“She’ll ignite them before the night is over,” he replied.
“Good.”
Lunelle scanned the crowd as Astra stepped forward and began to speak, her voice a steel blade as it cut through the speculation—steady.
Certain.
She felt the same assuredness flow through her veins as her sister informed the court they were no longer—that they would be the first to fall to the Nova Rebellion and become a refuge for the community. That anyone who did not align with their plans was welcome to get the fuck out. She watched as Astra melted her crown over the pristine moonstone balcony, staining it forever with a golden tattoo that would tell generations the exact spot the Lunar Court turned itself over into the hands of her people.
“I promised Luxuros I would bring Astra to him,” Mirquios said as he closed a hand around her hip and gave it two squeezes.
Lunelle leaned back into him. “You deserve to see their faces. Stay for one more moment.”
He pressed his lips to her cheek as the Ellumian High Priestess’s sneer cracked, her voice shaking as she challenged Astra’s declaration.
“One more moment.”
Epilogue
“State your business,” the guard said, his pale blue skin reflecting the sky below.
“I have an appointment with the queen.” Lunelle pulled at her sleeve, waiting as he confirmed with the queen’s officer that Yallara did, indeed, have an appointment with the Queen of Mercury that afternoon.
“Him too?” The guard pointed at Mirquios, hovering behind her.
“I’ve business in the city.”
He sighed, scribbling their names across a ledger and waving them on.
“I’ll meet you at the cliffs?” Mirquios asked as Lunelle lingered at the edge of the palace hall.
“Hour, two tops,” she replied, squeezing his hand. He began his path through the city to the Novas’ newest meeting space.
Lunelle watched as he disappeared into the bustling streets.
She wandered her way through the sapphire halls, twisting and turning until she rounded the final corner to the library she’d spent so much time in over the Summer.
“Oh!”
Arcas was clearly just as surprised to see her as she was to stumble into him. He snapped his book closed and rose, his eyes glancing past her into the hall.
“Mirquios is not here,” she said, her knees grazing the coffee table between them.
“No,” he confirmed. “He shouldn’t be, anyway. We’re to meet at The Pith. I lost track of time.”
“You look well, Arcas,” Lunelle said, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.
He leaned over the table, dropping those sapphire eyes to hers.
“Come now, starling, you know it’s much more fun to hurt my feelings than inflate them.”
Lunelle laughed. “I wouldn’tdareinsult a Nova officer.”
Arcas stepped around the table and reached for her hand. He held the ring up to the shimmering sunlight, the aventurine dancing in the golden hues.
“It is a lovely stone,” he murmured. “It does not sing, however.”
Lunelle’s eyes rolled as she pulled on the chain around her neck, the sapphire and stibnite ring he’d given her absorbing the light of the room.
