Chapter 18: Eclipse

Eclipse stared into the mirror, brushing through her long, black hair. She sat on a small seat, just inches away from the painted wooden vanity. As the brush ran through the knotted strands, she was careful not to get the bristles tangled in the lace of her dress.

She wore a soft, white gown that trailed to the floor. Laces of intricate designs traced up her back to her neck, wrapping around her arms as sleeves. A set of simple, dangling red earrings hung at her ears, and she wore a pair of shiny red shoes to match.

Eclipse huffed under her breath. She had stayed home all day, even through one of the biggest holidays of the year. Most families would be attending parades, visiting one of the many festivals, or even just strolling through the cities at this time, not spending their day moping at home like Eclipse. Although her family wasn’t one to spend time together at festivals, at least Eclipse had been allowed to wander them with Sola. This year, however, she was prohibited from going, and had to spend all day helping her parents with last-minute preparations for their party.

With all the high members of the Ash Court attending, Eclipse’s mother took extra care to make sure everything was perfect. The decorations, the food, their appearances. She even spent hundreds of credits on Eclipse’s dress, much more than they usually spent on clothes.

Eclipse set the brush down on her dresser, and pulled out a thin, black ribbon from one of the drawers at her side. She ran her hands through her hair, gently pulling it back, and began to tie it into a long, alluring braid. As her fingers worked, she turned her head to the balcony, peering through the glass of the doors. The sun was just beginning to set, and the first guests had probably already arrived.

She tied up the ends of her hair, and let the braid trail elegantly down her back. Eclipse gazed into the mirror again, and loosened the front roots, allowing the smaller strands at the front to frame the sides of her face.

Perfect, she leisurely thought. Despite how much she didn't want to be there, she couldn't deny how much she enjoyed getting herself ready.

After adjusting the last bits of her locks, she carefully stood up from her seat, straightening her dress as she dusted it off. Eclipse strode towards her personal balcony, and lifted the bottom of her skirt off the dusty floor. She peered off the edge, looking down at the front courtyard, her eyes searching for any of the guests that may have arrived.

Three elaborate carriages circled around the front fountain, and Courtly dressed couples stepped out onto the stone stairs, making their way to the front door. Eclipse narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at their faces, but she was too high up and too far away to recognize any of them. She swiftly turned around, preparing to leave for the ballroom, when something caught her eye.

The rose she had been gifted sat in its glass bowl, delicately perched on the seat of the balcony railing. She gazed at it fondly. She couldn’t bring herself to throw it away, no matter how close it was to death. Instead, she had saved it, keeping it on her bedroom balcony with all of the water and sunlight it could possibly need. It was foolish, she knew, since the flower had been cut, but she didn’t mind. She wanted to hold on to it forever, a reminder of the day she spent with that peculiar apprentice.

Impulsively, she reached for the rose, plucking it out from the water of the bowl, its small bit of stem dangling from her fingers.

Eclipse carried the flower inside, walking back over to her dresser mirror. Shuffling through the drawer with one hand, she searched for a hairpin. Eclipse peered at her reflection, and slowly lifted the flower to her head, careful not to rip its delicate petals. With a cautious swipe, she slid the pin into her hair, keeping the flower in place at the side of her head. If the rose was going to shrivel so soon, she could at least cherish it to its last moments. The dull red complemented her earrings and shoes, bringing a good pop of color to her appearance.

With a final adjustment of her hair, she headed towards the door, her face impassively set for the night ahead of her.

✦✦✦

From the top floor, Eclipse gazed down at the lively ballroom. Guests were adorned in lavish dresses, expensive jewels, and elaborate hairdos. Some sat sophisticatedly at the decorated tables, while others roamed around the hall, mingling with fellow partygoers. Two servants were propped at the front archway, ushering in those beginning to arrive.

A group of musicians stood on a platform at the corner, captivating her ears with the melodious sounds of violins and harps. The ballroom stretched around them in grand, sweeping curves. Golden lanterns lit the room, the light dancing off the crystal chandelier hanging from above and complementing the red sun designs Eclipse had suggested.

Although this party was slightly more decorated than others Eclipse was used to, they were all the same every time. Her parents would talk for hours with fancy Court members while Eclipse stood at their side, silently watching with boredom. Those guests would only judge and berate her, finding some flaw in her outfit, some fault in her posture, some error in her manners. It was always the same.

Let’s just get it over with, then.

With a sigh, she lifted her long skirt and trode down the polished wooden stairs, the heels of her shoes clicking against the planks. She carefully scanned the room, and quickly found her parents standing together near the entrance, conversing with a pair of guests Eclipse did not recognize. She slowly walked over to join them, stealing glances at those seated around her.

