Page 30 of Under the Lion Star

Above the mountain range was an object far larger than any of the stars and nearly as bright as the moon itself. It had a long tail, as a shooting star would, but looked motionless in the night sky. I had never seen anything like it. Beautiful and terrifying.

“Leorid,” El answered with a sense of calm that juxtaposed my racing heart. “The Lion Star.”

I turned to El and frowned, earning a smirk in response.

“It’s not actually a star,” he explained. “But a comet. It comes around every five years and remains visible for two weeks or so.”

“How– why do you know that?”

El only shrugged, but a tranquil smile curled the corners of his mouth while he studied the comet in the distance. I followed his eyeline, gazing at the object and wondering what it was made of, where it came from, and how I had never noticed it before.

“It’s beautiful,” I said quietly. “In a brutal sort of way.”

El moved his hand from mine, tracing my arm and upper back as he wrapped himself around my shoulder and pulled me close.

“Kind of like me?” He teased.

“Gods be good,” I groaned, rolling my eyes.

El laughed, his body shaking against mine, and as much as I tried not to, I smiled, too. He wasn’t wrong. El was beautiful in a brutal sort of way, a soft interior coated in a thick layer of protective armor.

“Thanks,” he said, breaking the silence.

“For what?” I turned under his arm, finding the comet reflected in his eyes.

“Rough day,” he shrugged. “I needed this. Needed you.”

“We look out for each other,” I said as his eyes met mine.

El nodded, but there was some emotion moving behind his eyes that I couldn’t quite place. The intensity of his stare caused me to look away, back toward the comet.

“At least I can be here for you without killing anyone.”

He let out a hearty laugh, pulling me against him again and pressing a slight kiss to the top of my head. I ignored the voice in my mind wishing it had been my lips instead.

“I take care of my family,” El offered, his tone void of the earlier humor. “Death is a mercy I give those who deem to harm them.”

“And I’m a part of your family?” I asked, turning to face him once more.

“Yeah, Z,” he smiled down at me, brushing his fingertips along my jaw. “You are.”

Chapter 8

Zialda

Lina’s face was devious as she pulled the dress from the garment bag. I had, of course, not bothered to attend a single fitting. She and Yunia must have banked on that fact because I would have never approved the gown I was gawking at.

“Just try it on before you freak out,” my sister held her hands out.

“I wouldn’t deign to tell you how to do your job,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “But Lina, where is the rest of it?”

“It’s rather modest once it’s on.”

“It doesn’t have a back!”

“Which is why it’s perfect for someone who intends to eat their body weight in baked goods this evening.”

I pressed my eyes closed and sucked in a deep breath. That had been the only criteria I’d given to the twins, but the back of the dress was nothing more than ribbons, and to say it was out of my comfort zone would be an understatement.

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