When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)
Chapter 25

Tristan Capricorn

I carried the twins to their tent, Belle and Amara helped. Anthony couldn’t stop their bleeding but he said it would happen in unison and they would wake up at the same time as well.

“Their brains are linked now,” he told. “Everything that one feels the other will feel too.”

My head throbbed and spots danced in front of my eyes from the Stargazing incident. Nathan and Lewis had passed out in the tent and I wished to do the same.

The next morning Hellen told us that there had been more attacks on Crimsyn State and we had lost soldiers in Hydrus.

“He’s taking revenge on Belle,” she told and we all turned to her. She coughed, face tinted pink.

“I have to ask you to stop,” Hellen said quietly.

Belle’s head snapped up. “Stop?” she almost shouted. “Stop what?”

“Stop taking more Celestial Energy from Hydra.”

“That’s not possible,” Belle protested. “We can’t give up. We can’t let him win.”

“He’s going to win either way!” Hellen huffed, crossing her arms. We all stared at her with wide eyes. “If you keep taking from him he’ll take from us.”

“If we don’t take from him he gets what he wants,” Phoenix realized. There was a furrow between Belle’s brow, she shook her head as if trying to get rid of a thought.

“What’s he trying to do with so much Celestial Energy anyway?” Nathan perked up, annoyed by this war council.

“I’m glad you asked that,” Belle answered. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “Jaxon is trying to get back his hydra. The Constellation took that serpent from him long ago because his ancestors used it wrongly. He needs enough Celestial Energy to impregnate three Stars with the three heads of a Hydra and that serpent will come down like Rasal did to me.”

Hellen snorted, irritating Belle. “May I ask, who told you that?”

Belle’s eyes narrowed. “I just know.Why else would he be doing this?”

“As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right.” Hellen said. “But we can’t do anything about it. That’s not a big deal.”

“He’s stealing Constellations,” I reminded. “How is that not a big deal? There will be no more population left in Stellaregno by the end of it.”

“Yeah, and if that hydra was taken then Stars knew what was best for them,” Phoenix added.

“Yes but we’re losing people too,” Hellen spoke through her teeth. “We can’t risk it. We just have to let him do what he’s doing and hope that his plan is continued without any more stolen Stars.”

“I’m not obeying that order,” Belle said.

Hellen shot her a look. “I wasn’t asking, Miss Virgo.”

Before Belle could retort Hellen retreated to her tent. Lewis leaned in and pulled out a sheet of paper, crumpled and stained with ink.

He yawned and spoke groggily, “I did some research,” he told.

“On?” I chided. He handed me the paper and Anthony who sat next to me read over my shoulder. The numbers and words passed over my head, I knitted my eyebrows in confusion.

“What is this?” Anthony stole the words out of my mouth.

He sighed and mumbled something about us being unintelligent. “It’s a population chart,” he told. “By the end of Jaxon’s plan, we’ll have thirty percent of the Constellations left which means we’re already close to extinction.”

“It’ll take years to regrow our kind,” Anthony said, his mouth agape.

Lewis shook his head. “No,” he said. “Now that Belle revealed what he really wants to do. He’ll need more minor Constellations and another large one. With the war, we’re losing soldiers from both sides so that’s cutting off our peoples. I don’t think we’ll be enough to regrow anything.”

“So, you’re saying that we may be the last of our kind?” I gasped.

“Yes, try to keep up.” Lewis snatched the paper and scribbled notes on it.

My gaze fell on Belle, she fiddled with the necklace that I gave her. Starlight caught in her eyes, making the amber look like gold. Red hair soft and braided. I suppress a smile, Lewis whistled and nudged me in the chest.

“Where is your focus?” he teased and turned his eyes towards Raelynn, sitting with Phoenix and Amara on his left.

“Look who’s talking.” I snorted. Anthony joined in my laughter.

Lewis stopped the drool from coming out of his mouth and he snapped out of his trance. “Huh?” he wondered. “Did you say something?”

I shook my head.

“Guys, this is not the time to be laughing and cracking jokes!” Phoenix scolded, getting to her feet.

“Will you please take this seriously?” Belle begged, irritable. We all stood in unison which creeped us out.

“I don’t see Gemini anywhere?” Phoenix said. “How is she?”

“I think you mean how are they?” Amara corrected.

“Oh, right, there’s two of them now,” Phoenix realized.

