When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)

McKenna Scorpio

The faint crying of a woman roused me from my sleep.

My first thought was how they got in my locked room but Dad has a key. It was Mom. She was wearing a black dress with her grey hair in a tight and neat bun. She sat at the foot of my bed with Kyle at her feet, he was wearing all black as well. Dressed for a funeral. Elliot. I remembered about his overdose last night and shook my head at the memory.

I sat up, shaking and shivering. A chill ran down my spine. Elliot is gone. Mom noticed me and put her hands on my shoulders, she was crying terribly and mumbling Elliot under her breath. I felt bad for not being able to cry, Kyle was weeping but not as much as Mom. The doors flew open, Dad stomped inside, he was wearing a black suit and had venom in his eyes. He didn’t look like he was mourning rather he looked disappointed. Though we had our differences in the past, Elliot had been my crime partner. We never talked to each other, though we fought and argued like our parents.

“This is all your fault.” he said casually, like nothing had happened. Calmness washed over me.

“You didn’t raise him well.” Dad shrugged. “I’ll just tell the media that he had a tumor and didn’t survive the treatment.” I hadn’t seen dad like this before. At least not when it came to his children. Mom told me that he went through a phase after his first divorce, maybe he was like this back then. I doubt he was as hurt when Mom left him.

“What are you talking about?” Mom said defensively. For once in my life I was at a loss for words.

Dad sighed like he was bored. “Not my problem anymore,” he squared his shoulders and ran his fingers through his black hair gelled back with silver streaks. He looked over Mom’s shoulder and at Kyle. “He’s my heir now.”

“How can you be thinking about that at a time like this?” Mom shouted. Dad’s eyes were bloodshot from fury. “You just lost your son!”

“And the last thing he left me was a humiliating truth to cover up.” Dad clicked his tongue. I wanted to argue but he exited the room, saying he had a meeting to attend and he’ll be back in time for the funeral.

“Where’s the body?” I croaked.

Mom was sobbing on the floor with hands covering her face. Kyle was hovering over her. It was his nurse who answered my question.

“Still in the hospital wing.” she said. “Your mom got here this morning and you’ve been out for more than twelve hours.”

“I didn’t ask for a full report.” I cursed. Mom didn’t stop me when I did.

I didn’t know what Mom and Dad were expecting from us. We were following in their footsteps really, now they blame us for our vices. Unbelievable. My phone buzzed, it was Gwen calling. I thought it was better not to reject it.

“Hey!” she said, stretching the last letter. “I heard about your brother, it’s all over the news. I feel so bad. He had a tumor and you didn’t even tell us?”

“Yeah, my parents thought it best to keep it a secret from the public,” I said groggily.

Gwen gasped on the other line. “There are reporters outside your manner!” she squealed. That’s Gwen, I guess. She only calls to brag and gloat. She was apathetic about Elliot’s death, she used to swoon over him but that was just temporary.

“I’ll talk to you later,” I said.

“Alright,” she giggled maniacally. I hid my phone under the pillow and retreated to the bathroom. I washed up and changed into the black lace dress that had been put out for me. Mom was clutching Kyle to her chest and sobbing. I wanted to comfort her but we had never really been that close so it would feel odd. My maids worked quietly, brushing my chocolate hair and then pinning it up, leaving a few strands in my face. Brushes tickled my face, bringing pink to my cheeks, brown dust on my eyelids with liner and dark red lips. I chose to wear a simple gold pendant around my neck, a small thing that shimmered in the light.

On our way to the graveyard Mom stopped crying, she stared out the car window until cameras started flashing in her face and she had to draw the curtain over it. Dad rode separately while I had to share with her and Kyle. Mom handed me a pair of large black glasses without saying a words, she put on hers, covering her swollen eyes smudged with makeup. Though there was no Sun, we still wore sunglasses sometimes, to disguise ourselves in front of the cameras. A crowd had gathered around the grave and I watched with despair as Dad and three of my cousins carried Elliot’s coffin and sunk it into the earth. Mom tried not to cry while all the ladies held onto her and Kyle tugged on my sleeve and kept asking where Elliot was, that’s what brought the tears. They fell on the frame of my glasses but I didn’t take them off.

The time passed with all of us crying, Dad didn’t even look like he cared, as if he was bored by this. People made speeches, those of which I was too depressed to pay attention to. They gave their condolences but all I could do was nod. One by one they flooded out and we were the only ones left. Mom’s head snapped up and she dug her nails into the headstone. I didn’t want to look at it because I didn’t want it to be true. I couldn’t help but wonder how quickly Dad arranged all this.

Mom fell to the ground and Kyle was crying into his hands, I sat down next to him and wiped my cheeks. Dad hovered over us, I didn’t bother checking his face for any sort of comfort. He lit his cigarette and smoked above his son’s grave not caring that this wasn’t a time to practice his habits. Mom picked up Kyle, resting his head on her shoulder. She walked to the car and I followed. Dad stood there and stared at the grave as if he didn’t know what to think. He threw his cigarette and stomped on it. Mom told the driver to take her home. She had taken off her glasses and I did the same, the cameras had captured the whole day. It would be on the news in a few hours.

