Page 21

Twenty-One Years Old

It had been weeks since Marlena had had a single moment to sit down, and it didn’t look like it would be slowing anytime soon.

She touched up her makeup in Vega’s bedroom, where her sister was sprawled on the bed.

“Do you ever wonder where the gods went when they died? Like, what ever happened to Pluto and the underworld? Do you think he got left behind on Earth or something?” Vega stared at the ceiling, her eyes watching the fan spin.

“Are you high?” she asked, avoiding making direct eye contact with herself in the mirror. It had been twelve years since she’d spent six days locked inside the room full of mirrors, but that time alone still haunted her.

“No, but I did start thinking about it last week after I tried unregulated ale from Fraus.”

Marlena popped her lips, evening her lipstick out. “You know if our parents catch you, you’re going to be in trouble. ”

Vega laughed and pushed herself up onto her elbows. “I’m nineteen. They can’t control my every move.”

Yes, they can. They are. They will.

“What are they gonna do? Kick me out? I’ll just come live with you.” None of Vega’s worries were real—none of her plans were forced on her. She’d been able to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted.

Marlena finally turned to look at her sister. “I mean, what is your plan? You can’t just dream about other worlds for the rest of your life. You need to find a purpose, something you can work towards.” So you don’t end up as nothing but a baby-making machine.

Vega curled her legs underneath her. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I don’t think I have a plan. I know I want to help people… those less fortunate than us. Maybe stop the resistance happening in the territories.”

Marlena really struggled to contain her own eye roll, but she did. “That’s very noble of you, Vega, but I don’t think you’re going to be able to have any say in that.”

Vega got that look on her face when she was ready to defend her point.

“I disagree. Bridger and I talk about it all the time. What he’s going to be able to do when he takes over as commander.

All the good he can bring. He wants to change the way the army is run, give people a home who have never felt wanted. ”

Somewhere deep in Marlena’s chest, there was a pang of guilt and a smidge of sadness for the world her sister dreamed of…

It wasn’t the world that would win in the end.

This wasn’t a fairytale.

This was the real world. One where the princesses didn’t get to keep their princes and no one lived happily ever after.

She wanted to be gentle with Vega, but she also wanted to prepare her for what was to come. “You know they’re never going to let you stay with him, right?”

Vega’s eyebrows scrunched. “What do you mean? ”

Sometimes the truth hurts. Her mother’s voice had been quieter these days, but the voice wasn’t gone—it had just turned into something else… something more that Marlena was fighting to keep out.

“He’s destined for a different path than you. Our parents know that. Everyone knows that. They’re not going to follow our parents if this resistance goes south.” And it would; it will.

Vega hadn’t moved from the bed, but her posture stiffened. “Why do you think it’s going to get bad? You’re going to be leading a territory soon. You get to be their voice, the one who stands up if things go bad.”

Naive.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Marlena couldn’t tell her about her alliances.

Not yet. There was still too much she needed to do, but she held out hope that when it all crumbled, her sister would pick her.

Marlena would finally let her in on the secrets she kept…

but not yet, not when their parents were still breathing down her neck, waiting for their chance to snatch her up.

“And he’s going to hurt you. His father has said so himself. He’ll get bored?—”

Vega jumped off the bed, a grumble leaving her chest that sounded like a mad jungle cat.

“Yeah, yeah, he’ll get bored of me. That’s what they all say!

That’s what everyone, every single person, is saying.

You don’t think I’ve heard the whispers when we’re together?

Heard the things his own parents have said when they don’t think I can hear them?

” She pointed at her chest. “I’m not the right one.

” Vega started listing off all the hurtful things she’d heard.

“Marlena would bring more opportunities to bridge the gap between territories. What does the little sister have to offer? The other Caelum girl is prettier.” Vega snatched a sweater off the back of a chair and stomped to the door.

“Do you think I don’t know that no one wants us together?

That everyone is aware that I was promised to someone well before I got the chance to make that decision for myself?

That I’m hurting my best friend in the process of this?

