When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)

Amara Aries

I helped Annabelle pack. She didn’t have much stuff. Only a letter from her mother, including her birth certificate and a letter from the new queen. She showed the birth certificate to us last night and we had joked about it. Raelynn layed out black pants, a white blouse and a black coat with matching boots for Belle to wear tomorrow.

Phoenix sat cross-legged near the glass door and stared at the Stars , her fingers playing with the phoenix-bull pendant around her neck.

I grinned at her, hands on my hips. “What are you doing?” My voice was hoarse and eyes were swollen from crying each night. I would have guessed she was Stargazing but her Constellation didn’t move a Star.

“Wishing that Belle would let us go with her to Virgus,” she answered, eyes glued to the sky.

“She’s letting me and Lewis go,” I told. “We’re taking her to her house in Hydrus first and then to the graveyard in Crimsyn State.”

Her head snapped in my direction. “Is that a good idea?” She exchanged looks with Raelynn, who was brushing her already perfect hair in front of the vanity.

I blinked back the tears and nodded. I tried not to think of Lyra and how I was missing her funeral.

“What are those?” Raelynn pointed at the blue file flooding out papers, set on the desk. Rasal was curled up in the corner, eyes closed. probably trying to grow back his Star Stones.

“Admission forms,” I answered, picking up the heavy file.

“You have to get readmission for school?” Phoenix knitted her eyebrows.

“Yes, I missed a lot and I have to start again.”

I didn’t want to go back home. I wanted to continue my plan to study here. I still hadn’t filled them out.

“Are you staying in Virgus for long?” Phoenix asked.

I had a few months before the new semester started so I planned to stay with Belle until then.

Before I answered, the bathroom door opened and Belle stepped out in her nightgown. Raelynn rushed inside before Phoenix could.

“I forgot to tell you,” Belle said to me, falling on the bed. “Alec offered to come to Virgus.”

Phoenix and I stared at her. “You’re not separating from him?”

“We took back our Signs this morning. But he wants to be there for the delivery and-” she trailed off. Rasal slithered up in her lap. She swallowed and gave an imperceptible shake of her head. “But he’s just going to drop me off before settling in with Hellen.”

“I wanted to ask. . .” I sat down at the edge of the bed. “I have a few months before university, so can I stay with you in Virgus?”

“I don’t mind, of course. But I thought you would spend that time with your family.”

You need me more than they do, I wanted to say to her. I lowered my gaze, eyes pooled with tears. She sat up.

“It’s okay, you can stay as long as you want,” she offered. I tried to smile. I quickly changed into my nightgown and closed my eyes. Belle lay on the other side of the bed. Raelynn and Phoenix were sleeping on the two sofas. I mostly ran to the bathroom in the middle of the night or pass the hours crying on the balcony after I was sure everyone was asleep. I read material from the enormous glass bookcase next to the desk stacked with paper and maps to distract myself. I avoided sleep as long as I could and roused early since I didn’t want to see the two most painful deaths in my nightmares.

I Stargazed and spied on Crimsyn State with binoculars, getting a glimpse of Aries sometimes. I didn’t complain about the long dresses I had to wear, though it was optional I tried not to be picky at this time.

I saw a small figure roaming in the Lawn. I realized it was Lydia, she looked much different in the Starlight, in her nightgown and no accessories or makeup. Someone joined her, they laughed and talked for hours. I couldn’t hear them nor did I want to. I knew it was Anthony giving up sleep and helping out with the Sun to find an excuse to be near Lydia. I went back inside. I brought my knees to my chest and rested my face on them and muffled my sobs. Belle tried to rub her burn scars but flinched at the touch and nearly woke screaming. Raelynn almost caught me, stirring in her sleep but I pretended as if I couldn’t sleep rather than admitting that I didn’t want to.

I was the first one awake, as usual. I took a shower and read until everyone else woke. I decided to fill out my forms and mail them. I also wanted to stop by the house in Hydrus, it was locked and all my things were in my dorm room in Serpens University since I hadn’t really planned to end up here and forgot to pack my belongings. They would probably end up lost and found. I would have to break into my old house.

Breakfast was awkward and we ate in silence. Belle made one last trip to the room before we left. We had to leave early since it takes a long time to get to any province, the sky was still orange and pink.

“Are you ready?” I asked. She flinched, her eyes glassy but she nodded. Her hair was still damp and mostly ruined because they were flamed. She stuffed the letter into her coat pocket and zipped up her puts properly. A folder holding her papers in her hand. She looked around once more, shaking her head as if to get rid of bad memories. Rasal was glued around her neck like a scarf. She followed me downstairs. Everyone waited for us in the courtyard.

Nathan, Phoenix and Raelynn stood awkwardly next to the car while Alec spoke with Lydia and Anthony.

I let out a shaky breath, my face already wet. Lewis approached us first. “I’m not going with you,” he told. I was expecting it but it still brought tears. “I want to stay here before going back to Sagittarius.”

“I understand,” Belle said, trying to smile. They embraced and so did I.

“I’ll see you around,” Lewis promised. It won’t be for a long time though, I thought.

“I’ll be back in a few months,” I whispered to him.

“I’ll be gone by then,” he told. I quickly got in the car before I got more emotional. Belle and Alec followed.

Belle explained to Alec how we had to make two stops in Hydrus. My house came first and I still didn’t know how I was going to get inside without a key. I felt my Star Stone in my coat pocket, maybe I could throw it at a window and make my way inside.

I wanted to stop at the Tower but it would bring back bad memories for both me and Belle. I made a mental list of all the things I had to pack, there was always a suitcase in my bedroom so I could just throw everything in it.

I was starting to drift off, eyes half open. The car came to a stop and I snapped up. I stepped out of the vehicle after Belle and gasped, covering my mouth. The house’s windows were shattered and the door snapped in two pieces. There was dirt and grime on the roofs and it smelled awful. Alec stepped out and held up a hand in defense.

“Father sent guards to demolish your house after the Aries bombing in Hydrus. It was to get revenge even though he knew nobody lived here anymore,” he explained quickly.

Belle and I glared at him. I shook my head and made a growling sound in my throat. Dishes were shattered on the floor and some of Mom’s vases. The television screen was cracked and the furniture thrown around the house.

I didn’t linger long. Just got out some clothes and shoes, stuffing them in the suitcase while Belle watched. I kept some of my personal things: pictures frames, headbands, bracelets and rings. I had some video games and books that I wanted to take with me.

My hand was on the doorknob but Belle was staring at the pictures on my bedroom wall. “Can you take this one too?” she asked, taking a picture with a white frame off of the wall and handing it to me.

I stared at the image. It was an early picture of Me, Belle, Lyra, Tristan and Lewis in kinder-garden. I smiled and stuffed it in a backpack which was sitting on my chair. I grabbed other pictures of us and my family off the wall. Mom had gotten those framed, Lyra had been the one who had forced us to smile in front of the camera.

I wanted to ask Alec if we could stop by Crimsyn State but Belle had looked depressed when she saw the photos, I couldn’t imagine what she would feel like if she visited the graves.

“Belle.” I shook her awake. We were almost at her house. She stirred.

“Do you have your house key?” I asked.

She glared at Alec. “We won’t need it if my house has been vandalized and broken into as well.”

Luckily, her house was in perfect shape but whoever was here last forgot to lock the back door so we had a way to get inside.

Rasal slithered off of Belle and she set him on the couch. “You two stay down here, I’ll be right back.” The sound of heels clicking against wood echoed in the gloomy atmosphere.