The Celestial Code

Chapter Eight

A mushroom cloud appeared in the distance, screams and cries for help ringing in Dessa's ears. She woke up with a gasp, her heart racing and her ears still ringing as she glanced around wildly. Whatever sedative Zaire had given her must have faded because she felt more on alert than ever.

Dessa jerked forward and gasped when straps pressed against her chest, holding her back. He must have strapped her in while she slept. A shudder of disgust ran through her at the thought of him touching her while she was unconscious. The thought of a Celest being so near her person made her want to throw up. She undid her straps and glanced around, finding the ship's controls dark and turned off with the pilot seat empty. Dessa squinted into the dimming light outside, the twin suns of Avere starting to set and casting the sky in blues, greens and oranges. Her first night on Avere, she had climbed to the roof of her barracks and watched the suns set. It had been the first thing on the planet she thought of as beautiful. Tarra had sunsets of pinks, oranges, and purples. But there? The sky and clouds turned into blue and greens and reflected off the silver and gold plants of the planet, casting everything in rainbow hues. It had been like a fairytale. To this day, Dessa still stopped to marvel at the Avere sunset.

It cast the massive pearlescent temple in front of the ship in a cascade of colors, making spiraling towers and spires glimmer. A house temple and from the looks of it, Dessa assumed it was House Raja. When the war first started, Dessa had done copious amounts of research on the Celests and their culture. She had memorized all seven of their godly houses and what they stood for. Dessa hadn't thought it had actually come in handy, and yet there she was.

House Raja was the house of beauty, prosperity and love. What could Zaire possibly need from the priestesses of Raja? She would have thought he would stop by House Loftin, house of war or House Erecent that symbolized death and travel. Yet there they sat in front of the most beautiful and lovely house of all seven.

Dessa stumbled to her feet and left the cockpit behind. He should have woken her up. Zaire couldn't just leave her on the ship for anyone to find her and drag her back to that horrible place. She descended the ladder and thanked the gods that he had left the platform open. Had he been thinking of her or just wanted a quick in and out?

It didn't really matter. Dessa wasn't going to sit on that ship and wait for him to get done with his dealings. She wanted to know why in the underworld he had brought them there when they should already be off planet.

Dessa descended onto a landing platform right behind the temple. A door had been left ajar and sparkling light gleamed from within. She didn't hesitate to stride across the platform and through the door.

She caught herself the instant she entered, stumbling to a stop. A thick and floral scent coiled through the air, smoke from bowls of incense hanging from the ceiling casting the whole room in a haze. Dessa coughed, covering her mouth with her elbow as her head turned foggy once more. First the sedative and now this.

Settees overstuffed with pillows, plush rugs and tapestries on the wall decorated the room. Everything about this space felt safe and warm and invited her to kick off her shoes and take a nap. She blinked heavily, forcing herself to stay alert.

"Can I help you?" a silken and smooth voice asked.

Dessa spun to the side, her eyes narrowing on a silver skinned priestess. She wore a silver dress under a green sleeveless tunic that was so pale it was almost devoid of the color. Her long white hair cascaded down around her face and her pools of quicksilver eyes blinked at Dessa in interest.

"I'm here with the prince," Dessa said, the words feeling far away like she was underwater.

The incense floated through her head and clouded her thoughts. She scrunched her eyebrows, trying hard to stay focused. The air felt so heavy and warm. Even though she had just woken up from a nap everything in this place invited her to take another one.