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Lunelle grinned. “I know you think me soft and perfectly groomed by Mother, but I have my secrets. The Plutonian Rebels contacted me for a meeting when we arrived. I’d heard rumors of their rise in council sessions. I followed Mirquios to their base.”

Mirquios added, “She forced me to bind her into the rebellion. When our palms touched…”

He couldn’t fight the grin that spread over his lips. An emerald thread of jealousy tugged at Astra’s lungs, and for once, she was grateful to have such an isolating ability.

“Between running into one other at The Underground and the Tether, we were both overwhelmed. We decided to deal with it when we returned, but then we were there for so long. We became good friends. But nothing more for your sake.”

Lunelle and Mirquios exchanged a heated glance, unable to stop the maroon shades within their chests.

“No need for details,” Astra insisted, shoving down the dreams that sent a rush of blood to her cheeks.

“Lu made me swear I’d tell you before getting you involved in any Rebel activity, but when Lux informed me of your run-in with the Lunarian Novas, I may have skirted that rule.”

“I also made him promise not to let you into the Rift.” Lunelle rolled her eyes.

“That wasn’t my doing,” Mirquios chuckled. “The commander insisted.”

She turned to Lux. “You?”

He did not respond.

Mirquios glanced between them. Astra wondered what he thought he knew—what Lux had told him. “He wanted you to see the Sun, in case you didn’t get the chance depending on what happens next.”

Astra fought tears that burned at the back of her throat and the urge to throw herself across the low table between them and embrace him. Instead, she drew in a shaky breath and forced out the question, “What does happen next?”

“I’m not sure,” Lunelle sighed. “I was hoping we could figure it out together.”

“I have another question,” she said, drawing both Lunelle and Mirquios’s attention. “When did my prim and proper older sister get so interesting?”

Lunelle threw her head back in laughter.

“I’ve always admired your spirit and ideas, sister,” she insisted.

“I’m just more willing to play the part than you ever were.

I knew someday I’d sit on the throne and be able to enact the changes we hoped for, but patience has never been a virtue of the Fire Queen. ”

Astra considered this. Lunelle was never not on her side, that was true. She just had so little freedom compared to Astra, and she was on a short leash as it was.

“I think I need a second to get my head around all of this,” she admitted.

“I’d actually like a word with the king here, anyway,” Lunelle said. “I met with Mother again last night before bed. We need to talk about my trial.”

Her eyes softened as Mirquios pressed his lips into a tight line, the pain there evident to anyone, not just Astra. As she brushed past them, Mirquios caught her arm.

“If you’d like to see the palace, Luxuros can give you a tour. We’ll meet you at the gate in an hour.”

“Of course.” She tried to hide the disappointment on her face, all too aware that Lux wouldn’t make the trip back with them.

“My heart broke.” He lowered his head, hanging before her. “I was ready to conquer the world with you. Never doubt that.”

Astra patted his shoulder. “Do not mourn for me. It seems we’ll be conquering the world alongside each other, anyway.

I’ll make sure of it.” She squeezed Lunelle’s hand, putting on her bravest face as she strode beyond the table and through the door, taking the stairs two at a time, focused only on getting back to the Sun.

She needed to feel that warmth on her skin again, one more time, for fear that it might be her last chance.

* * *

“You haven’t said a word in thirty minutes.”

Lux stood against the sandy wall of the Mercurian palace behind her. He’d brought Astra to a tower that overlooked the city so she could marvel at the early morning light until they had to go.

She stood against the balcony rail, the city shaking to life below, dozens of people strolling along the golden streets in a soothing array of pastels.

“I never thought I’d say this, but your silence is insufferable.”

She spoke without turning, afraid to peel her eyes from the life below, like it might be a mirage that disappeared if she looked away.

“Have you changed your mind about anything? Now that you aren’t betraying your king?”

He swallowed. “I have not.”

“Then what is there to say, Commander?”

He stepped forward and then thought better of it.

The Tether in her chest spun with the back and forth.

Another breath and he fell forward again, hovering behind her as she leaned over the railing.

She followed a little girl skipping along the street, a gauzy pink scarf wrapped around her hair floating in the gentle breeze.

“I’ll be fine,” she sighed as pity filled his eyes. “I’ll forge ahead with my plans, either in Celene or Lunaria. Perhaps the Martian Prince has an opening.”

Lux scoffed. “Governess seems like a step back, no?”

Astra glared. “I’d rather that than be stuck watching the rebellion from afar.”

“With Lunelle in place on the throne, I imagine the Lunar Court will have a much different role now. They’ll need you.”

Two thrones flashed in her mind, sending a chill down her spine. She glanced at him, the fear she’d ignored for weeks now returning to her chest.

“If she makes it.”

“What do you mean?”

She turned to him, leaning her back over the balcony rail, the metal pushing against her spine a sharp distraction from the pain in her chest. His eyes searched hers.

“I had a vision,” she whispered. “I was in a throne room, wearing her coronation gown… it felt ominous. Like a prophecy.”

“Show me.”

Her nose scrunched. “What?”

“Earlier, when we… when we were touching, you were able to see my memory, yes?”

She nodded.

“Try it the other way.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’ll have to open up those iron gates,” she sighed.

“Don’t pry,” Lux smirked, moving closer. The flood of feelings was as overwhelming as it was that morning.

“Fuck,” she gasped at the weight of it all.

“Sorry.” He rearranged boxes on shelves, making just enough room for her. Astra closed her eyes, conjuring up the vision as she’d seen it all those weeks ago, trying to place it in his mind.

“Do you see it?”

“No.” He squinted as if his eyesight prohibited him from seeing into her mind. His hand reached for hers, resting it on his face. Her fingers scraped along the harsh line of his jaw and his muscles flexed beneath her touch.

“There,” he said.

Astra stepped forward in the room, the glow of the Sun and Moon washing her in golden waves and silver swirls as she approached the throne on the right. She let him feel the call of it, the siren song that pulled her in and made her want to fall further into herself.

The strange twin to the Lunar Throne beside it was now clearly a Solar Throne—the same runes from his cuffs were emblazoned on the back of the gilded crystal arch.

She dropped her gaze, showing him the Lunarian coronation robes around her feet, moons embroidered along the hem.

When she glanced back up, running her fingers along the arm of the Lunar Throne, he pulled away from her.

Lux shook his head. “Was that the Court Above?”

“I don’t know,” she said, confused. “It might not even be a real place, it could be symbolic for all I know.”

“The music you heard, the call to the throne, it was Solarian.”

“What music?”

“You didn’t hear it?”

“I felt something like music, but not clearly.”

Lux cupped her chin in his hands, enveloping her easily in his grip.

“Who are you, Astra Aurellis?”

“Who are you is the better question, isn’t it? What secrets are hiding within you?”

They stared at each other, frozen in the golden glow of the morning light, unable to detach, unable to move forward.

“The looking glass. Does it sing, as well?”

“Yes,” he whispered. “You heard it?”

“Barely. Just a distant buzzing, but it’s like I knew it was singing.”

“Fascinating.” His fingers lingered against her skin, burning his fingerprints into her face, marking Astra as his whether he meant to or not.

Where are you? We should get back , Lunelle’s crisp voice bounced in the halls of her mind, making her jump back from his touch.

“They’re waiting for us,” she said. “For me,” she corrected.

Lux cleared his throat.

“I’ll escort you back. Wouldn’t want you grabbing the wrong thread and throwing your ass into enemy territory,” he explained.

“It’s no longer your job to worry about my ass, Commander.”