Celestial Gardens(The Last Star Trilogy #2)

No matter how hard they tried, it was impossible to calm me down. I kept screaming and crying, mumbling pointless words even I couldn’t figure out. Our last hope was putting me to sleep. They injected a medication which kept me unconscious until Amara woke up and starting responding to her treatment.

Nobody asked me what had happened. I was glad about that because I didn’t know how to explain the situation since I didn’t even remember the events after I had slipped into the vortex. The last thing I recalled was blacking out.

Alternatives for meals were the drips. Same for Amara. She would wake up at times and say meaningless things like a psychopath. She kept asking where she was and how she got here and only one person could tell the whole story. A side effect of the medicine was dreamless sleep, so I didn’t see the Star Spirit. Fortunate for her, since I would’ve strangled her.

After days of being under treatment and Anthony studying both of us like science experiments, they stopped giving me sleep medicine and interrogated me for answers. A group of doctors in white coats and stethoscopes surrounded my bed while I lay like a lifeless person. I wouldn’t answer to either of them. They finally agreed to let two familiar faces question me.

“Are you aware of what’s happened?” Alfred asked.

“I’m not sure, exactly,” I said hoarsely.

“You used Celestial Energy to bring Amara here,” Anthony realized. “How did you do that?”

“It wasn’t me,” I said, staring into the light bulb above my bed.

“We found you outside the Conference Hall building with Amara,” Alfred said. “You both were unconscious and almost dying. Judging by days of study and observation you both have traveled celestially. That’s impossible for you to do. We can only travel astrally.”

“Only Star Spirits can convert Celestial Energy into a vortex,” I added. I looked Alfred in the eye. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

He looked at me with concern but he got my meaning. “How is she?” I looked at Amara.

“Confused, scared, traumatized,” Anthony whispered. “Do you want me to go on?”

I glared at him. “Can you save her?”

“We already have but if Alfred hadn’t found you that morning you both wouldn’t be here right now.” he said. I knew with certainty he was correct.

“Never do that again,” Alfred demanded.

I was out of the hospital wing in a few days. My head ached from time to time. I was fatigued even after hours of rest and I was fighting nausea. So, there was nothing new about my life, really. I checked on Amara but she didn’t believe a word I said. I brought Tristan and Lewis to talk to here and slowly she started coming back to reality. She stopped thinking that she was going crazy and that this was a mental asylum.

I had to deal with Lyra’s questions when I saw her in the girls’ quarters. Each time I asked her to talk to Amara she looked at me, confused and said she had no idea who I was talking about. It made me furious to even look at her. Our best friend was in the hospital going mad and Lyra was fighting amnesia for some reason. Yesterday I forced her to look at Amara, hoping that that would knock some sense into her. But instead, she claimed she had never seen the girl in her entire life. I wanted to give her a high five, in the face, with a chair.

Today, she asked me where I’d been all these days and complained a dozen times about the filthy bathroom. I stared at her like she was an idiot, because she was.

“Honestly,” she sighed. “I have no idea where you are these days and I have to share a bathroom with disgusting, uncivilized girls and there’s no hot water here. No coffee or fresh towels. I brought my own toiletries but what about coffee?”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious!” she said. “Now, when are we getting out of here?”

“Not for an extremely long time,”

“Why?”

“Because, there’s a war coming and I have to train you and Amara for it.” I told.

“Train?” she repeated. “As in, working in mud and dirt while shooting arrows and dodging bullets? No, thank you. I’m good and I’m going to Amara to leave with me.”

“What’s gotten into you?” I worried. “The day you arrived you were even better than me at the training area and now you hate it?”

“As I’ve said before, I have no idea what you’re talking about!” she almost yelled. She stared off for a moment, baffled and irritated by herself.

“You’re a lunatic,” I decided.

“I could say the same about you.”

Lyra’s face turned red and her forehead became swollen. There was that bewildered look on her face. She stared down at her outfit, tight jeans, white boots and a high neck sweater. She touched her hair, curly and styled as usual. With her red lipstick and eyeliner, she looked overdressed for a rebel base. She rolled up her sleeve and took off her gold watch, I caught a glimpse of the only Sign she had, Gemini. It just might have been my imagination but I thought the Sign was moving lightly.

Her breathing fastened and she rushed to the bathroom.

Just then there was a knock on the door. I opened it and found Amara standing right there.

“Can I come inside?” I let her in and we sat opposite to each other.

