“Seriously? That’s a big step.”
“I know, but I love her. And if she can’t accept this part of me, then we’re not meant to be. I’ve already started the paperwork. If they approve, she might even be able to visit the academy.”
“That’s amazing. I really hope it works out, and that she doesn’t freak out.”
We spent the next hour catching up. For a little while, I could almost forget what was waiting for me. I could almost pretendwe were back in my room at the Assembly headquarters, and nothing else mattered but training.
But eventually, I had to face reality again. I checked my phone and saw a text from Lucas asking where I was.
“I should get back. We’re heading back to Imperium this afternoon.”
Lydia hugged me tightly. “Promise you’ll be careful? And keep me updated on what’s happening with the attack investigation?”
“I promise. And you’ll let me know if you hear anything about who might be behind it? I know you love sleuthing.”
“You know me too well.” She grinned. “We’ve got your back, always.”
Tye pulled me into another bear hug. “Don’t be a stranger, Black. And if those Stardust boys give you any trouble, you know where to find me.”
I laughed, fighting back the stinging in my eyes. “Thanks, guys. I needed this.”
As I made my way back to the guest suite, my mind kept returning to Tye’s theory. What if the attack had been staged to bring me back to Dominion? What if someone was manipulating events to keep me away from Stardust and tied to Nightfall?
The thought made my stomach churn. If someone was willing to poison a zodiac warrior just to get to me, what else might they be capable of?
I needed to talk to Lucas and Rowan about this. And when we got back to Imperium, I needed to have a serious conversation with all of Stardust about a lot of complicated things, and there was no part of me that was looking forward to it.
I was about to push open the door to the guest suite when my phone buzzed. I pulled it out, expecting another text from Lucas asking where I was. Instead, I saw Draco’s name on the screen.
D: Constellarium.
My finger hovered over the delete button, but curiosity won out. I hesitated, my hand on the doorknob. I could ignore it. Go back inside, curl up with Lucas and Rowan, and pretend I hadn’t seen the message. But something pulled me away from the door, down the corridor, and up the winding staircase that led to the tower.
The only light in the tower came from a single candle flickering on the floor. Draco was lying on his back in the center of the room, exactly where we’d once gazed at the stars together. He didn’t move when I entered, but I knew he’d heard me.
“You came. I wasn’t sure if you’d ignore me.”
“I should have. What do you want, Draco?”
He sat up slowly, his eyes finding mine. He looked exhausted, shadows darkening the hollows beneath his eyes. “I wanted to talk to you. Away from the others.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You made your feelings perfectly clear weeks ago.”
“We were wrong. I was wrong. And I’ve spent every day since regretting it.”
“And that’s supposed to make it better? A simple ‘I was wrong’ erases that kind of pain?”
“No,” he admitted. “Nothing will erase that. But I have a proposal.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not interested in your proposals.”
“Just hear me out.” He stood, moving closer but keeping a careful distance between us. “What happened last night proved something. We’re vulnerable when we’re apart. All of us.”
“So?”
“So I think we should transfer to Imperium. As a combat unit.”
I stared at him, certain I’d misheard. “You want to follow me to Imperium? After everything?”
