Light of Stars [2]

Chapter Twenty-Seven

♕ The Acrux Council ♕

The bridge hanged in crystal glass joining both mountains together. Each one with a wooden archway marking the entrance to the next. There was nothing protecting the high openings to either Lynx or Gloas, nothing to keep air, mist or rain from entering either palaces, but nor the wind or clouds seemed interested in traveling this far up the mountain.

Aubrette wondered if hidden somewhere, stardust still protected the entrances, if it lingered on after the last speck had flown away. It was said that Starhaven used to be rained on by the golden dust, that the stars had chosen the land as theirs, and their city had been built around it. She had not seen a single guard protecting the paths that led into the bridge, or those that spiraled around half the mountain leading to the main doors, and crystal curtains. She wondered, if people died trying to climb up or if the fall was enough to keep trespassers and robbers away.

She could not help but remember Exilium, the countless times guards had found men trying to walk up the sides of the mountain, not knowing the hidden ways towards different paths, not smart enough to hide the sound of their steps as they fell a couple of meters down. All of them locked away or executed by morning.

Not one single of them had interested in what laid beneath Blackstone's walls, if it had been for hunger or need she would've made sure they'd been spared. But all did share one thing in common, sneaking a look at the princess, and the broken queen that had hidden her family away.

Starhaven did not seem to worry about that. Goldcrest hadn't either. A chill went down her spine, but Aubrette fought to keep her face still.

"Are we supposed to know these Tristesse and Azazel?" Aubrette dared asked as they started crossing the bridge, hoping it would delay it for a few seconds. She missed heights the most. Looking down at the world and falling in love with it, all in a few seconds.

"They were heads of the Hollow. Specially the Infernum circle." Zander said. "Tristesse kids, Dorian and Phoenix, have been part of the council since Azazel ascended to head, their mother his second. Sort of, its quite a long story" he explained.

"I thought the whole Infernum was a myth" Aubrette confessed, embarrassed at her own misknowledge. "My mom used to tell me scary stories about what they did to you there. If you misbehaved. Threatened to send me multiple times through the years."

Zander smiled kindly. "The brimstone prefer to remain hidden from the rest of us, and are highly protective over Infernum. I have only been as far as the Hollow. Never into Infernum itself or past the Dead Tree for that matter."

"And Morte?" Sybilla asked. "Favian said he is going on trial tomorrow"

Zander tensed up. "Morte is a son of hell. One of the few adult brimstone left. You see, Infernum is not hidden for pride or mystery. Theres... things up there, no one exactly knows what, that intensify a blessing if one is born inside its barriers."

Aubrette felt her head spin. "And you called this blessed, brimstone?"

"Yeah." He said, and sighed. "Theres around seven in training right now. Six that came before. Jackel, my father, was one of them. Dorian's parents and Azazel, three others. They trained beside Morte, many years ago."

"They sound interesting enough" Izabella shrugged, unimpressed. "But I'm willing to bet any of the Aureums could kick their asses" she grinned, cutting through the tension. Zander smiled.

"That I would love to see"

They stepped inside Lynx, the inside mirroring the previous one perfectly. Aubrette let herself stare into the details carved in the walls, the small specks of light that shined from the ceiling above them, almost as if real direct sunlight were falling over them.