more complicated.”
Astra shook off her stupor, pushing her shoulders back as she announced to them, “We need a new plan. A good one.”
“I’ll get coffee,” Ameera said.
“The Solar heir,” Lunelle whispered to herself, eyeing the commander once more. She should have seen it. There was something in the air of him, something that can only be bred by years of slapped wrists and sharp instruction. Something her sister had shirked at every chance. She smiled as she squeezed Astra’s hand. “I suppose you’ve always had a flair for the dramatic, sister.”
Astra gave a shallow laugh, but it did nothing to soften her fiery gaze.
“We’ll meet you in the Andromeda wing in a moment,” she said.
Mirquios gave a final pat to Luxuros’s shoulder and looped his hand through Lunelle’s. There was no sense in pretending at this point—Selenia had blown the court wide open with gossip much more intriguing.
They beatAmeera to the library, folding in on themselves on the sofas tucked in the back.
Mirquios broke the silence first with a startled laugh.
“This is not funny,” Lunelle admonished him.
The king shook his head. “No! It is not. I just… I stand a decent chance at losing a second Lunar princess to my best friend now.”
Lunelle winced. “You’re terrible!”
“Yet you love me still,” he whispered.
“I do,” she exhaled, fiddling with the stars on her dress as her cheeks flushed with a pale pink. “Luxuros told me of the news from Yallara.”
Mirq’s head tilted. “Yes, what do you make of that?”
“I do not know what to make of anything,” she said. “Arcas gave no indication that he was of changing his mind the last time we—Isaw him.”
Mirquios leaned closer to her, pressing his lips against her bare shoulder.
“You do not have to censor yourself for me, love. When did you… speak with him?” He winked at her.
“Not since Astra struck her deal with Selenia. But surely he would have told me if anything had changed. He would have wanted me to know.”
Mirquios trailed over her shoulder and over her neck.
“Perhaps you were such an inspiringconversationalistthat he could not help but make some different decisions.”
She looked at him, his bright eyes sparkling against her pale skin.
He enjoyed this. Helikedthe control she had over Arcas just as much as she did.
Lunelle leaned into him, resting her hand on his thigh.
“Idogive a good speech,” she whispered.
“A very motivational leader,” Mirquois sighed as her fingers crawled up his leg.