“They said you brought me here through Celestial Travel.” she seemed to be asking if it were true.

“Celestial Travel is different from Astral Travel. In Astral Travel we voluntarily separate the soul from the body and travel the universe. Celestial Travel requires Celestial Energy to be converted into a vortex which opens up wherever we want to go. Something we cannot do.” she added.

I told her everything I knew. Starting from the night I met Alfred, leading to the dungeon breakout, Crimsyn State, my training, plans to get all the descendants here, lessons with Hellen and the Star Spirit’s plan.

She looked at me with wide eyes. She was wearing her night suit which was now tattered and gross with I don’t even know what but we both smelled like hospitals.

“I remember going to bed in my dorm room at Serpens University.” She stared off. “I roused by a person shaking me. It was you. I thought I was dreaming so I went back to sleep. Then, I woke up in a hospital with a dozen IV lines in my arm. It still hurts.”

I repeated the part about the Star Spirit and told her how she possessed me. That was our only hope of getting her back.

“My dad was so angry when Alfred came to get me,” she told. “He locked me in my room. It took the entire household to calm him down and convince him to let me attend university in Hydrus.”

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this,” I said. “I know it’s hard but we desperately need your help. I hope you’re with us.”

“I’ll try my best but I’m not a fighter.”

“We’ll help you,” I promised. I felt invisible weights lift off my shoulders. We have everyone. “Where’s Lyra?” she looked around. “Tristan and Lewis told me she was here.”

I told her about Lyra’s absentmindedness or as I would call it, amnesia.

“That’s odd,” Amara said.

Lyra got out of the bathroom looking completely different. Her makeup had been removed, her clothes were now green camouflage and her hair was as straight, in a tight ponytail.

“Amara.” She said her name as if she wasn’t sure if she was right or not. “When did you get here?” Finally, she remembers.

Amara hesitated, “A few days ago.”

“I’m going to the training area,” she announced. “If you want to join me, I’d be happy to help you out.”

She sauntered off before I had the chance to ask her what the heck happened to her. Amara got in the shower while I found clothes for her in the lost and found. I got black leggings, grey long shirt, socks and a pair of sneakers since she was wearing her fuzzy slippers.

I braided her hair after it was dried and I had washed the sweat and tears off myself. I changed into, baggy black trousers, a sweatshirt and boots.

Tristan and Lewis showed Amara around, making jokes and exchanging banter to cheer her up. Tristan noticed my consternation, I didn’t know if it was because of mine and Amara’s predicament or Lyra’s amnesia.

Nathan and Raelynn asked me if I was okay. I introduced them to Amara. Phoenix was training with Lyra which I thought was strange since they’re complete opposites and would have nothing in common but Lyra was determined and Phoenix had the same trait. I didn’t remember that being a Gemini characteristic.

Amara took a while to adjust. Mostly worrying about what her parents would think and about her studies. We all tried to calm her down, except Lyra. She would only come rarely, complaining or telling us we should go back. Otherwise she was busy training with people I didn’t even know.

Lewis had brought some books with him and he helped Amara study. Tristan played video games with Amara on his laptop and phone. I found the whole scene bizarre but also peaceful. We were all together and we can start preparing for battle now.

I revised how many people we had: Aries, Aquarius, Pisces, Capricorn, Cancer, Virgo(and Ophciuhus in one) Sagittarius and Gemini. Eight Constellations. Not to mention we had the people of Crimsyn State as well.

King Jaxon Hydra had, possibly everyone in Stellaregno, his family. Scorpio and Leo. They had two Constellations while we had eight. An advantage that raised my hopes.

The news confirmed Libra was staying neutral and no one could change that. Alfred finally put up that television in a room in the Conference Hall building. We would watch the news in between practice.

I had a tingling feeling in the back of my head, like I was forgetting something but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I distracted myself with archery. Phoenix was growling and having a practice fight with muscular girls. She was fast and deadly.

“Phoenix,” I called. She narrowed her yes at me as she approached.

“What do you want?”

“You said you wanted to coach me,” I reminded.

“What’s the point?” she said. “What could a double threat like you possibly have to learn something from me?”

“Stop feeling insecure and do whatever you want with me,” I said.

“Ever since you’ve been here all you cared about was getting your friends back,” she raged. “You have no idea how many people look up to you. You don’t even care about them. You’re selfish. You’ve criticized Crimsyn State, don’t think I don’t know about that. You hate us. And we think of you as a role model!”

