Chapter 44: Heart’s Rules

DANICA

Stepping outside, I felt the familiar tingle of the star symbols on my forehead. They usually appeared at night, but it wasn’t night yet. The morning was drawing on, time ticking away like a bomb. I felt a sense of urgency, an unspoken understanding that time was running out.

We all gathered in the front yard, Hugo’s car parked nearby.

Riley broke the silence. “What’s the plan?” He was eager to get moving.

“I need to meet Astra,” I replied, but he cut me off.

“I mean, what’s the plan for bringing back the day?” he asked again.

I hesitated before responding. “That is the plan…” His lips tightened into a thin line.

“I don’t know what else to do but… I need to meet her. Maybe if I get answers… maybe something could happen,” I said, unsure if Astra could help, but hoping she could.

Hugo’s voice came from behind me. “Answers to what?” he asked. He wanted to know about the vision I’d seen.

I sighed, unsure of how much to reveal. “I… I saw…” I trailed off.

“I need to know from her first,” I finally said.

Hugo banged his fist on the roof of his car in frustration, making me jump. “What if it matters right now?” he asked, his voice edged with anger.

I didn’t know how to respond, or why I felt such a strong need to keep my vision to myself. There must be a reason why celestial rulers kept their secrets, but I felt a need to tread carefully.

Klaus stepped between us, his gaze disapproving. “How could you talk to your ward like that?” he asked, his eyes narrowing at Hugo.

He moved closer to Hugo, his steps slow and deliberate. Without warning, he punched Hugo in the jaw.

Hugo stumbled but managed to stay upright, leaning against the car door for support.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked, rushing to Hugo’s side.

Klaus shot me a warning look, and I stopped in my tracks. The other guardian angels watched the scene unfold, none of them stepping in to help Hugo or me. I didn’t understand what was happening.

I turned to Klaus, my heart pounding. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

Hugo didn’t meet my gaze, and I had a feeling he knew why Klaus was so angry.

“I don’t blame you for anything, Danica. You don’t know much about this life and the few laws we follow, but he should have known better,” Klaus said, his voice filled with venom.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, but Klaus ignored me and turned to Hugo.

“How could you be so selfish? We’re supposed to protect her. Give our lives for her. How do you think this situation will help her mentally when you’re willing to die for her?” Klaus’s words were harsh and filled with resentment.

“There’s a reason we’re not supposed to get attached to the ones we guard. You were our unwritten hero, even when others painted you as a villain. I didn’t think a hero could do us so wrong,” Klaus said, walking away without looking back.

I knew he was right. What was happening between Hugo and me was wrong. We both knew it, but it wasn’t the forbidden aspect that drew me to him. It was the way his soul spoke to mine, the way he was the only one who ever made sense to me.

I looked at the other guardian angels, but they all avoided my gaze.

“Are you all going to leave now? Is this too disgusting for you to bear?” I couldn’t hold back my words any longer. I said what was on my mind.

Davina lifted her gaze, shaking her head. “We’re here to guard you, Danica, to keep you safe no matter what,” she declared, but her words didn’t comfort me. They were here to protect me, but no one said they were happy about it. They were just fulfilling a duty they couldn’t shirk. Though I guessed Klaus had managed to slip away.

Hugo chimed in from the sidelines. “We need to get you to Astra,” he stated.

I nodded in agreement and climbed into his car, the silence between us heavy and awkward. The others remained standing there, unsure of where to look or what to do next.

As soon as we were out of sight, Hugo broke the silence. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“For what?” I questioned.

“I regret letting that happen,” he confessed.

“Letting him hit you? But it wasn’t…” I began, confusion lacing my words. But he cut me off.

“Us,” he clarified. He was apologizing for letting us happen. “I’ll ensure it never happens again. I’m your guardian angel, here to protect you. Nothing less, and certainly nothing more,” he stated, ignoring the incredulous look I shot him. “I can’t let anything interfere with my purpose.”

“You knew the risks, Hugo,” I retorted, my voice shaky. “You knew what could happen.” He had assured me it was okay, that he was fine with it.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “I guess I just needed a punch in the face to get it.” He tried to joke, but we both knew it was far from funny. “Whatever was between us… it didn’t mean anything anyway, so… why bother,” he added, leaving me speechless.

I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I hoped he was just hurt, confused. But what if he wasn’t?

He had given me his word. He knew the consequences, yet he chose to hurt me like this.

