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“Potahto,” I corrected.
He tilted his head, smiling wider and flashing his dimples. “Come again?”
“The saying.” He only continued to smile, raising a brow. “You said it wrong. It’s either potato, potahto or tomato, tomahto.”
“Of course you’d know the correct way to say it.”
“Ugh, you’re even more insufferable when you’re not trying to snap my neck!” I shouted, causing people to turn and stare. But Altair didn’t seem to care. He only lifted a hand and snatched one of my curls, twirling it. The chocolate coloredstrands looked even darker wrapped around his pale, long finger, which held a ring the shape of a snake. “You want me dead, act like it!”
“I don’t think I do.”
“Liar.” He continued to play with my hair, the distracted crowd around us making the moment feel somehow private.
“Congratulations, Tershetta. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Before I could realize what was happening, Altair grabbed a dagger and brought it to my hair, tightening his grip so he could slice the curl. I yelped, backing away from him. But there was no need. He had already been taken by shadows.
Chapter Forty-One
Azazel
“It’s strange how easy it is to take a life. How little it matters after if no one around you cares.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9259 AS
My fingers gripped the letter, so many emotions filling my chest that I feared it might explode. The words began to blur, my eyes watering as I attempted to reread them.
Dear Az,
I’m so very glad to hear from you! I promise, it was my pleasure to host you. There’s no need for apologies.
While on the topic, there are many solutions for sore joints that don’t require magic and can even bring more relief. I’ve had your little shadow beast bring some along for you to try. By the way, this is a very scary creature.
On another note, I want to ask you for a rather big favor. Please protect Nova. I know she seems strong and smart and brave, but that’s because she’s suffered a lifetime worth of fear and loneliness. In her mind, she has to pretend to be steady, even if she feels moments away from falling.
While I don’t know you personally, I do consider myself to be a great judge of character, and I can’t help but believe in yours. So, please, keep my daughter safe.
Love,
Octavia Tershetta
P.S. If you’re ever wanting to impress her, my Nova loves books. The older the better. She prefers to read by candlelight with a good view of the sky.
Not only had Mrs. Tershetta sent me a tincture for the achy joints I complained about like a child, she also said something truly nice. Something that I felt would stick with me for a long time. She believed in my strength of character. Has anyone ever said anything like that?
No, never.
She was wrong to do so. I had tried to kill her daughter just yesterday. Everything she believed about me from our short encounter was false. I wasn’t a savior—not a protector for her daughter—I was a wicked, evil monster.
Stars, what was wrong with me? Why was I suddenly feeling guilty?
I wanted to pretend like it was because I watched her receive the stars. There was nothing like such a sight. The light and magic had burst free of Tershetta, reminding me so much of Talon’s nickname for her. Supernova. A star exploding.
Despite that, I knew it wasn’t the case. Something had slowly begun to change. I had felt it for awhile, but on that battlefield, with my dagger against her throat, I was undoubtedly sure that I didn’t want to kill Nova Tershetta.
Groaning, I tugged on my hair, letting my body fall back into my pillows. Above me, I had cast the same stars I watched her use before, the sight of them making my heart physically ache. Just as the glass ball upon my desk now did.
Even more concerning was my rapidly growing relief. Not only had she saved me from killing her and feeling even worse, but she had given me a sort of gift. The race was over. I would never receive the stars. I could stop fighting every day for them now. And it wasn’t my fault either. They had told Father to his face that he was the problem. That his likeness in me was the only reason I hadn’t been chosen. While not getting them meant a much more difficult fight ahead, it also freed me.
Now all twenty core families were in the same position—bowing down to an akhata, which went directly against our plans. In fact, I was quite sure the twenty heads of the families were meeting now to discuss the path forward.