She spotted the Captain Reiher of the Ash Guard at the table just at her side, and Councilwoman Atheleys in the middle of the room. Atheleys shot her an icy look, most likely recalling Eclipse’s stunt at the Court meeting.

Eclipse pretended not to notice her glares as she neared her parents and their partnering couple. She quietly slid over to join them, trying not to attract too much attention. Her mother, clad in a gown of elegant red, gave her a confused look, clearly noticing the slightly shriveled flower in her daughter’s hair. Eclipse only smiled innocently in return, and Sinistra stood rigidly as Jeran gently pulled Eclipse forward.

“And this is our daughter, Eclipse,” he said proudly. “Surely you remember Mr. and Mrs. Sturgen, the Council’s most trusted advisors.”

She did not. “Oh, yes, of course!” she said cheerfully, plastering a fake smile. “I would be sure to remember such important members of our Court!”

Well that was clearly a lie. There were several members there who the Council would describe as their “most trusted advisors.” These two were just another power-hungry pair, desperate to claw their way to the top of the hierarchy.

The woman offered her an obviously fake smile, and turned back to Sinistra, beginning to chat again while Eclipse tuned them out.

Time seemed to stretch as she remained in her place, people coming to talk to her family in a steady stream. Eclipse floated in and out of the conversations, with a few words here and there, knowing that she wouldn’t hear anything but lies and fake compliments.

And the gossip. Oh, the gossip. The entire room was swarming with it.

“Did you hear about Zamer and Veneta? They’ve finally been outed.”

“I wondered how long they could keep it up. Her husband was bound to find out eventually.”

Another conversation made its way to Eclipse’s ears.

“Have you heard? My cousin, Samia, is engaged to the prince!”

“That's nonsense! Wouldn't news like that be all over the kingdom by now?”

“She told me herself.”

“I say it's a lie.”

And another.

“The Hadurs’ business suffered a terrible loss.”

“Let’s hope they do not end up like the Elysiums.”

“Their bankruptcy was Tioh Elysium’s own fault. He’s just been swimming in debt all these years—he should have known that was no way to run a banking firm.”

“Whatever happened to the Elysiums anyway?”

“How should I know? They’ve been absent from the high social ranks for a while now.”

Conceited vultures…

Eventually, Councilwoman Estelle joined Eclipse and her parents, standing alone while her husband roamed off into the room.

This would be so much more bearable if Sola was here.

However, Sola was part of the Zephyr Court, and had no reason to be there to begin with. She was probably off at one of the festivals, strolling through the lively streets under the blanket of the stars. Not wasting her time at a useless party for haughty Court officials and their minions.

Eclipse’s eyes wandered around the room, looking out at the sea of people, but stopped when one person in particular caught her eye.

Oberon.

She swiftly turned to her parents, who were still chatting eagerly with Estelle.

“May I be excused for a moment?” she cut in, trying to be as polite as possible. Her mother sharply turned to face her, about to say something vexed in return, before her father stepped in.

“Yes, of course, my dear.”

She let out a quiet sigh of relief, giving him a grateful look and quickly stepping away before her mother could say anything. She headed down the edge of the hall, discreetly weaving her way through the crowd, her eyes pinned on the Councilman.

Eclipse had to circle around the polished floor where couples danced in tune to the rising music, womens’ gown sweeping gracefully as their partners spun them. She maneuvered through the sea of tables, trying to get as close as possible.

Even as she stepped around the clusters of guests, she caught the glances of curious young men, watching but too hesitant to approach the daughter of Soleil. She spotted the boy she had secretly met up with a few weeks before, the son of the Nakos, her mother’s friends. He pointedly kept his gaze away, turning to speak with a friend of his nearby.

He wasn't that good of a kisser anyway.

A group of soldiers gathered around Oberon, some of whom Eclipse recognized as prominent members of the Ash Court Guard. He muttered something to them, the circle fixated on his words. Eclipse spotted a table with several empty seats beside them. Perfect.

As she approached the table, she noticed a middle-aged woman already seated there. The woman was decorated in a dress of deep blue, her brown hair bundled neatly at the top as she took a tiny sip of her wine. Eclipse couldn’t remember exactly who she was, yet her face was familiar.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Eclipse asked sweetly.

The woman looked up from her glass, her eyes studying her disapprovingly. “If you must,” she responded dryly.

Eclipse ignored the woman’s scornful looks as she sat down, her attention focused solely on the muffled conversation behind her. She pressed her back against her seat, turning her head ever so slightly.