“I’m going to Hydrus and taking Kyle with me.” Mom said as we approached Eurice’s Manner.

“Huh?” is all I could say. “But your two weeks start next week.”

“I don’t care,” she said calmly. “I’m not going to lose another son. I’m keeping this one with me until he’s old enough to take care of himself.”

“And what about me?” I almost shouted.

Mom sighed, “You can do whatever you want.” she said. “You’re already spoiled. No point in trying to fix you up.”

“Excuse me?” I raised my already arched brows. “So, you’re throwing me away? Like trash?”

“You’re already corrupted,” she pointed out. My mouth fell open and my insides twisted. She knows.

“You don’t think I know about you and your...” she searched for a good enough word to describe by vices. I swallowed. “Disgusting habits.”

I almost laughed. “Why didn’t you stop me, then?”

“I regret not doing so,” she whispered. Kyle had fallen asleep in her lap but she didn’t want him to hear this.

“I don’t get it,” I groaned. “If you knew all along then why didn’t you tell me to stop?”

“Because . . .” she trailed off and I understood. “I sent you and Elliot to Hydrus so that you two could go to high school there and hopefully college too so I wouldn’t have to deal with you for four more years. I only had Kyle to worry about, I handed him over to a nurse and pretended as if everything was fine. I didn’t know you’d overdo it.”

I shook my head, at a loss for words.

“Your father was too busy running Scorpius so he didn’t protest. Something tells me he wanted Elliot to be like him.” she breathed.

“Cruel, vile, rude, heartless and a tyrant?” I suggested. Mom shut her eyes. I didn’t even realize that we were parked outside Eurice’s Manner. I couldn’t move from my seat. I was expecting a beating from her when she found out what I had been up to. She knew, she knew all along and she didn’t stop me because she didn’t care what I was doing with my life.

“I wasn’t a good mother to you or Elliot.” she turned to me, grey eyes flashing in front of mine. “I hope to be a better one for Kyle.”

“Dad won’t let you take him for that long.” I forced through my teeth. “You can’t keep his only heir from him.

“He has you.” she pointed out. I clicked my tongue.

“Yeah, but I can’t rule on my own. I’m a girl and besides I’m not cut out for it.”

Mom was out the car door and I followed her to Kyle’ room. She packed almost everything in suitcases, taking me by surprise since she didn’t even like washing her face by herself. Dad barged into the room and I had to watch as my parents bickered over Kyle while he snored under the sheets.

“He’s the only male descendant left.” Dad spoke furiously. “If I don’t have him then one of my relatives will take my place.”

“I will give him back when he comes of age.” Mom clenched her fists.

“Do whatever you want!” Dad said, irritable. “I’ll get another heir.”

“Fine!” Mom yelled as Dad slammed the door shut behind him. She got maids and butlers to get the suitcases into a car. She carried Kyle downstairs, not bothering to change him out of his suit. She was gone by evening. I got a letter from a friend in Hydrus, which was the greatest news I had heard in a while. I decided not to write back and surprise her. It was finally time. We didn’t get the chance to meet while I was in Hydrus, to avoid suspicion and Dad doesn’t like it when we get too attached to each other. Mom was sensitive about it as well, but she’ll care even less now. I brought out one of my bags and piled stuff in it randomly, not being able to focus.

I undid my hair, letting it curtain my face. The highlights had faded. I changed into a crop top and silk shorts, locked the door and sent my maids away. I ripped my dress and cut it up with some scissors. My necklace was too expensive to break. I threw wine bottles before draining them and glasses shattered on the floor, the sound turning into my screams and cries as the glass broke. I cut my hair with the same pair of scissors that tore my dress, maybe I just pulled out my hair. I was too incoherent to remember.

The next morning, for the first time in months I got a letter. Even better was the person who it was from. Both sides of my mouth lifted, my smile grew wider as I deciphered the words. The last words of the letter echoed in my head and I laughed in joy.

(The time has come. You know what to do.

I cracked open a bottle of champagne, cackling and soaking myself on the balcony. I touched my Sign, it tingled on my skin. I began the prayer that had been hammered into my head since childhood. My Constellation shined above me. The pain was good. My Sign burned, fading from my wrist, though Scorpio’s was still there. I closed my eyes as my Constellation’s Starlight caught me, hitting my forehead, making it tingle.

The time has come.

My bones cracked, blood running with stardust.

You know what to do.

The process was a long one but I’ve been waiting since I was nine years old. I’ve waited ten years for this. What’s a few more minutes?

My eyes snapped open. Excitement and bloodlust beated in my heart. Though I was having a migraine, I enjoyed the pain. I brought my hand up to my forehead, where the Sign of my Constellation was branded now.

I got out my makeup and covered my Scorpio Sign with it, making sure it lasted. I packed a small bag, cloaked myself in black and threw in the cage of scorpions as well. I made sure no one noticed me leaving, even Dad couldn’t know about this. She had kept her plan a secret from even him. I quietly drove out of Eurice’s Mansion, out of Scorpius and towards Hydrus.

The time has come and I know what to do.