Celestial Gardens(The Last Star Trilogy #2)

I squinted around the room. They were all evacuating. I didn’t even remember putting on my shoes, I ran out the door only to find an even bigger scenario. Everyone was running around as bombs hit the barrier and tried to break through. The sky was light blue and pink indicating it was early morning.

I rushed over to the entrance and found no one there. No army. No ambush. Nothing. Then, where are these bombs coming from?

The barrier was almost broken. A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the Conference Hall building. I looked up and saw that it was Tristan.

“Are you hurt?” he asked. I shook my head.

He still examined me while I hugged my waist. “Where are the bombs coming from?”

“They’re not bombs,” he told. “They’re just really big Star Stones falling from the sky and someone’s controlling them.” He had to yell since there was too much noise.

“Hydras,” I realized. It’s them. They’re manipulating their Constellation to send down huge Star Stones to break the barrier. Fortunately, the barrier held together because the Summer Triangle was being manipulated by other Constellations but this time, to keep us concealed.

I glanced up, another stone hit, broke and erupted Stardust. Raelynn, Nathan, Anthony, Lewis, even Amara and Phoenix were helping keep the barrier closed. Lyra was missing in action but I didn’t have time to worry about her. I rushed to them and Tristan followed.

“They’re using Orion’s Belt, too,” he pointed out. They’re using an asterism to power another asterism while manipulating that astersim with six Constellations. Of course, just another normal day here in Crimsyn State.

I concentrated on Virgo and eventually Ophiuchus. Tristan joined us. The next Star Stone deflected off the barrier. So did the next. The Hydras gave up after a few tries. I looked up and saw that the glassy texture of the barrier was turning more and more prominent.

“You can stop now!” Hellen yelled.

They all pulled away except me. I slowly let go of each Star in each Constellation to avoid burning up our only protection. I looked at my friends, they didn’t look exerted. Amara looked tired but other than that she confirmed she had never felt better.

Damage was done since the barrier had shattered a little from the top and let in chunks of the Star Stone. Tristan and Phoenix, being the strongest in our group helped remove the stones and reduce them to Stardust. Anthony and Nathan calmed everyone down but we were all sleep deprived and traumatized. Way to make a morning worse. Raelynn decided to be useful and help Tristan and Phoenix. Amara found Lyra hiding in the bathroom. We had orders to evacuate each building because if one had collapsed we would become pancakes.

“I don’t like it here,” she squeaked and curled into a ball outside the girls’ quarters. She repeated that line until it was the only sound I could hear.

After hours and hours of mending and cleaning. Crimsyn State was almost back to normal. The important thing was to demolish the stone since it was harmful for all of us and radiating Celestial Energy when it broke. If it would’ve been the size of a regular Star Stone it wouldn’t have released so much energy but considering that this was gigantic it even knocked a few people out.

Everyone continued with their daily routine. Lyra just lay there while Amara stroked her hair and whispered that everything was going to be fine. Tears stained her cheeks and she sobbed like a child. After hours, we finally coaxed some food into her. She retreated to the bathroom instantaneously.

She stepped out of the girls’ room looking like a completely different person. She wore a tracksuit and her hair had gone from tight curls to straight. Her purple dye had washed away revealing light brown hair with a few white streaks where it had been bleached. Her arms were at her back and she walked with her chin up, like a soldier. Her eyes were still puffy but she didn’t realize. Her Ophiuchus pin sparkled in the Starlight.

“Lyra . . .” Tristan started. He pushed his tray away and stood up from the table.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” she demanded a little too harshly.

Tristan clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. “What do we call you, then?” Amara perked up.

Lyra knitted her eyebrows, constructing her answer. Her breathing fastened, her forehead became swollen. She grabbed her head in her hands and massaged her temples.

“Are you okay?” I got to my feet. Amara was at her side before me.

Lyra muttered something about voices. She dug her nails into her scalp and sucked in a breath. Amara patted her back.

“You have to go to the infirmary,” I decided.

“Whatever for?” Lyra spoke, completely fine all of a sudden.

“You just...” Amara tried to explain. “...you...you almost....I don’t know but you’re not okay.”

“I’m fine,” she answered. “If you’d excuse me, I have training to catch up with.”

She sauntered off without saying another word. We all stared at each other and blinked as if we weren’t sure if that really happened.

“I wonder what has gotten into Miss Gemini,” Lewis said, loud enough for just the three of us to hear.

“Maybe it’s something in the water...that she drank?” Amara suggested. I stared at her to see if she was kidding. But I knew even to her that sounded stupid.

“I’ve tried talking to her,” I told. “You should try, maybe she’ll listen to you.”

“Alright,” Amara nodded.

I’d lost my appetite and decided to go see Hellen. I had checked on her after the attack to see if she was okay. I knocked on the door twice, no answer. I tried a third time and it swung open on it’s own. I stepped inside reluctantly, leaving the door ajar. I felt guilty for trespassing, but I was curious to see if she had cleared up her belongings after the attack had left the place looking like there had been an earthquake.

Books knocked off the shelves, the desk and chair out of place, papers were scattered across the room leading to one of the drawers. The curtains were drawn. No Starlight giving life to this room. Whenever I came here, instantly I felt depressed. Maybe because it was gloomy and the whole building was cryptic. The grey walls looked as upset as I was. I imagined that the paint peeling off of them was like tears rolling down one’s cheek.

The room was exactly how I’d seen it this morning. She hadn’t bothered to reorganize. I noticed the astrological charts on her wall, neatly glued next to the map of Stellaregno. It must be a pretty strong glue to have survived the strong vibrations of the building due to that overgrown Star Stone.