We sat in silence for the rest of the drive, until he pulled up in front of my house. I hurried out of the car, not daring to look back at him, even though I longed to confront him, to ask if he really meant what he said, to punch him for toying with my feelings like that.

I stepped into the house, a chill seeping into my bones. Astra was in the living room, appearing more human than before, almost normal, almost alive.

“Why did you summon me?” she asked immediately. “It must be more than just the absence of the sky,” she added.

“But,” I began, my anger at Hugo momentarily forgotten. “The sky is still there…” I told her. “The sky is just… dark,” I added, not fully understanding my own words, just spouting meaningless phrases.

She simply stared at me, her expression as cold as stone. “Is it? The sun didn’t shatter, the sky did. When we need it most, the sky has fallen. All that is mythical is now exposed to the mundane world. It’s only a matter of time before humans grow accustomed to the darkness, venture into the forest, and bring about their own destruction before the darkness can claim all life.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see the guardian angels staring at Astra in shock. “What can we do?” I asked her.

She approached me, her cold hand brushing my cheek.

“I… don’t know,” she admitted. “I know nothing,” she confessed, her voice sweet yet chilling, a stark reminder of our impending doom.

“Can we talk privately?” I asked her.

She nodded in agreement, and I led the way to Celeste’s study, the only quiet place in the house.

I made sure to close the door securely behind us, ensuring our conversation would remain private.

“Do you know what happened?” I asked her.

“I don’t have the sight,” she replied. “I serve the sky, I know all there is to know, but my powers are limited,” she confessed, her words raw and honest, not hidden behind her title.

“I had a vision,” I revealed, catching her attention.

She didn’t interrupt. She simply waited for me to continue.

“How accurate could my vision be?” I asked, wanting to ensure I wasn’t just sharing my nightmares with her.

“If you have the sight into the Celestial, then it’s real. There shouldn’t be any false visions,” she assured me.

My heart pounded in my chest, but I was ready to lay it all out for her.

“Every celestial ruler that has ever existed has been tasked with holding up the sky. Whether they’ve completed their transition or not, it’s their purpose to die and hold up the sky. But now, there are too many of them. They’re not just holding the sky anymore, they’re pulling it down. I need to find a way to free them,” I rushed out.

My words tumbled over each other as Astra began to pace the room.

“What are you saying? Has there never been a celestial ruler who failed?” she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

I shook my head, my heart heavy.

“They all dedicate their eternity to the celestial. They don’t just die, they’re suffering up there.”

Astra’s mind was working, her thoughts almost visible in the air between us.

“If we release them… set them free… that should lift the sky,” she mused aloud.

“But how?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Astra’s eyes sparked with sudden understanding.

“You need to go up there. Only a celestial ruler who has transitioned can do that,” she said, her voice filled with certainty. “There should be a single light source in the sky that controls the balance between humans and mythical creatures. If it’s broken, you could be the one to fix it and free the celestial rulers.”

“But how do I fix it?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“You’ll need to put the pieces back together. You have the power to do it, Danica,” Astra said, her words coming out in a rush.

“But we need to do it when there’s the most energy supporting you. That means we need to find as many mythical creatures as we can to create a field of energy.”

“But how do I get up there?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Astra’s voice dropped to a whisper, her eyes downcast.

“We’ll have to… kill you to get you there. I can’t promise that we’ll be able to bring you back if you don’t finish in time…” Her voice trailed off, the words hanging heavy in the air.

This was my purpose, the reason I was created. To protect everyone from the sky falling, from the end of the world.

Not everyone could be a hero, but someone had to do it. I lifted my chin, determination filling me.

“It’s okay,” I said, leaving the study where everyone was waiting, their eyes on me.

I wasn’t afraid. It was terrifying, but it felt… right.

I cleared my throat, addressing the room.

“We need to find as many mythical creatures as we can, as quickly as we can. There isn’t much time,” I said, urgency filling my voice.

We had to move fast. If the mundanes found out about the mythical creatures, it could cause problems we didn’t have time to deal with. And without the sky, the world would cease to exist.

“What for?” Davina asked, her voice filled with confusion.

“To create the strongest energy field.”

I glanced at Hugo. Of course, he had to chime in.

“Why the energy field?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

I could tell he had an inkling of what was going on. He was smart, experienced.

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze.

I could see in his eyes that he already knew the worst.

“I’m going up.”