“To answer your question, still passed out,” Belle told.

“And will be until a few more hours,” Anthony added.

“What now?” Nathan shrugged, his voice hoarse from disuse.

“We will try again,” Belle said.

“But Hellen said-”

She cut him off, “Hellen has no idea what she’s dealing with. All she cares about is safely getting her son out of that palace, telling him the truth about herself, attempting to change him and making him a good ruler.”

“She’s obviously delusional,” Amara chimed in. Raelynn seemed offended but hurt, like she knew she couldn’t defend this because it was true.

“I can’t believe she has hope for him,” Phoenix spat.

“You can’t blame her, she’s his mother,” Raelynn spoke quietly.

Belle marched off to the training area, mumbling curses under her breath.

I sighed. “I’ll go calm her down,” I announced. As I took a step forward, Lewis grabbed me and pulled me back.

“Do you want to be alone, or should we all come along?” For a minute I thought he was serious but he smiled brightly and wriggled his eyebrows.

“Stop right there,” I said as Belle turned towards the growing Constellations, Hydra. Rasal bowed his head at me and his tones glowed.

“Don’t try to stop me.” She turned on her heel, her back to me. She lost control of Ophiuchus and groaned as the pain coursed through her body.

I slowly approached her, Rasal slithered back and seemed to smile as I did. I grabbed her hand and she faced me.

“You can’t do it alone,” I told, tucking strands of hair behind her ear.

“I know, I know.” She took a step back and held her hands up in defense. “I just...” She growled. “I just got impulsive.”

“Just be careful,” I told.

“Yes, anything else?”

“That’s it,” I said. Then added, “For now.”

Despite the freezing weather she had taken off her jacket, she wore a blank tank top and green pants. The bruises on her arms were gone, I had prayed that she would get better. I wanted to slit Alec’s throat for what he did to her. Just thinking about it made me...

“You look tense,” she noticed, raising her eyebrows.

“I’m fine,” I said. She nodded, wiping sweat from her forehead and rubbing her wrists together.

“Oww!” She flinched.

“What is it?” I tensed, my fists balled at my sides.

“My Hydra Sign,” she told. “It keeps...” She hesitated, biting her tongue. “Tingling.”

“Tingling?” I repeated.

“Yeah, Alec does that sometimes,” she told, flushing red.

I tense at his name. “He can do that?”

She nodded, looking away.

I had a feeling that she was hiding something. Trying to tell me something. But she was reluctant.

I tried to stay calm but jealousy and anger burned inside of me. “How can he do that? Why can he do that? Do you know how to do that? Teach me!”

“Calm down,” she demanded, smirking. “He can do that because I have his Sign and he has mine.”

“Oh,” I realized. She gave me a sympathetic look, one that also said I’ll teach you how to do it one day, though.

“Want to start training?” I asked.

She gulped, putting a hand over her stomach. “No, I don’t feel good. I’m going to use the bathroom.”

I grabbed her arm and pulled her back before she got too far. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I-”

“Just tell me,” I begged like a child.

“I can’t. You won’t understand.” She crossed her arms and stared at the ground.

“Won’t understand what?” Hellen approached.

“Oh, what do you want?” Belle raged, her eyes bloodshot.

Hellen’s lips peeled into a wicked smile. “You’ve been extra cranky lately and weak. If there’s something wrong we all deserve to know?”

Now everyone had gathered around us, Belle ducked her head in shame.

“Fine!” She yelled, tears streaming down her face. “You want the truth? Then, fine! I’m with child.”

There were a few gasps, including mine. Even Hellen was shocked.

“So, why didn’t you tell him your little secret?” Helle challenged.

“I was scared, okay? I didn’t know what to do.”

“Hellen, leave her alone,” I demanded. “It’s not her fault.”

“I cannot let you betray my son, Annabelle,” Hellen said smoothly.

“I’m not betraying him,” she shouted, but Hellen didn’t listen. She grabbed the dagger from her belt and turned to me, before I knew it the blade was in my flesh. I fell to the ground as everyone gathered around me and blood filled my mouth.

Belle hovered over me. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay,” she whispered repeatedly but still cried for help. There’s nothing to help me now, I wanted to tell her.

Anthony and Lewis tried to stop the bleeding but it was no use. The cut was too deep.

I stared into her beautiful eyes one last time as my soul escaped my body.