When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)

Annabelle Virgo

I lowered my head, trying to hide the blush of embarrassment tinted on my cheeks while Alec laughed at me from across the table.

“Oh, stop it!” I demanded.

“It’s fun to tease you,” he joked.

“Telling me that the first time we met was when I was an infant and you were six years old is not fun,” I pointed out.

“Teasing you is fun,” Alec insisted.

I groaned and pushed my cup away. Rasal hissed in my head.

I told you to stay in my room, I scolded.

I will not let you roam around unprotected with this beast, Rasal protested.

He curled up in a ball at my feet. Alec didn’t seem to be bothered by him.

“Did you know from the beginning that I’d be your betrothed?” I asked.

“No,” he answered instantaneously. “I was only eight years old when our parents made the deal,Father and Mother didn’t even mention it.”

I knew that when all the Ophiuchus were murdered Jaxon made a deal with my dad and vowed to give me to Alec in exchange for my life. I was two years old when that happened, Alec was eight but no doubt he realized that his life was already planned out much later.

“How are your classes going?” he asked after taking a sip of tea.

“They’re alright.” I answered. “I already know the Astrology of it all. History isn’t so bad. Granny is helping me memorize the family tree, that’s...interesting, not to mention Etiquette.”

“In other words, you hate it.”

“I don’t hate it,” I denied. “It’s just hard.”

“I can relate,” he said.

As I bit into my pastry and washed it down with some tea, Alec spoke, “Your snake is creeping me out. Half the time I’m afraid that he’s going to poison me.”

I huffed, “He can’t unless I want him to.”

“Yes, exactly.” he snapped. I was taken aback.

“Excuse me?” My eyes widened.

“Annabelle, you can’t blame me for thinking that about you.” He put down his cup.

“This coming from you?” I shot back. “You’re supporting your father’s lust for power and he’s murdering people for that. And you think I’m capable of...”

“It’s complicated!” he almost yelled.

“What is so complicated?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” he turned away.

I got to my feet.

“I need more time.” he muttered.

Come on, Rasal.

Finally! He sounded relieved.

Granny demanded every detail. She interrogated me until she was done playing the nice card.

“Annabelle, what happened this evening?” She balled her fists.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I crossed my arms. I skipped dinner and Granny’s blood pressure was getting high because of that.

“You’re ruining this for yourself.” Granny gasped, a hand over her chest.

“And you’re overreacting,” I pointed out.

“Don’t show me attitude, girl.” she sneered.

I rolled my eyes and got up too fast which was a bad idea. The room started spinning and my head felt heavy. The couch caught my fall.

“Are you alright?” Granny asked, and rasal hissed in my head simultaneously.

“I’m fine, just a little dizzy.” I mumbled. I looked up and saw that Granny had a ghost of a smile on her face.

“Have you been feeling nauseous lately?” she asked, concerned all of a sudden.

“No,” I answered.

“Have you been dizzy?”

“No,” I repeated, irritable.

“If this happens again you will schedule a doctor’s appointment.” Granny told. Underneath the strictness, I heard delight in her voice. “Understood?”

I wasn’t in the mood to argue so I nodded.

“Good,” she got up and left.

Thank Ophiuchus she’s gone!

I sighed. Rasal slithered up onto my lap.

My maids came in to help me get ready for bed. They wore name tags but I hadn’t paid much attention to them. The first one, she was short and skinny with her mouse brown hair cut in a bob. The second one, long dark hair plaited across her head, she had big blue eyes and she was the one who tried to make conversation with me but knew she wasn’t allowed to. They both dressed in white leggings, black shoes, a blue dress which started at their necks and fell to their wrists, covering up their Signs.

As they unbuttoned my gown I caught a glimpse of their name tags. One with the dark hair, Lizzy. Mouse brown hair, Mandy. That’s not hard to remember.

Lizzy gave me silky white pajamas and a sleeveless top with padding and lace. I wore a silver robe over that. Mandy unpinned my hair and brushed it out to the red waterfall it was.

“Get me that eye mask,” I told. Mandy opened the drawer of my dresser and pulled it out. I took it from her, giving her a small smile as a thank you.

They rubbed off the makeup and put in a dozen more things to remove it. I thought I’d never see my actual face again, since they painted it every single day.

“Princess, should we stay?” Lizzy asked.

“Incase you need something?” Mandy added. Their voices were sweet and high as if they were excited to talk.

“Yes, you may stay.” I allowed.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Lizzy curtsied and Mandy followed. They seated themselves on two chairs in front of the door, facing away from the living room area.

I covered my eyes and laid down my heavy head on the soft pillow.

Rasal, come up here.

He slithered out of his small bed next to mine and wrapped himself around me.

Milady, you aren’t well. He spoke in Latin and I understood, I can feel it.

I’m just exerted, I insisted. It felt absurd to have telepathy with a serpent, much less have him talk to me in Latin and Ancient Greek. Sometimes Arabic too. I understood and spoke all three languages. I was getting really good at Arabic, Rasal could speak English but he insisted that it was a simple and easy language with no challenge, so we didn’t really talk in English. He understood it though.

It’s much more than that, Rasal hissed with worry.

It’s those strenuous lessons, I decided.

