When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)
Chapter 16

Annabelle Virgo

I ran my fingers over the words repeatedly. According to Rasal, it was Mom’s choice to give me such a long name but she went with Annabelle on Dad’s request. I stopped thinking why Dad or even Alfred didn’t tell me this, Alfred could have a good reason. Maybe he knew that Mom would be the one to do it but Dad...I don’t know what’s true about him anymore.

I had memorized each word and letter, committed to memory unintentionally. I had barely gotten enough sleep because of it, the words replayed in my head and I felt like she was reading it to me.

I couldn’t stomach the thought. I had been Annabelle to Dad and Granny, Belle to my friends and The Last Star of Ophiuchus to all the rebels depending on me. Then the implication hit me, like I had been hit with a baseball bat.

“Wait, wait, wait,” I said, holding my hand in front of me, palms facing outward.

Milady...Rasal got my question before I could ask. Advantages of telepathy.

Did you know about this? I screamed in my head. Rasal muttered and hissed, cursing in Ancient Arabic which came naturally to me now. I cursed my own stupidity. If I could’ve dug deep into Rasal’s mind I could’ve found out everything that he was hiding from me.

I thought I could trust you...I felt tears pricking my eyes. One of the few people...or serpents or Celestial Body, whichever, I thought I could trust.

Lady Ophiuchus didn’t tell anyone about this, it was family information only, he explained in Greek. She hid it in a part of her brain where even I couldn’t reach, along with other painful memories. I found out a few years ago when I was still a spirit living on Rasalhague on Ophiuchus. Lady Ophiuchus’ voice came into my head and we talked for a long time, she told me...everything. She also told me that you would replace out on your own. I was sworn to secrecy and when I make a promise even my masters can’t know it.

“Astra,” I whispered into the air. My mind automatically translated in my brain. Latin, of the Stars. Mom named me the Stars. I’m of the Stars.

I walked out on the balcony, my wrobe felt like tissue paper wrapped around me. Rasal and I used body heat to warm each other. His stones glowing red, like his eyes. I felt nauseous, my head heavy and I was famished despite the plates of food I had inhaled at dinner. I let all my emotions transmit into Rasal. I didn’t know if snakes could be sick or have the symptoms of a pregnant woman.

Thankfully, snakes and humans have a different anatomy so our telepathic emotional transmitional doesn’t work, Rasal seemed to laugh.

“Lucky,” I grunted. I told him to get off me since I was already exerted by carrying another life, I didn’t want to have to worry about a serpent.

I hated surprises. Well, I didn’t hate surprises exactly but when your grandmother, Dad and step-mother arrive at your house uninvited to congratulate you on something that you didn’t intend to happen then I despise it. I was already not feeling well but Lydia insisted on taking me downstairs for breakfast and I had to smile and host people I wish would leave me alone. Now I couldn’t even face Dad.

Astra. Astra. Astra. Astra. Astra.

The string of that name played subconsciously in my head. It was as if my brain was trying to get used to the idea of it. I tried to stop but there were no good distractions here.

After a long, delicious breakfast we had tea in The Lawn. Granny and Sophie talked with me and Lydia in one corner, Hope kept glancing at me. Mostly looking at my belly and comparing it with hers, she was huge and uncomfortable, I felt a pang of sympathy for her but not too much. Her long blue gown was loose around her waist and revealed only her face and hands. Dad guffawed with Jaxon and Alec, Keegan played football with a guard in the far corner. Rasal had made his way to The Lawn and his dark green scales blended with the grass so he was camouflaged at my feet.

“You should’ve seen Mother when she was about to have Keegan,” she whispered, almost inaudible. “I think she even broke a few chairs with that weight.”

I didn’t let laughter escape me, for manners’ sake.

Hope, Dad and Granny were invited to stay for a week since it was a long way to Virgus and Hope couldn’t travel that long. I didn’t see Lydia or Alec for as long as they were staying here, Granny sneaked into my room one night and tried to talk to me. She sent Dad after I told her to leave, but I pretended to sleep.

Rasal’s eyes kept closing but he didn’t confirm whether or not he was getting messages from another Star Spirit. I had to dig into his mind to replace out, which in this condition made red and yellow spots dance in front of my eyes. It was from Virginia, she was calling me. Rasal’s eyes snapped open, yellow and deadly. I looked out to my balcony, blue stardust formed a figure.

