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Chapter Forty-Five

“A lastair,” Astra gasped.

“It’s fine,” he assured her, pulling her forward through the frozen crowd. Their faces fell into various shades of confusion and stress. Scarlet tensions fluttered off their heartbeats, collectively throwing her into a spiral.

Are you okay? Ameera beamed, she stood against the hedges, an ashen weight on her chest.

Confused, but okay. Why is Alastair here? What happened?

Ameera tilted her head toward the center of the gardens where Oestera’s throne was now occupied by Selenia. Her mother stood dutifully beside the Ascended goddess, shoulders back.

Selenia showed up shortly after you left.

Where are Lunelle and Mirquios?

They haven’t made it back yet , Ameera said, confusion settling over her face.

They left when I did. That’s not possible!

Lunelle’s words echoed in Astra’s mind—Oestera had told her to wait.

Her fear was showing. She knew it. She pictured herself sitting on the edge of the canyon in her father’s painting, her feet dangling over the edge, a bronze hand on her knee. The court’s inner voices slowed, the emotions running low enough for her to adjust, for her anxiety to level out.

“My darling Astra,” Selenia sang from her perch. “How was your Descent?”

Oestera and Nayson both watched their daughter, analyzing every line in her face. Every twitch of her lips.

She set her jaw, searching for a word to encapsulate what she hoped would be the wildest evening of her life. “Informative.”

Alastair left her before Selenia, fading into the crowd toward Lux if the pull on the Tether was a tell as he moved away. Behind her, three thuds and a soft gasp from the crowd announced the arrival of Lunelle, Mirquios, and Arcas.

“Oh, that is interesting,” Selenia grinned.

“Get him help,” Astra cried, gesturing to Mirquios, who collapsed as Lunelle lost her grip on him. Ameera darted from the crowd, several maidens trailing her with various bags and herbs. Lunelle kneeled beside him. Arcas hovered behind her, looking nearly ready to pass out himself.

“What happened?” Oestera asked, but Selenia held her hand up in what seemed to be a favorite maneuver of hers.

“I believe you have something of mine,” she said, her eyes fixed on her granddaughter. Astra nodded, reaching around her neck and freeing the clasp on the locket, letting it dangle between them. Selenia pursed her lips.

“I’ll admit, I’m impressed, Astra. I thought you’d end up in the Court Below permanently.”

“Take it,” she spat, tossing the locket onto the stone pavers between them. She stepped back, desperate to get to Lunelle, to make sure they were okay.

“Don’t scurry off now,” Selenia cackled. “You’ll miss all the fun.”

“I’m maxed out on fun for the day,” Astra argued.

Oestera’s eyebrow twitched.

“I hope you can find some capacity, my darling girl. It would be a shame for the Lunar Queen to miss her own coronation.”

A ring of whispers encircled Astra, eyes widening as the breath left her lungs.

“Wh—”

“You were the first Lunar Heir to return from the Court Below, no?”

Astra shook her head, no words forming on her lips. Her stomach dropped, and she thought for the second time that night she would vomit in front of everyone as she felt the Tether in her chest loosen, Lux moving closer through the crowd.

“And yes! There’s our first champion. Luxuros!”

“I did not—” She gasped for a breath. “I did not participate in the Shadow Ceremony!”

“You didn’t?” Selenia stood from the throne, her deep violet gown falling into a pool of night sky at her feet.

“Because I distinctly recall dear Alastair informing me you’d confronted the very worst of yourself in a dream.

The call to power you can’t give up. You touched the Lunar Throne, and yet you did not stay.

And this evening, surely you encountered the Nether Queen in your travels, yes? ”

Astra stared at her, a crimson flare pushing a breath into her lungs.

“If I know Luciela,” she said as she clicked her tongue. “She would have made you an offer you considered taking, hmm?”

Astra’s vision blurred.

“If you were a smarter woman, you would have taken it.”

Astra backed away from her, the blood in her ears soaring to new heights, the buzz from the panic swallowing her from the inside out. Not only her panic. Lunelle’s. Nayson’s. Lux’s. Every courtier who watched, slack-jawed.

It was too much.

“It’s all you’ve ever wanted, hmm? Power. Even in small doses. A curse of the spare, I’m afraid. But you resisted, both times, didn’t you? You know your Shadow, Astra Leona, and you wear her very well.”

Her eyes slid to Lux, his gaze frantic, unsure if they were running or staying.