I got caught up in studying the charts. There a lot of Constellations I didn’t know about, couldn’t even pronounce their names. I had a glimpse at one of her books while I was stacking them on the desk. She loved learning about astrology. Well, then, we have something in common. Not that it matters. I figured that the papers would be classified and I wasn’t allowed to even accidentally read them so I didn’t bother collecting those off the ground. The mini lamp on her desk had fallen off the edge, it still worked when I plugged it it, only now it flickered every five minutes.

The cushions were piled up in front of the bookshelf, I nearly tripped over them. Did she always keep them here? Maybe she traveled astrally in her free time. I’d used those pillows to make a bed last time I had a lesson for Astral Travel. It had gone really well.

I opened the curtains, the window was dirty from the outside but not enough to hide my reflection. It had been so long since I last looked at myself. I hadn’t been very self conscious lately. I had gotten thinner and my bones were even more prominent but not noticeable under my baggy clothes. That didn’t matter, though. I could tell. All of a sudden I had a sharp jawline and my naturally pale skin was wrapped tightly around my face, making me look old. I didn’t even want to look at my hair. The red rosy cascades were now brittle, dry and lifeless. My eyes were still the pretty shade of amber but with almost no eyebrows or lashes they looked monstrous. I rolled up my sleeve, my Ophiuchus Sign was fading, the skin around it was dry and easily torn off.

I draped the curtain again. I was tempted to throw back all the books and shatter the light bulb of the lamp, for some reason. I clenched my fists. The only sound was the blood rushing through my body. My heart rate fastened. My head started throbbing. I touched the Ophiuchus Sign, a bad idea since it made yellow dots dance in front of my eyes.

I ran out of the room, as if something inside it was chasing me. I couldn’t bear the presence of that gloomy and dark office. It reminded me of something that I couldn’t quite grasp. I sucked in small breaths until my lungs functioned normally. Then it hit me, Hellen’s office reminded me of Granny’s bedroom at home. The way she never let Starlight past the curtains, the sound of her chair rocking, the creaking of her door opening and the septic smell entering my nostrils made me sick to my stomach.

Hellen walked in to find me clutching myself and staring dejectedly at the floor. She put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you alright, Annabelle?”

I nodded, muted.

“Come,” she motioned towards her office with a hand full of documents. I jerked back, almost falling.

“Annabelle,” she called. Her voice echoed in my ears. She repeated, more echoing. Yellow and red dots danced before my eyes. I broke out in a cold sweat and started shivering. Hellen held me while bile filled my mouth. She called for help. Another one grabbed me. I squinted a couple of times before realizing it was Alfred.

Shivering turned into spasms up my arms and traveled throughout my body. I made noises like growling and yelling. My knees buckled I convulsed with the sight of a thousand Stars flashing behind my eyes.

I saw the Star that I saw the first time I traveled astrally. Celestial Energy cracking inside it. It was the brightest Star of Virgo. I wasn’t floating in thin air this time. I was just watching the Star develop its energy, like watching a movie. Something purple was inside the Star. Then I realized it might be my imagination since the entire Star was a shade of violet, radiating golden Celestial Energy.

I got flashbacks of the same scene repeatedly. The Celestial Energy was mesmerizing. Something about it hypnotized me.

The scene changed, flashbacks of my life in Hydrus. The palace, the Constellations and previous dreams repeated themselves. I saw Crimsyn State get burned down to ashes. I watched everyone I loved tortured until there was no soul left in them. My Ophiuchus Sign was completely erased from my hand. But it came back to that one Star in Virgo.

I felt my brain wake up, my senses come back to life as if they’d been numb for aeons. Something cold entered my veins, waking me in the process, as intended.

It hurt to open my eyes but what hurt even more was the IV lines traveling into my chest and arms. I didn’t even notice the oxygen mask until I tried to talk, it muffled my voice.

My head was heavy and difficult to lift. I couldn’t move my eyes without giving myself a headache. I was overexerted even though I was laying in bed while my body was filled with medicines, nutrients and vitamins all via IV drips.

There was a nurse standing on the other end of the room, frowning at a clipboard. For some reason, with certainty I knew it was my medical track record. She noticed my open eyes and rushed to my side. She felt my forehead which I assumed was burning up. She ran out of the room and came back with Anthony, Alfred and Hellen.

Anthony removed my oxygen mask and a few of my IV lines.

“You got lucky this time, Annabelle,” he said. I couldn’t find my voice. My throat was sore and my mouth was as dry as sandpaper.

He stepped away. I turned to Hellen and Alfred. they both looked sleep deprived and worried. Hellen had tear stained on her face, she’d been crying.

“Annabelle,” Alfred cleared his throat. Hellen pulled him back, stopping his words.

She stared at me and tried to smile.

“Annabelle...” she hesitated. For a minute she seemed glad that I was okay, relieved even. She opened her mouth a few times to tell me something but couldn’t find the right words to explain.

Anthony spoke up, “Are you aware of what’s happened?”

I open my mouth, a croaking sound comes out. “Don’t try to talk!” Hellen said urgently. I obeyed.

“Not exactly,” I managed after coughing.

Alfred let out a sigh and crossed his legs. There were more wrinkles on his face. He looked like he had aged fifty more years. Then a terrible thought formed in my head. How long was I out?

I didn’t have to ask them. They saw the question in my eyes. I started shivering again. Hellen rushed to my side and rubbed my arms, that seemed to calm me down. “It’s okay.” she whispered repeatedly.

“Annabelle,” Alfred said again. I would’ve been annoyed by it, usually. But I knew this was hard for him as well. I was his only family left.

Anthony was the one who answered, “Miss Virgo, you’ve been in a coma for two weeks.”