“This is not the time, Ermes. Anyone could be listening in,” one of the men whispered.

“I know what I heard,” another said aggressively. “He isn’t to be trusted, Oberon. Surely you know that.”

“Can we talk about this another time?”

“Not when there is a problem to be addressed. This could ruin everything!”

“Gentlemen, please,” Oberon’s voice smoothly interrupted. “I know you have your concerns, but we will handle this in a civil manner.” The group suddenly went quiet, replaced by the sound of shuffling in their chairs. Eclipse was tempted to turn her head, just to get a glimpse of what had prompted them to do so, but resisted the urge.

Come on, say something useful.

“You are the Soleils’ daughter, are you not?” the woman at the table suddenly asked.

“Yes,” Eclipse answered distractedly, straining her ears to catch the conversation.

“Nash, we are happy you could make it,” Oberon said with the sound of a seat scratching back against the floor. “Please, come sit. We have much to discuss.”

“Oh no, I can’t stay. I have—”

“I would expect their party to be a bit more…lavish,” the woman said with a sneer, covering the men’s voices. “These decorations seem to be bought from a simple merchant. And this food…did they grow it in a swamp? It’s a shame, really. I expected more from Sinistra Soleil.”

Eclipse glared at her, tempted to strike her. “Well, I’ll be sure to tell my mother all about your commentary.” She turned away, her ears perked up.

The woman took another sip of her wine, scowling. “That flower, in your hair. Is it…shriveled?”

Eclipse rolled her eyes, glowering at the woman again. “Yes, actually. Do you have a problem with that?”

The woman straightened herself in her seat. “Typical of Sinistra. She couldn’t even arrange for her daughter to wear a fresh and healthy flower. How disappointing.”

Eclipse opened her mouth, ready to return with a snide remark. Yet she stopped herself, the sound of Oberon’s voice pulling her attention away.

“No need for that. I trust Nash completely. He is a valuable part of our alliance.”

The woman continued to rant in the background, but Eclipse waved her away.

“Why, thank you, Oberon,” Nash said uncomfortably. “I’ll be sure to uphold those expectations.” She heard him step away from the group, his footsteps quickly melting into the buzz of the crowd.

“Set him straight,” Oberon murmured as soon as Nash had left. She heard a chair scrape against the floor as someone stood up from the table. From the corner of her eye, Eclipse could finally get a glimpse of the man who had risen. Tall and intimidating, with a crisp beard along his chin and a jutting scar across his cheek. If he turned around, he could disappear in the crowd within seconds.

With the woman still uttering her nonsense, Eclipse quickly stood up and stepped away, maneuvering around the circular tables. She kept a far distance, Oberon and his group still in her peripheral, watching to see if they were becoming suspicious of her. The man kept moving, but a group of young ladies stood in Eclipse’s path, their spacious gowns and enormous heels allowing them to tower over her, blocking her view. Eclipse sighed in exasperation—sometimes, it was hassle being incredibly short.

She frantically dodged around the girls, catching their irritated glances in the corner of her eye. She had no time to deal with them now, as she couldn’t lose the man’s trail.

Just as she got around the large crowd, her eyes caught him leaving the room, peering over his shoulder before turning right at the archway. Eclipse quickly followed after him, all thoughts of a low profile forgotten.

When she reached the exit, she looked down the hall he had taken, searching for any sign of his tracks. She instantly spotted him near the far corner, and quickly pressed herself against the wall, creeping towards him with careful steps. Stands of armor spread throughout, aligned against the sides of the room. The shining figures held thin, pointed swords in their hands, ones that looked remarkably real, yet were made of a soft, flimsy metal. Eclipse was shrouded in the darkness of the night, the hall only slightly illuminated by dim lanterns.

Suddenly, she tripped on her skirt and her heels clicked loudly against the floor, sending a faint echo throughout the hall. The man whipped his head around, and Eclipse froze in place behind a tall vase, nervously biting her lip.

Shit...curse these shoes.

His eyes searched around with suspicion, taking a few steps forward. Eclipse curled in on herself, desperate not to let him see her. When he finally turned away, she let out a low, easy breath, and silently removed her shoes, leaving them near the vase.

She bunched her skirt up in her hands, quietly following him to the end of the hall with bare feet. As she neared the bend where the man had disappeared, she eased herself at the corner, straining to hear aggressive, hushed voices.

