Tellaâs dreams tasted of ink, blood, and unrequited love.
She was inside Legendâs mural. The night smelled of paint, and the spying stars looked like smudges of white gold rather than sparkling orbs. When she looked down, the paint from the moonstone steps stuck to her toes, turning them a glowing white.
She was in the muralâs last scene, standing on the steps outside the Temple of the Stars. But unlike in the painting, Legend was not with her.
There was only Tella and the steps and the godlike statues, which glared down on her as the Maiden Death glided near.
âGo away!â Tella didnât need another prediction of a lost loved one right now.
âDoes that ever work?â asked the Maiden.
âNot usually, but it always feels good to say.â
âYou need more in your life that feels good.â
âThus telling you, the bringer of all doom, to go away.â
The Maiden Death sighed. âYou refuse to understand me. I try to prevent the doom, not herald it. But, after tonight I will not come to you again unbidden. For if you do not summon the Assassin and me when you wake, then it will be too late to save your sister or the empire.â
The Maiden Death lunged forward, grabbing Tellaâs hands andâ
Tella shot up in bed, drenched in sweat from her head all the way down to the backs of her knees. Her hands were dry, but as soon as she opened them they turned damp.
Two luckless coins rested in her palm, one for the Assassin and the other for the Maiden Death.
Tella jumped out of bed and threw on a robe. She didnât want to believe the Maiden Death, and she really didnât want to call for her help. But even if the Maiden Death had not come to her in a dream, Tella would have known something was wrongâshe should have been woken up much sooner.
The night before, sheâd crawled into bed with the windows open, hoping the sound of the ocean waves would drown out the echoes of Legendâs rejection.
She didnât know if heâd just said it to push her awayâif heâd taken his brotherâs advice to let her goâor if that was how he truly felt. But halfway through the night, sheâd realized it didnât matter. Legend was right. Tella did deserve more than someone who just wanted to possess her. The problem was, she wanted that from Legend.
She could lie to herself and say she didnât want Legend to lose his immortality for her. But she knew that if he ever offered her his love, sheâd take it and hold on to it forever.
Tormented by all these thoughts, she hadnât expected to find sleep. And, if she had fallen asleep, Julian was supposed to wake Tella up as soon as Scarlett dropped off the Fallen Starâs blood. But either Julian hadnât woken her, or Scarlett had never appeared last night.
Tella pounded on Julianâs door and swung it open at nearly the same time.
âJulââ Tella faltered at the sight of his empty bed.
She left and marched down the stairs, but Julian wasnât on the lower levels. He wasnât anywhere at all.
All she found was a note pinned to the back of the front door.
I canât wait here anymore. Crimson didnât check in last night-or bring blood. Iâm worried something has happened to her. Iâm going to find her and bring her back.
-J