All because I fell in love… I know you think my problems are trivial co mpared to what you deal with, but they’re still my problems, my worries. ”

Vega opened the door to her room, ready to shut Marlena out. “I want to see a world where the Vegas and Bridgers can fall in love without anyone questioning if they’re worthy of each other.”

The door shut, leaving Marlena alone.

The fear of being alone was once something of the past, but the loneliness was sinking back in with bigger fangs this time.

You’re always going to be alone.

Part of Marlena’s deal was that she took Ivelle under her wing, showing her what being a proper lady was all about—a proper lady who could be married off to someone with money or an impressive ability—in the hope Ivelle could become a meek little housewife… the same they hoped for Vega.

Marlena hadn’t seen Vega since she’d stormed out of her room. Bridger and Khort were at the weekly meeting, and they hadn’t acted any different than they normally would have with Marlena—maybe Vega had stormed off to cool down.

Her fingers were crossed this would all blow over; no need to fix what wasn’t broken.

Marlena exited the meeting room as soon as it was over, followed by Bridger and Khort. Ivelle sat slumped in a chair in the waiting area, the most childish pout creasing her usually pretty face. “You’ve got to be sick of acting this way.” Marlena crossed her arms, popping a hip.

Ivelle, as to be expected, stood up and stomped off down the hall like a fucking toddler.

Marlena sighed, throwing her head back to stare at the ceiling while she took another deep breath before righting herself and following the boys down the hallway.

“She needs a tranquilizer,” Bridger joked, watching Ivelle disappear from sight. “Khort, got anything back home that’ll calm her down?”

Khort’s laugh was sarcastic, but it was nice to see him opening up to Bridger a little more lately—it wasn’t his fault he’d won Vega’s heart.

Khort turned and walked backwards because he knew the halls of the Aeris home like they were his own.

“You staying here tonight?” he asked Marlena.

“Since Bridger is here, we figured we’d get some late-night training in. ”

“No, I think it’s time I get Ivelle home before she blows this whole place up with her disdain.”

Bridger paused at the stairs. “What’s her problem?” He rested his hand on the banister.

Marlena waved off the question. “Everything is her problem.”

The sound of footsteps echoed up the staircase, and before she saw them, she knew who it would be.

Vega and Arlet met them at the top, and Marlena’s eyes only stayed on her sister for a moment before they caught Arlet’s. Vega was too busy giving Bridger a hello kiss, and Khort was too busy pretending he wasn’t crawling out of his skin, to notice the smile Arlet saved just for Marlena.

She sees me.

They were still meeting in private when they could, but it had been almost a week and Marlena was craving her touch.

“Headed out?” Vega asked, not doing a great job hiding her aggravation.

Bridger honed in on it immediately, his eyes bouncing between the sisters. He didn’t say anything, but he was watching, waiting for Marlena’s response.

“Yes” was all Marlena could muster up. If Vega wanted to tell her friends they were fighting, she could do it herself. Marlena had other things to worry about.

Arlet leaned against the banister, a few steps down. Marlena stood at the railing, able to see her clearly. “Why don’t you stay?”

Fuck.

Marlena had to look away. Arlet had those please fuck me eyes and there was no way she could say no if she kept staring at her like that. “Not tonight.” She squeezed past Bridger and Vega at the top step. “Babysitting my bratty cousin is a full-time job, apparently.”

The stairwell led to the kitchen, allowing access to the help when the meeting room turned into a dining room during late-night councils.

Marlena might have intentionally walked a little closer than she needed to Arlet, their hands brushing as Marlena continued to descend the stairs.

Her skin tingled where Arlet had touched, and her mind was lost in it until she was alone in the long hallway leading to the kitchen, where she could focus on other things besides Arlet’s feverous touch.

“Ivelle, why must you make everything so difficult?” The Aeris home was large, with many rooms Ivelle could have slipped into, unnoticed.

Marlena searched the first few rooms off the long hallway, and to her dismay, Ivelle wasn’t in any of them. The next room went into the wine cellar. I should take a couple bottles home… might make it easier to deal with her.