A Tale of Stars and Shadows

Chapter Nine

Rhea watched with wide eyes as Astrea stalked out of the ballroom, leaving a trail of chaos in her wake. The pile of ashes on the floor, and the people who surrounded them stood utterly still until the door shut behind the woman of blue flame. Only then did the screaming begin.

Rhea saw the flames that had once enveloped the room die out, her breathing heavy. Astrea had a lot of explaining to do, but that would come later, first, she had to clean up this mess. Her eyes scanned the room for Amaya, her heart practically pounding outside of her chest, as she lost sight of the girl. Only when she looked under the stairs, to a group of girls who seemed to be hiding, did she see the blue dress and the earth witch trembling inside it.

She ran to the stairs, to the girl, clutching her in her muscled arms, "are you okay? Are you hurt?" Rhea threw an assessing glance over Amaya. She knew Astrea would never intentionally hurt her but based on past experiences... she also knew it was possible.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Who was that?" She noticed tears in her eyes as Amaya spoke, her shaking beginning to slow.

"I-I don't know" She did know. And she knew that once she saw her again only Artemis herself would be able to protect her from the tongue lashing Rhea was already starting to prepare. "We have to get out of here. Now." She grabbed Amaya's arms to force her to stand, "follow me, and don't look or speak to anyone." Amaya nodded her head in response, taking Rhea's hand in her own as they began to weave in and out of the screams of students, the cries of mourners, and faculty trying to calm everyone down.

Before they reached the door, they passed by the pile of ashes of the boy who had thrown the knife. She thought of how easy it had been for Astrea to kill him, granted he shouldn't have done it, but he did not deserve the end he met. She felt Amaya stop behind her, her hand losing its grip. She turned to see Amaya on her knees in front of the ashes. "Amaya, we have to go," she tried to lift her up, but Amaya only lifted a hand to her face as she wept.

"I- it was James." she reached her fingers into the ashes.

"Who's James?" Rhea was anxious to get out of the ballroom before anything else happened, a riot, a fight, or perhaps the gods would finally declare they'd had enough and smite them all.

"He danced with me," she broke into sobs just before Rhea hauled her off the floor, taking her in her arms and ushering her out of the ballroom. The door was locked, but Rhea murmured a spell and quickly slipped outside, slamming the door shut behind her.

Finally, she loosed a breath, one she realized she had been holding since Astrea first walked into the ballroom in that black gown. She had set Amaya down to shut the door, and she was now barely standing from the looks of it, her thin arms violently shaking, her makeup completely smeared from the tears. "Amaya, we have to go, we have to get back to your dorm." The words seemed to go right past her, she only stood there shaking her head, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. Amaya had never been touched by death before. She had never heard its billowing call. Death was a curious thing, always taking, always consuming. Rhea wondered if Death ever grew tired of taking. She wondered if, in some way, even Death grieved too. Or if he was too busy being lonely and selfish, too concerned with taking to even consider such things.

"Amaya, we have to go," she pleaded, tears coming to her own eyes as she watched this sweet, innocent girl crumble before her very eyes. This girl who was anything but selfish. She was the opposite of Death, she was the light in the darkness where Death lurked, driving him away. She gripped her shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet, "we have to go." Amaya finally seemed to understand. She nodded her head slowly.

Their steps were slow but urgent as they climbed the staircase to the students' dorms. From what it seemed, most of the students were still in the ballroom, she could distantly hear the Dean speaking--probably making it worse. She would have to deal with that later. Clearly, Astrea had not thought this through, at least not enough.

When they reached Amaya's dorm, she fumbled in her clutch for her keys, her hands convulsing as she did so. Finally, Rhea had enough, "recludo," the door opened. The room was exactly as they had left it before the ball: hair curlers laid on the vanity, makeup thrown about the bed, clothes covering the floor. Rhea rushed in, trying to clean space on the bed, so Amaya may at least try to sleep tonight.

"I'm tired, so tired." Amaya's words were slow, heavy, as Rhea fumbled in her dresser for clean pajamas, she couldn't very well sleep in her dress--not comfortably at least. She found a pair of black sweatpants and a tee-shirt with the University's logo in the bottom drawer, this would have to do. She turned to hand the clothing to her friend when she froze in place. While they were trying to get back to the dorm, Rhea hadn't noticed that Amaya's dress had been covered in ashes. Ashes of the boy she had once danced with, in what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Amaya," she glanced down at the dress, the grey that dusted the entire front skirt, "I'm sorry." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, as she spoke. She offered the clothes to Amaya with an outstretched hand, "want to change?" She only nodded and looked to her back. Rhea quickly ran to behind her to help her out of the intricate zippers, silks, and bows that held the dress to her body. Rhea's lean fingers worked to undo each button, tie, and clutch, working her way up her back to her shoulders. When the dress finally slipped down to the floor, Rhea handed her the tee-shirt and sweatpants.

She wasn't quite sure if Amaya was breathing as she silently made her way to the bed, now dressed. She reached over, helping her squeeze under the blankets. Only once she was completely swallowed by fabric, did Amaya speak, "do you think it hurt?" she looked up at Rhea with big, blue eyes, "James, I mean..."

"I don't know." Rhea truly didn't know, from what she saw, it was quick at least, but Astrea had a knack for pain.

"I had a dog once, when I was really little." She sniffled a little before she continued, "it was a husky. She had these really bright grey eyes, and she was so sweet, she used to sleep with me at night." Rhea smiled as she listened. "But she got really sick. She was old, and she was suffering. My parents had her put down when it got really bad. I remember them telling me that she was in the afterlife, that she was happy now, chasing sticks and eating all the treats she could. Do you... do you think James is there too?" her words struck Rhea deep. She had never seen Amaya like this before, so hopeless, so broken. All she wanted was to tell her everything would be alright, to keep her safe from pain forever.

"I think so," she smiled, barely, as she took Amaya's hand in her own and whispered, "somnum." Sleep.

As she watched her best friend be taken by sleep she vowed to never let Death touch her ever again. If Death ever laid a finger on Amaya, she would destroy him, damn the consequences, she would find a way. Her last thought before Amaya was completely out, was exactly what she would say to Astrea. What she would say to her, her best friend. She had crossed a line today, she hadn't told Rhea her plan. She could've asked for help, but no, like everything else in her life she thought she had to do it alone. She knew Astrea didn't fear much, not even Death, but when Rhea was through with her, she would fear her.