Prologue
“Elara, keep up!"
“I’m trying!”
Elara laughed as she ran to catch up with her brothers. The carnival lights reflected in her eyes, making everything feel magical
They had never left their town before. Never seen anything like this
Her mother smiled at her, brushing her hair back. “Having fun?”
“Yes!” Elara beamed
Her father chuckled. “Careful, or she’ll want to come back every year.”
As they walked, Elara noticed a quiet tent off to the side. It didn’t have music or bright lights like the others
Just a simple sign:
Fortune Teller
“I want to try that,” she said enthusiastically
Her brothers groaned
“No,” Cassian said immediately
“Absolutely not,” Lucien agreed
“Why not?”
“Because that’s where people go before bad decisions,” Lucien said
“That makes no sense.”
“It doesn’t have to.”
But Elara's eyes kept glued at it
“Please?”
“Fine. But we all go in together" Lucien muttered begrudgingly
Inside, the world dimmed
The air grew heavy
Candles flickered along the walls, their flames bending as if bowing to something unseen. At the center sat a woman cloaked in layers of dark silk, her eyes like molten gold
“Ah…” Madame Zorya whispered, her voice echoing strangely. " A pretty star.. " she says as her eyes settled on Elara
Cassian tightened her grip on Elara’s hand
Come here child,” she said
Lucien whispered, “If she turns into a frog, I’m not carrying her.”
“You wouldn’t carry me anyway.” Elara huffed sticking her tongue at Lucien
“True.”
Elara felt her heart flutter as she was gently guided to sit across the small, round table. A crystal orb shimmered between them, fog swirling inside like trapped breath.
“What’s your name, little star?” Zorya asked
“Elara.”
Zorya smiled at her reassuringly and before anyone could question it, Madame Zorya placed her hand over Elara’s—and the world… shifted
The candles went out
The tent disappeared
Darkness swallowed everything
And then—
A vision.
Chains of velvet wrapped around pale wrists
A towering man cloaked in shadow, his presence suffocating yet intoxicating
A city far from home, drenched in neon and blood
And Elara—
Grown.
Breathless.
Not from fear…
But from something far more dangerous
The vision snapped.
Elara gasped, clutching her chest, Retaliating as if burned..
The candles flared back to life
Elara, still trembling, looked up meeting zorya's gaze which now looked at her as if she had just witnessed a tragic seen of a star dying
“Why… did it hurt?”
For the first time, something like pity flickered across Madame Zorya’s face
“Because, little star…” she said softly “some destinies don’t ask for permission to enter once life.”
Outside, the carnival roared back to life as if nothing had happened
Elara, if you trip again, I’m leaving you,” Lucien said playfully trying to lighten up her mood after whatever happened back there
“You said that already,” Elara huffed, trying to keep up with her brothers
“And I meant it both times,” he grinned
Cassian rolled his eyes. “You’d cry first before she even fell.”
“I would not.”
“You cried when your kite got stuck in a tree.”
“That was emotional damage and I was seven back then.”
Elara giggled, holding onto her mother’s hand as the carnival lights flashed around them. It was loud, colorful, and way bigger than anything back home
Her father stretched his arms. “Alright, who wants food?”
“Me!” Elara said immediately
“Also me,” Lucien added
“I want something that won’t kill me,” Cassian muttered, staring suspiciously at a neon-blue drink
Back then, Elara thought her biggest problem was her brothers..
She was wrong.
Very, very wrong...