As soon as I faced her I fell to my knees, she rushed to my side. Virgo glowed above and pain started at my Sign, traveling up to my head.

“It’s okay,” Virginia repeated the line. “It happens.”

I rubbed my temples.

“You wanted to talk,” I said.

“Yes.” She hesitated, fidgeting with her hands.

“Spit it out,”

“About your plan...” she trailed off. “I’ve been thinking about it and I might be up for it. I talked to Father this morning but he says not in this condition.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll talk to Gramps,” I promised. “When should we do it?”

“It’s not that easy,” she told. “It’s not like planning a trip. Two lives in my hands.”

“You’ll do fine,”

“But if it triggers Jaxon into taking action, then everyone’s lives will be in danger.”

“They are already in danger! It’s not like my staying here has him restrained,” I pointed out, my voice booming.

“Belle, another Constellation was taken today, a minor one but he was one of the rebels and he died,” she told. “Hellen and Alfred banned Stargazing and the use of Star Stones.”

I sighed, not knowing what to say. I crossed my arms and huffed. Dots still danced in front of my eyes, I feared that I might start to convulse.

“So, what now?” I finally asked, snapping her out of a trance. She turned to face the sky, erupting with Celestial Energy, making it change color. The energy which had burned out turned red-green, the rest got sucked into Hydra. “How much more do they want?” Virginia spat.

“He’s not going to stop,” I added.

“He’s coming after the twelve strongest ones next,” Virginia said suddenly, her hand at the side of her head, eyes closed.

“How can you say?” I felt a bile rise in my throat.

“I got a message from Alastair, the Star Spirit of Hydra,” she told, facing me. “He’s tried to stop Alec but...they’re all power hungry. Alastair says that they’re trying to revive something.”

To revive something that was a gift from their Constellation but they misused it and it was taken from them, the words came to me. I told her about the letter.

“I don’t know what it is, it’s not likely that they want to resurrect a family member,” she said. “If it is a family member.”

“Does Alastair know?” I asked.

“He does but since Hydra is being overpowered he can’t have direct contact with any Celestial Body so even this message was transmitted to each Star Spirit with difficulty,” she told. Her eyes filled with horror. “His voice kept breaking, as if he was speaking through pain.”

“Huh.” I put my hands on my hips. “I never knew too much power could bring pain to a person.”

“It can,” she spoke. “It can break you.”

“Tell Alfred that the Hydras have made an alliance with Aries and they could attack at any time,” I explained. “Most likely with an air fleet.”

She smiled. “I know.”

Virgo turned yellow above, Virginia groaned and clutched her stomach. Before I could help she dissolved to stardust. My Sign tingled, crawling on my skin. I retreated inside. Rasal sensed something was wrong. Despite that I denied it.

“I’m fine,” I said as I turned off the light and hid under the sheets. I read the letter and went over the birth certificate once more, my Star Stone’s glow pierced my eyes under the blanket.

You should really stop obsessing over yourself, Rasal’s voice entered my head.

I sat up, offended. Excuse me? I said.

And try to sleep, since your restlessness is affecting me, he added.

How dare you call me self-obsessed? I turned to him from my bed, he was on the other side of the room.

You keep reading your extremely long name, he pointed out. Like, we get it, move on.

I threw a pillow at him, he dodged it but it landed on his tail. He hissed playfully and transmitted the pain to me.

“Alright, alright.” I rubbed my head. “We’re even.” I lay on my back, not blinking at the ceiling.

Astra. Astra. Astra

The name on repeat was getting annoying but each time I stopped I had to start again.

Is it really so hard to digest, milady? he asked.

Obviously, I said, rolling my eyes though he couldn’t see.

Do you want to talk about it or be distracted by it? Rasal asked. I felt something heavy pull at my blankets. I lifted my head to see Rasal slither up, I let him rest next to me.

Distractions please, I begged.

His eyes turned white, green stardust flowing into them suddenly. His stones turned bright against his scales. He spoke in Greek, asking me to translate to Latin and Arabic.

It was a mix of Latin and Greek, I translated into Arabic.

We did this back and forth, after a while he told me to start saying it out loud. My voice broke the silence, words hanging in the air as I spoke fluently into the night.