“Lest I forget! Our Lunar King!” Selenia gestured for Lux to approach her as she reached for Astra’s hands, pulling them together. “What a pair you two make, don’t you think, Oestera?”

“It’s quite something,” Oestera relented, reaching for Nayson’s hand.

“I can’t wait to see you two at your coronation tomorrow evening.

You know, it’s a real shame your father isn’t here to see this, Luxuros.

I don’t suppose he’d handle the news well.

” Selenia leaned back against the throne, her sinister glare falling over them.

“What do you think, Nayson? You’re always so quiet. ”

“Do not drag him into this,” Oestera forced through clenched teeth.

Selenia rolled her eyes. “So much energy wasted on a mere man, Oestera.”

“I did as you asked, what more do you want?” Astra interjected, desperate to get away from Selenia.

“Ah, yes, my little Leona,” Selenia sighed, reaching for the locket. She dangled it before her face, faking a frown. “Shame she’ll never make it to the Court Above, Oestera. I know how much you miss your sister.”

Oestera’s blood boiled beneath her pale skin.

Selenia wrapped the locket around her neck.

“Be a dear and fasten that for me, Oestera.”

Mother took a singular breath and reached for Selenia’s neck, fastening the locket as her lips pressed into a tight line. Astra reached for her own mouth, finding the same expression.

“Now, Astra, you’re in quite the predicament here, hmm? We can go about this a few ways. You already used your favor for returning Leona to me, but I realize that such a big ask is worth a bit more.”

Selenia stood, her robes dragging behind her as she stepped toward them. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a dagger.

One Astra knew all too well.

“I’ll make you a deal,” she whispered, the courtiers leaning in.

“Luxuros here severs that godsdamned Tether between you, and I won’t tell Solan that the Lunar Court has been hiding his precious heir right under his nose, or the Court Above that another Lunar and Solar heir have Tethered. Keep it, and I tell them both.”

“You cannot do this,” Oestera started, but Selenia paid her no mind. She pushed the blade into Lux’s hands, who never took his eyes off Astra.

“Sever it, and no one has to know. Astra is a big girl, she’s strong enough to take it, aren’t you, darling? It’ll only hurt for a second.”

Astra glanced at her mother, her face frozen behind Selenia as Nayson pressed his palms into his thighs, his stomach twisting into knots.

“You’re lying,” Astra said, voice wavering. “She’s lying, Lux. It will kill one of us or both.”

I’m not touching that Tether, Astra.

Astra’s eyes searched his. There are ways around this. Your father doesn’t know the truth, he doesn’t know that Leona was innocent. We can still reach him.

“Ugh,” Selenia scoffed. “The silent pleading. I had so much hope in you, Astra, but here you are. Yet another pathetic Lunar woman on her knees for the enemy.” She drew in an irritated breath, turning to look Oestera dead in the eye. “I’ll have to do it myself, then.”

Selenia twisted and lunged forward, driving the dagger into the space between Astra and Lux.

A shocking pain ripped through Astra’s chest as Lux gasped against the pressure.

He reached for her as his knees hit the ground.

Astra’s fingers sparked to life, flames licking at the tips through the pain, sending licks of light flying toward Selenia who jumped back in shock.

“I always thought Fire Queen was just an annoying nickname,” she sighed. She moved forward again, but Lux reached for her ankles, yanking back on them and dragging her across the space between them and the throne.

“The dagger!” Nayson called out, lunging from his place beside Oestera.

He ducked as Selenia rolled to right herself, kicking at her hand as metal clamored against the pavement.

Astra’s ears throbbed, the pain in her chest still sending shockwaves through her body.

Selenia pushed herself back to a standing position as Lux crawled away, one hand pressed to his chest and the other reaching for the dagger as it skidded across the garden.

He shoved it into Nayson’s hands. Her father sprinted through the crowd, shoving courtiers away as he leaped onto the platform and into the Rift.

“That Earthen bastard!” Selenia ground out, spinning to face them again.

“You know, Astra, I’m the least of your worries.

They will never stop coming after you two if you don’t sever that tie.

Your court has enough on their plate with Solan’s war.

Do you really want to declare war on the gods Above? ”

Selenia stepped forward as Astra paced back.

“I’m not afraid of the Court Above,” Astra said.

We need to get that necklace back , she beamed to Lux. We need to destroy it. If she has no Shadow, she has no hope of ever Ascending again.

Lux rose slowly behind Selenia as she tracked toward Astra.

“You’re a child, Astra. You don’t know what to be afraid of.”