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“Am I allowed to ask you questions?” Luxuros leaned back, crossing one leg over his knee as he sipped the liquid fire.

“Am I allowed to ignore the ones I don’t like the answers to?”

“ I have questions first,” Cam said, slinking back into the study. She sat on the arm of Astra’s chair, plucking the glass from her hands and throwing the moonshine back before pouring another glass. “Namely, is this the king of yours I keep hearing so much about?”

Astra choked on a laugh, sitting straighter as she explained. “No, Cam, this is Luxuros, Commander to the king of Mercury. Luxuros, this is Cameren, one of the leaders here and, most days, one of my best friends.”

Cam rolled her eyes but draped an arm around Astra’s shoulders. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Luxuros. I assume those twin scars on your palms are Astra’s way of ensuring I didn’t have you arrested upon entry?”

Luxuros only nodded.

“Excellent.”

“The commander can be trusted,” Astra assured her. “He went with us to Ellume to investigate some strange happenings.”

“The rebels?” Cam asked.

“I—” Astra pouted. “Am I the only person in the court who didn’t know about the Novas?”

Cam shook her head. “No, of course not. But the commander’s cuff,” She pointed to the leather band around Luxuros’s wrist, emblazoned with runes Astra never did understand.

“I’ve seen them in documentation from the Venusian Court.

Daria came and had one tattooed on her arm a few months ago.

What the Nether did she do to Riverion, by the way? ”

Astra sighed. She’d nearly forgotten that she’d sent Riv back to Celene with an injury.

“Oh, you know me and Daria. We love a good quarrel. The rebels are the least of our worries,” Astra said, eager to move Cam off the topic.

“The Rift’s wards aren’t working. There are Solarians all over the Midwood, and likely in Lunaria. ”

“Solarians!” Cam sprang to her feet at the word. There were some fears so deeply woven into the fibers between muscle and tendon that one can’t help but jump at the mere mention.

“We know nothing concrete,” Astra assured her. “But yes, they’re in the court. There’s movement in the Outer Courts, as well. We have every reason to expect war, Cam.”

“Shit,” she whispered. “ Shit .”

“We can strategize in the morning, but I want Celene fully prepared for what’s ahead.”

Cam rested a hand on Astra’s shoulder. “Of course, As. We’ll assemble the council after breakfast. I’ll have something sent up here,” she said, glancing at Luxuros. “I assume you’re aware your presence here might be unsettling for some residents?”

The commander nodded. “I’ll stay out of the way.”

“Until morning, then,” Cam said, squeezing Astra’s shoulder one last time before dropping the glass in her hand to the table and heading back to the stairwell.

She left the door open—an invitation.

“Go,” Astra smiled. “Please.”

Ameera darted to the door and whispered, “See you tomorrow!” and disappeared.

The commander waited in silence as Astra’s face readjusted, the ambient energy in the room gone.

“How long were you here?”

She drew in a slow breath, letting the tingling feeling in her chest fade as she came back to herself for the first time in weeks. “Three years, give or take.”

“How did you find it?”

“‘Find’ is a generous term. I, uh, was exiled here by the queen herself after an incident.”

“A fiery one?” Luxuros raised an eyebrow.

She considered adopting his method of communication and merely nodding, but something about the commander’s interest in her begged the truth.

“There’s a village in the Midwood, not far from here.

Three years ago they suffered a strange illness.

The priestesses thought it might have come from another court.

They were dying at record numbers and needed help, but Oestera refused to send us.

She was too afraid Lunelle or I would get sick.

We had a bit of a blow-up.” Astra winced as she spoke, the memory sticking to her throat like tar.

“I’d battled the fire before, many times throughout the years, but I’d never hurt anyone.

I’d never burned so out of control. I barely caught her gown on fire, but it was enough. ”

Luxuros sucked in a sharp breath. “That’ll do it.”

“She was fine, but obviously, she couldn’t let it go without punishment. Really, it was the last thing on a long list of reasons she wanted to send me away.”

Luxuros pondered his next question long enough that she wondered if they were done conversing for the night. “How many Lunarian demigoddesses are gifted with fire magic, Astra?”

She held his stare. “Very, very few.”

“Leona?”

She nodded. “Leona.”

His face twisted with intrigue.

“I’m not particularly proud of it,” she said through another sip of moonshine, the warmth spreading through her chest. She rose and made her way to the balcony, letting the cool breeze wash away the heat on her cheeks.

He leaned against the rail beside her, watching the river flow quietly below. “If anyone can understand resenting what flows through your veins, it’s me.”

“Yeah, well, at least yours isn’t costing you much.”

The commander’s jaw clenched, an unrestrained slip of misery snaking through whatever failsafe he held so tightly. It was gone before she could get her mind around it.

“What’s over there?” he asked, pointing across the river.

A series of pools and waterfalls bubbled softly in the night, glowing in shades of blue and lavender under the Moon.

“Hot springs,” Astra mumbled, her bones aching for the soothing waters. “Actually, I could go for that right now.”

“You’re certain it’s safe for you here?”

Astra rolled her eyes. “Yes. Well, no. I’m uncertain of anything these days, Commander.”

He closed his eyes, wrestling with himself for a moment before sighing and gesturing to the door.

“I’m coming with you.”