We weren’t permitted to drink until eighteen. I had sipped champagne a few weeks before my eighteenth birthday but not a lot of people knew that I was still seventeen at the wedding. If they had known they wouldn’t have approved but Jaxon and Alec didn’t want to wait another second so they bent two rules for me.

“Don’t go overboard with the drinks, you’re still underage,” Alec had whispered at the dinner after the ceremony.

Granny had allowed three sips of champagne on each occasion. McKenna Scorpio and Gwen Leo had stared daggers at me when they saw me drinking. McKenna drank until she was nearly passed out. That wasn’t the first time it had happened to her, no doubt. Gwen had tried to steal a glass of red wine but her older brother wouldn’t allow it, she was still underage like me. Violet remained quiet and calm at the events, she smiled and waved sometimes as well.

I woke up at midnight, sweating and voiceless with a metallic taste in my mouth. I pulled off the eyemask and sat up with a headache and my heart beating fast in my chest. Despite the cold weather, perspiration dripped off of me. I slid out of bed, Rasal trailing behind me. I told Lizzy to get me a glass of water. I drained it down, then another.

I went onto the terrace, it was almost as big as my walk-in closet. The pots held blooming orange and pink Stargazer Lilies with stardust falling off their petals. They glowed in the dark and bloomed at midnight and midday.

The cold hair dried my skin and helped me calm down while I got flashbacks of my nightmare. I saw the population of Stellaregno scream and cry for help while they were stripped of their Constellations.

You should sleep, Rasal told. He sounded tired as well. My lack of sleep was affecting him.

I can’t. Everytime I do I see terrible things happening to this place, I spoke.

Ophiuchus is unhappy with you for handing it over to Alec, giving him a small control over it, Rasal said. You should have refused and fought back, rather than give up. That’s why your Sign is burning up and it’s effecting your health.

I didn’t even realize my Ophiuchus Sign was hurting. I touched it and it glowed on my skin. I felt guilty about giving the Hydras exactly what they wanted, Ophiuchus. Once Alec learned how to fully manipulate my Constellation through the little power I had been forced to give him, he’d destroy the Astrology of everything by helping Jaxon conquer all the Constellations. Wiping out more than half the population of Stellaregno.

Ophiuchus was upset with me. Something told me that everyone in Crimsyn State agreed with my Constellation.

I didn’t sleep, I was lost in thought for the rest of the night. I allowed Rasal to get some rest, though he was still tired in the morning because I was sleep deprived, another perk of having your life tethered to a human who you’re meant to serve for as long as she lives.

Rasal cursed in Ancient Greek at the sight of the sky, blood red with green. The Constellations twinkled like diamonds through the grey clouds.

This is what happens when someone messes with Astrology! Rasal yelled in my head. People should be thankful for the Constellations they’ve been given and mind their own business.

Rasal...How do I stop this?

You’re already living in your enemy’s house, Rasal told. You know his plans, just destroy him from the inside.

How? I was irritable. He says it like it’s so easy to overthrow a tyrant who could do whatever he wants with me.

He’s taking away people’s Constellations and manipulating them, causing extinction since the true descendants of those Constellations are weakened, Rasal reminded. So, I suggest you do the same. You need to kill the king.

Umm....haven’t you noticed that he has three children and a queen ready to continue his plans?

I have, which is why you need to get rid of them all. His words echoed in my head and I shuddered.

Even Alec?

Yes, Rasal insisted.

But...I tried to protest.

Milady, he started. Forgive me but this is not the time to judge people based on your feelings for them.

I didn’t usually get angry with Rasal but I hated it when he made comments like that.

I don’t know what you mean, I said.

Milady, you have to sort out you feelings. Are you sure Alec will side with you once you tell him that you’re going to be an assassin?

He won’t, I confirmed. He claims that Jaxon is doing the right thing.

Then, he’s your foe. Not your friend, Rasal told.

Actually he’s also my...

Don’t finish that thought! Rasal stopped. It’s too absurd to even think about.

As I descended the staircase on my way to breakfast I nearly gasped. The palace had been transformed. Everything looked like it had been dipped in gold. The garlands had the Signs of the Twelve Major Constellations printed on it. The silver and golden ornaments hung from the ceiling with the chandelier polished clean and illuminating the area.

“It’s for the Celestial Ball.” Lydia whispered. I tried not to look too startled. She appeared out of nowhere.

“I’m sorry, you were saying?” I smiled.

“The Celestial Ball is in a few days,” she pointed out. The name rang a bell. I searched my memories for what Granny had told me about the yearly traditional events. They were to be held at the palace and not to be dismissed under any circumstances. Not even war.

“Ah, yes. I almost forgot about that.” I told. Lydia didn’t resemble her brothers at all. The three of them were full Hydras, and the similarities ended there. The princess took after her mother, long washed out blonde hair always tied into a high ponytail with a tiara on her head or across her forehead. She wore a different style dress everyday. Her makeup was done in a way so you could see her actual face and the hints to amplify her beauty.

“After you,” she stepped aside and I walked into the dining hall. I took my usual seat next to Alec. Granny at my other side.

I kept my eyes on Lydia, she looked dejected and kept playing with her hair. She was wearing a silver bracelet, a ring and a Star Stone around her neck.

Rasal was curled around my ankle. We ate in silence. Jaxon talked about the war with Alec and Keegan. Granny chipped into a conversation with Sophie.

I wanted to talk to Lydia but she drained her cup of tea and excused herself.