Curious, she stole a quick glance around the corner, careful to silence her breathing. Nash stood against the wall, the scarred man towering over him. He held a small blade, pressing ever so lightly against Nash’s side, and a hand gripping his arm tightly. She briefly wondered how many of the other guests were armed without her knowledge. Nash stood paralyzed, fear plain on his face.

What in the stars is going on?

“Listen here, Nash. You’re not fooling anyone. We know you let out those rumors. Now you’ve got the other Councils on our trail.”

“That was weeks ago, Jaycen. I swear to you, I only told of its existence! I didn’t know Oberon had a hold of it! He recruited me only after I discovered it.”

“What else did you let out? About the Ember Legion, about the plans?” The man, Jaycen, pressed the blade closer, Nash’s breath hitching sharply. Eclipse knew he was close to breaking down.

“I told you, I only said an element exists.”

“Do the councilmen know?”

“If they knew…” A deep breath. “Wouldn’t they act? I never spoke a word to them.”

Jaycen eased his hand, Nash taking a shaky breath.

“You know how hard I have been working to train the Ember Legion, you knave! The attack was successful, was it not?” Nash’s eyes burned with terror as he struggled against Jaycen’s grip in his arm. The man pushed his other arm against Nash’s chest in response.

The Ember Legion…?

Jaycen let out a low laugh, sending a shiver down Eclipse's spine. “You know, for a Strongman, you are incredibly weak.” He held himself in place, firm as a brick wall. He must have been a Resilient, one with the Archer’s Gift of Endurance. “Your pushing does nothing to me, all that can save you now is my mercy.”

Nash stopped resisting, relaxing his body in surrender. He took a deep breath, and stared deep at Jaycen, his eyes pleading. “I promise you, I will not fail in my mission. The Ember Legion will conquer the Ash Court, and with it Ophelia.”

Jaycen finally let go and backed away, his arms sliding off Nash. “I’m watching you, Nash. As is Oberon. You may be valuable now, but don’t think I won’t hesitate to kill you in an instant.”

Nash reluctantly stepped away, Jaycen watching him with narrowed eyes as he scurried farther down the hall. As Jaycen turned for the corner, Eclipse rushed back, ducking behind a stand of armor, her eyes following him as he stalked past her.

She took a second to grasp it all. Her suspicions were correct. Oberon was behind the raid, and he had some sort of…secret army? Secret organization? Nash was telling the truth, and her father hadn’t listened.

The raid was just the beginning.

Oberon wanted more. He was planning to take over the Ash Court, just as Nash had warned.

Once Jaycen had disappeared into the ballroom, Eclipse gathered her thoughts and pushed down her panic. She grabbed her shoes from where she had left them, and started down the hallway.

There was no doubt about it now. She had to get out of this maniacal Court.

Eclipse marched into the hall, her heart pacing rapidly. She spotted her parents back at the same spot they were before, talking with a new group of ladies instead of Estelle. She made her way over to them, her mind wandering in all sorts of directions.

Useless. The parties, the aristocrats, the politics, all of it. How can they be so blind? All of this madness happening right under their noses!

A bead of sweat rolled down her face, and she quickly wiped it away. Her hand knocked against the rose at her hair, and she gently repositioned it. As she walked through the spacious hall, she took wider strides in an effort to cool herself in her fitted dress. Her hands started to tremble, the severity of the situation crashing down on her. Yet she forced her panic to the back of her mind, locking it away. She adjusted her dress and hair again, and gracefully approached her parents, all the worry bottled up and masked by a blank expression.

Her parents never asked where she had gone, and hardly noticed as she slid in to join them once more. Two ladies stood before them, one in a dress of pale blue with a familiar face, yet Eclipse couldn’t bother to remember her name. The other had a mop of fiery red hair, styled over her cream-colored dress. Eclipse recognized her instantly: Irabel Zervide, the councilman’s wife.

Irabel seemed to notice her sudden arrival, and studied her with dubious eyes as she took a sip of wine from the glass in her hand.

“Well, if it isn’t Eclipse Soleil.” Her voice was both monotonous and condescending, not making any effort to conceal her resentment. “It has been ages since I’ve seen you. I was planning to greet you earlier, but you pushed me away, scurrying after that man like a lost puppy. Where in the world did you run off to?”

Eclipse froze. How the hell did she see me?

Her parents’ heads turned to face Eclipse, both of them curious and concerned. Their eyes narrowed with confusion at the mention of the man, her mother’s face staring straight into her, waiting for a satisfactory explanation.

It was clear Irabel wanted to humiliate her, but Eclipse refused to play into her games. She locked eyes with the woman and lifted her chin.