I was at a loss for words. I had no idea she looked up to me. I hated her for making me feel guilty.

“That is not true,” I insisted.

“Yeah, right.” she said. “You should’ve stayed in your palace, princess. You’re useless, we were better off without you!”

“Is that why you give me a hard time?” I yelled. “Because I’m weak?”

She was about to say something but was interrupted by a middle aged woman yelling someone’s name. I had seen her before.

“Marianna!” she called and repeated over and over. There was no one here except me and Phoenix so I had no idea who she meant.

“Coming, Mom!” Phoenix answered. My jaw dropped.

“We’re not finished,” she said through gritted teeth and ran over to the woman. They had a conversation where Phoenix seemed irritated mostly.

When she returned, I had to resist asking the dozen questions running through my mind.

“That was my mother,” she said in a low voice. She crossed her arms and looked at me like she was waiting for me to say something.

“Oh,” I said lamely. I cleared my throat. “You’re name is Marianna?”

She sighed but nodded confirmation. “My parents call me Mary . . . when they’re in a good mood. My sister always does.” I didn’t even know Phoenix had siblings. “My brother made fun of my . . . prissy name and called me Phoenix. I hate my birth name so I tell everyone it’s Phoenix. Not a lot of people know my real name.”

Phoenix hated her real name, no doubt, because she thought it was too formal and didn’t suit her personality. I didn’t need to ask her that. I could see it in her attitude.

“Why Phoenix, though?” I questioned. “Is that your only Constellation?”

“You’re really dumb, you know that, Annabelle?” she said. Then, took off her bracelets, I still couldn’t see her Sign.

“My mother’s Constellation is Phoenix but I only inherited my father’s,” she told as if it were embarrassing. “My mom let me use Phoenix as my nickname or as everyone would think my birth name.” She rolled up her sleeve and I saw her Sign. My eyes were so wide that I thought they might come out of their sockets. That tingling feeling came returned in my head. Phoenix was actually a descendant of Taurus.

“I’m a Taurian,” she said. “But I’m way too much of it. I can’t control my temper. A trait of Taurus. People made fun of it when I was younger so I decided to tell them I belonged to Phoenix.”

She noticed my shock and smiled. “Just so we’re clear, you’re not allowed to tell this to anyone unless you have a death wish.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “I won’t tell.”

She put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a look which sent a numbing chill down my spine. “Seriously, if you tell anyone I will rip out your intestines and choke you to death with them, and then leaving you hanging by your ankles where everyone can see you.”

“No need to be so harsh.” I tried to smile at her to lighten her mood, but I forgot that she was still Phoenix and she isn’t easily pleased.

“Don’t think I’m not mad at you,” she said. “You forgot about my Constellation. You didn’t even mention it when you were deciding which descendants we had.”

“It slipped. I’m really sorry.” I apologised.

“Whatever, you know now.” she said. “That’s the real thing. So, we have nine Constellations on our side.”

“Uh-uh” is all I could think of.

“This doesn’t change anything.” she adorned her arms with bracelets, again. “I thought you would realize you were missing a Constellation but you didn’t.”

She sauntered off. How could I have been so blind? I didn’t realize I was counting eleven Constellations as twelve. I probably counted Opchiuchus too which made twelve and wasn’t aware I was missing Taurus. I cursed in Latin. No one was there to hear me.

Taurus was represented by the bull. No wonder Phoenix was furious and irritated all the time. It’s icon was complicated to explain. On her wrist, I had seen a circle with the horns of a bull on top of it.

We both carried on with our monotonous routines. I kept thinking about Taurus. Phoenix and I had another talk while she took me on a run. She said she didn’t help open the barrier because she didn’t want to use Taurus in front of everyone. She manipulated her Constellations for me, just so I could have more proof since the feeling hadn’t really sunk in yet.

“Marianna Phoenix Taurus,” I said in between breaths. “It’s not so bad.”

“Trust me, it’s bad.” she sighed. “And if you ever say that, even by accident, ever again, I will personally rip out your intestines and use them as a jump rope.”

I swallowed, certain she wasn’t joking and was capable of doing something like that.

“Who else knows?”

She stopped, her hands on he knees. “Alfred and Hellen,” she counted them off on her fingers. “A few of my parents’ friends who are also a part of the Crimsyn State Council Board.”

I couldn’t help but feel giddy. We had nine Constellations and if Ophiuchus doesn’t give me a hard time I can include that too. We were ready to fight. Almost.