Star in Ashes (Acotar fanfic)

Chapter 1: The Heist

'Out of the ash

I rise with my red hair 

And I eat men like air' 

- Sylvia Plath 

The Rainbow of Velaris shimmers in the afternoon, colours cascading over the water. But I barely have time to glance at it. I quickly walk through the streets, the hood of my cloak covering my face. I make sure my red hair is safely hidden.

The Court of Dreams.

When I first heard the name, I'd scoffed. A bunch of do-gooders, pretending they weren't as power hungry as the rest. But this city is peaceful, full of laughter and joy. It makes me feel queasy.

I take a left into a silent alley and lean against the wall. Time for my game plan. I close my eyes for a second and breathe. You know what you're here for, Morgan. Andromeda. The Star sword. I imagine it in my mind, twining with silver power. The sword at my side feels weak in comparison.

My skin glows faintly at the idea of it and my power dances in my veins. I curse, stuffing it back down inside. I glance around, hoping no one in the street has noticed.

Right. Time to start my genius, incredible, star-guided plan. I can do this. I can do this. As long as no one knows who I am.

I follow the alley, which opens up to the great house that the High Lord and his lady live in. This is it. I can hear the star Rigel muttering on the wind, about how my plans hardly ever work out. I ignore him.

The house is beautiful and somehow feels like a home. Shame washes through me for a moment. How could I steal from them, after what my mother did? But no. This isn't about her. This is about me.

The guards monitor the entrances in shifts and I hide in the shadows, watching them. My hand rests on the hilt of my sword. And...it's show time.

I wait until the shift changes and sneak over to the door. When the new guards arrive, I pop them both over the head with the hilt of my sword.

"Sorry about that." I mutter. Rigel's laughs chase me into the house. I scowl. He's really supportive. Asshole.

The hallway is a deep plum colour and paintings line the walls. They're beautiful and some of them are very dark. One shows ribs and a bare, hopeless forest. The other shows three muscled males with bat-like wings, triumphant on a mountaintop. I can't help but feel a sense of kinship with the artist, even as I silently move down the hallway. Now, I know for a fact that the High lord and lady aren't here today. So, this shouldn't be too hard. But I won't have long. The guards will be noticed soon.

I search deep within myself for that thread, that ribbon of starlight. I focus and feel it stretch far upstairs to the top of the house. Andromeda. My salvation. Good, a voice says at the back of my mind and I smile. The star Arcturus. He's far nicer than Rigel.

I force my glowing power deep within myself as it responds to the sword and make my way up the stairs. A strange purring noise comes from the first floor and I freeze. Shit. I'm done for. They'll throw me in prison or worse. I peer over the banister, preparing for the worst. I tense, my sword ready. And...

It's a cat. Not even a very pretty cat, to be honest. It's bald and gives me a disgruntled look, as if I'd ruined a perfectly peaceful afternoon.

"Well, aren't you ugly."

The cat hisses at me, perhaps returning the compliment. Although I'm not ugly. Just a bit vain.

I dart past the hideous creature and it paws at me, obviously wanting to attack. The High lord and lady have seriously bad taste in pets.