A faint whining noise increases to a high-pitched whistle. The ground trembles as wind rushes around me, blowing the hair from my face. Without warning, a beam of light shoots downward, surrounding me in its warm embrace. My feet lift off the ground as the beam raises me skyward. Looking up, I see the distorted waves of a portal hovering, ready to greet me andtransport me out of this hellhole. There’s no need to find another way out now that I have these shards—the two fragments solidify my win as the Celestial champion, despite Pluto and Leo’s attempts to stop me. I close my eyes, accepting the finality of everything that has led to this moment, as I am teleported from the observatory.
I never look back.
I stumble as the portal drops me into the sand, landing on my hands and knees. The hoots and cheers of my friends and family are louder than the deafening ringing of the crowd’s applause. Disoriented, I raise my neck to gather my surroundings. I’m back in the arena, where all the contestants, save for Leo, and their sponsors stand around me smiling, fists raised in the air. Orion pushes through them to rush to my side. He kneels beside me, laughing as he wraps me in his arms. “You did it, Zi, you fucking did it.”
Orion’s golden arms hold me up against him as my body sags with an emotional and physical exhaustion that consumes me. He’s pristine, glowing,clean. I’m covered in dried, crusted blood. Sweat and tears coat every surface of my body. But inside me? That’s where I feel dirtiest. I lean my head back against Orion, finding the Kosmos where they stand, clapping, on their dais. My eyes lock with Pluto’s. You’re stuck with me now, fucker. Like a fissure, I will relentlessly spread throughout the Order until they crack and collapse. Sooner or later, I will be the reason they fall.
Every blink takes effort as I attempt to pull myself from a daze. Was this worth what I’ve paid?
“Astralis, we give you Zellie Toro, the Celestial champion of the Gemini Games!” A sugared voice echoes. The voice belongs to one of the Kosmos, but I don’t care to see who. Orion supports my elbows as I stand, listening to the crowd scream my name. Don’t they know what I’ve done? The betrayal that has stained my soul? I’m not a good person, I want to tell them. I’m nobody’s hero; I’m certainly no champion.
“With an astounding six pieces of moonstone secured, Zellie has beaten the odds, surviving all five games, and emerging victorious! What an epic conclusion this game brought with a dramatic showdown between Toro and Leo Vance, who were tied for the winning position until the very end! A memorable finale for an impressive showing from Toro and her contestants. We cannot thank the citizens of Astralis and the contestants enough for being with us for this year’s Games. Please enjoy a brief intermission before we all rejoin in a ceremony to restore the constellation and officially induct our newest Celestial champion. Thank you!”
Orion ushers me out of the arena while taking inventory of my various injuries. He passes a glass of water my way, forcing it into my hands. “I’m here, Zellie. I’m with you.” We’re in a small meeting area, much like the room I was in when I first met Orion. He has a pail of water and a wet cloth that he attentively brushes against my skin.Don’t bother; you can’t wash away what I’ve done.
Seventy-eight
“Pluto tried to stop me,” I mutter as I stare down at my boots—Orion’s hand stills for a moment before he resumes wiping.
“When?”
“In the observatory. Before,” I swallow roughly, “before Leo.”
“Did he hurt you?” Orion’s tone is stern, punishing. I shook my head in response. “What did he say?”
“The power isn’t for the planets, Orion. It’s for them.”
Orion rings out the wet cloth before softly telling me, “We’ve figured that out, too. Everything is going to be okay.”
My face scrunches in confusion. “We’ve?”
A knock at the door disrupts our conversation. An official pops his head in, alerting us, “The ceremonies are about to begin.”
Orion stands, drying his hands on his trousers. He throws me a self-assured wink before extending his hand to me. “Don’t worry, Zizi.”
Why does that sentiment only make me more concerned?
Ever fond of their platforms announcing their superiority, a new dais has emerged in the center of the arena. Sparkling white steps lead up to a flattened marble surface with elongated columns on each end. Thrones of interwoven gold and silver metal and plush black velvet seats line the dais.Twelve, to be exact. I suppose I’ll be expected to stand. A lone podium is erected at the front of the platform, with a square box resting on top of it. Orb lights hover throughout the arena, dancing up towards the top of the dome like stars twinkling in orbit. In the distance, I can make out the Gemini constellation with its star clusters faded but present.
The same official who summoned us greets me, directing me to stand on the side of the dais. “Orion—” I turn, trying to grab his arm, to cling to him as my world is once more going to be flipped upside down.
“Remember what I told you—until the moons fail to rise and the stars burn out. It will be okay. I’m right here.” He ushers me up the steps as he comes to stand off to the side, his body angled to keep me in his line of vision.
Soft music plays, rising in tempo and volume as smoke unfurls around the dais. The Order climbs the steps and takes their seats, one by one, as the arena cheers and applauds them. Once seated, ten officials in matching white tunics and pants emerge, each holding a moonstone shard. Each official rises to the podium, depositing their fragments at the box. The gems slide down through a slot carved to fit the pieces, each disappearing one by one. As the tenth piece is placed, Pluto nods his thanks to the officials as he stands, approaching the podium.
I shift my weight, toying with the end of my bandana as I nervously await what’s coming.
“Citizens of Astralis, our divinity demands that we, as an order, ensure the safety of our home and the lives of those on the surrounding planets. Every life in this universe is worthy of basking in the light provided by our generous constellations. It is our job to keep the constellations powered and producing energy. The Gemini Games, the selection of contestants, and the challenges designed are all efforts produced by the galactic order to provide the energy required for our survival, ultimately. This is a task that is considered of critical importance, and we do not take our responsibility to the constellation, and you all, lightly.”
Everything that comes out of his mouth is complete and total bullshit, of course. The Kosmos hand-selected pawns to get the required energy to maintain and further improve their power and immortality while they sat back, entertained by a spectacle of their design. Polite clapping follows hisspeech. They have us all fooled. Well, not all of us, not anymore. Eyes trained on the back of Pluto’s head, my hand clenches as I fight the urge to grab my dagger and lodge it into the back of his fucking neck.
“I now ask you all to join me in a quiet moment as the moonstones are converted to starlight. Magic, while beautiful, requires respect.”
Pluto raises his hands slowly to the side of the box as a blanket of silence covers the coliseum. Awkwardly, I cross my arms, unsure why I have to stand on the sidelines of the melodramatics. He touches the podium, light bursting from the box as the gems convert.
He stands at his full height, addressing the audience. “It is done. Now, an official selected by the Kosmos will transport the starlight directly to the constellation to regenerate the fading stars.” On cue, a young Astral steps onto the dais, holding a scepter adorned with a rounded crystalline sphere. “Once this is completed, a beam of pure power will be produced, finalizing the ceremony.”
Pluto turns to the Astral, pressing his hands together with a slight bow. “May the stars guide you. The constellations are the only constant.”
