“I know how to control it, but you may not.” I settled intohis arms, and we looked up at the twinkling starlight overhead.
“I want to help.” My throat constricted. I didn’t know what the ritual would awaken in me, but I trusted him to keep me balanced.
The usual glow of candlelight was absent throughout the Heart. The lanterns on the water were extinguished—only the moon, and the stars, cast their glow tonight.
“Tonight is the one night a year when the stars assemble to bless the land with their light. We ask the stars for guidance—for restoration.” His words grounded me. “I carry the weight of the stars with you, beside you.”
He placed a massive, clear crystal in my palms. My hands gripped the uneven edges protruding from the stone.
“Speak with the stars like you do with the land, direct your energy toward them. They will cast their light into the crystal,” he whispered to me. “I’ll be with you the entire time.”
Threads of light danced through the celestial heavens. Energy rampantly shot between the stars until a pool of light formed. A streak of silver light rained down on us, splitting only as it reached our crystals. A fierce vibration ran through my icy veins, shattering any calm that remained.
The crystals illuminated blazing white starlight. Once prevalent outlines of the world around us faded, casting a hazy glow until all I could see was him. An unsettling calm washed over me even as my heart raced on, thundering in my ears.
Then the crystal compelled me to be what it needed. The building energy released, and refracting light shot into the ground.
Even from a distance, I could see each blade of grass illuminated and thickened, plump with the stars’ energy. The starlight rolled through a trickling path that poured into the stream. The water glowed, welcoming its power. It embracedthe trees, willing them to stand taller, strengthening everything in its path.
Cascading light escaped the courtyard entirely until only its glittering traces remained. The overpowering scent of every blade of grass, flower, and tree filled me. Its lingering energy was a hum in my veins—pulsing, pulling something to the surface inside of me.
Twinkling light from the crystals danced on the balcony, a display only for us. Starlight glittered in his tantalizing gaze. A powerful heat that surged through me with his trailing touch—more intense than my magic.
He took me in, as if he was looking at me for the first time. “Aelira…” His hand gripped my jaw as he kissed me deeply. With a forced exhale, he pulled away. “We should get to the celebration.”
“I want to stay—here with you.” I spoke the words as if they weren’t mine. A heavy exhale escaped my lips.
“There is nothing I would like more, but we need to go. Everyone’s waiting.”
I trailed quietly behind him, watching every step he made through the castle. There were no echoing boots, or trailing voices—only the sound of our steps, only the sound of his uneven breath. The scent of him wafted to me—stronger than before.
“We should enter the courtyard separately.” He hovered over me, his eyes avoiding mine.
I reached for his hand before we parted. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“I wish I could share how incredible you are with everyone.” His voice wavered as he reached for my chin but pulled away. “I’ll see you out there.”
With his parting steps, an ache ran through me, as if something had pulled him from me permanently. The wall bracedme as my fingers trailed my lips, savoring our last kiss. I held still, even though Ineededto chase after him. When I couldn’t sense him any longer, I stepped out into the courtyard.
The light still lingered everywhere it touched. I wished it would never fade. The stars illuminated the Heart so that no other light was needed. The crowd looked on with widening eyes.
Cora walked over to me; she placed her hand on mine.
“Where have you been? You missed it.” Her eyes scanned the crowd. “At least you get to see it now. Just this once I wish I could see the ritual for myself, but Lioran always keeps it private.” Cora’s voice trailed off.
Lioran watched me from across the courtyard. He shimmered in the darkness, impossible to ignore, but only I took notice.
“The feeling of the starlight…it’s indescribable.” The words escaped me slow and uneven—my eyes couldn’t part from Lioran’s.
“Wait…You did it with him?” She slipped in front of me, blocking my view.
“It was magnificent.”
Her glare shifted from me to him.
He moved ever so slightly, coming back into view. “It was…wonderful.” I barely knew what I was saying.
Her fingernails dug into my wrist, pinching my skin. Cora tightened her grip on me. Her eyes peered into mine, studying me, but still I searched for him. “How could he possibly think that was a good idea?” She scoffed. “Let’s go for a walk. I’ve been wanting to introduce you to a friend of mine.”