“Why do you care where I ran off to? Surely, the ladies of this Court should learn to mind their own business? What, you think I am having an affair with him? Is that what you want? A chance to make me the next target for your gossip? All you’re looking for is a pathetic excuse to berate me, you insolent bitch.”

Irabel’s eyes widened as she stepped back, choking violently on the wine in her throat. The glass in her hand crashed at the floor—the drink staining her dress as it fell—and shattered into hundreds of pieces. Eclipse heard a loud gasp from her father, and she knew better than to look to her mother’s eyes, undoubtedly burning with fury. No, she stared straight at Irabel, a deathly scowl across Eclipse’s face.

Irabel bent down while clutching her throat. Her rabid coughing began to fade as Sinistra and the woman beside her held her firmly, desperately thumping her back. With deep, vengeful breaths, she straightened her posture, her eyes glaring at Eclipse. Wine smeared her lips and chin, and Eclipse held back a laugh. Murder was practically written on her face, still steaming with anger as groups of women appeared to wipe her stains with cloths. Eclipse only watched silently, still giving her a devilish smirk. She knew well enough that those deep red stains were not going to come out.

“Oh, look, your dress matches my shoes,” she sarcastically chimed.

A shot of pain burned through Eclipse’s arm as her mother grabbed her and pulled her aside, her nails digging into her skin.

“What were you thinking?” her mother furiously whispered with a glower. Her grip tightened. “What makes you think it was in any way acceptable to speak like that to the ladies of my Court?” She struggled to keep her voice low, her face turning a deep shade of red.

I’ve had enough of this.

Eclipse yanked her arm away, suppressing a wince. “Oh, how dreadful, oh dear, sweet mother of mine,” she spat, her voice growing purposefully louder, attracting the attention of everyone nearby. “Woe me for defending myself against the snakes of this Court. And stars forbid you defend your own daughter for the sake of your pointless reputation and meaningless politics.” Her voice was becoming a roar now, all logical thoughts overcome by Eclipse’s pent up rage and newfound panic at what she had learned.

She stepped back, taking small glances at her audience. “You’ve become so shrouded by the poisonous fog of your precious Court, and it has cost you your daughter’s love and the acceptance of yourself!”

Her mother’s eyes widened, panic growing on her face as she reached out for her daughter. “Eclipse, don’t—”

“Or perhaps you forgot to take your medications, Mother. We both know how withering you can be without them!”

“Eclipse—”

“Oh, that’s right everyone!” she yelled, her voice becoming increasingly hoarse as she steadily turned around to face the circle around her. “The great Sinistra Soleil has Wither’s Disease! What a shame it is! That someone at the top of the hierarchy could be so imperfect.”

The large room erupted in gasps and whispers, Eclipse at the center of it. Stars, how they valued their pointless reputations. She relished herself in it all. This world was useless and pathetic, and she was liberating herself from it. There was no turning back now.

She turned to face her mother’s eyes, burning with a rage hotter than all the stars. Eclipse fearlessly gazed into them, ready to face whatever consequence came her way.

But she wasn’t done yet.

“While we’re still on the topic of you, dear Mother, why don’t we let the people know about your deceptive and atrocious climb to power? Lying and cheating and manipulating and using that damned Gift of yours against all of you to get you worshipping her at her feet. Look at you, so pathetically idolizing her, when she’s done nothing but coax you like baby lambs being sent to the slaughter. She controls all of you!”

The musicians in the background gradually came to a stop, and a perplexed laugh sounded from Eclipse’s throat.

How oblivious all these esteemed people are.

“That’s enough, Eclipse,” Sinistra hissed. “Leave now.”

“How about no, Mother?” Eclipse replied carelessly, the entire room gazing. She was breathing heavily, her hair and dress askew.

“Go to your room,” she said, this time with a much different tone. Eclipse could feel herself beginning to tighten, her thoughts beginning to fade, the words wrapping around her gently, slowly tempting her to obey. She knew instantly what was happening. Even though she had never felt this way before, she’d done it to too many people for her not to know what this was. A mysterious force mesmerized her to comply, to reject any thoughts or feelings that may lead her to disobey.

Yet she fought with all her strength, resisting the urges that compelled her to listen, battling them in her mind with an iron fist.

No. No. I will not be Persuaded. She can never force me to obey.

She sank to her knees, clutching her head in frustration. Her eyes stared at the ground, and she let out a loud groan as her thoughts spun in circles, aching throughout her skull. Finally, her mind began to clear, the pounding in her head slowly fading yet still persistent. She forced the whispers out, slamming the door in her mind after them. With deep breaths, her body loosened, and she slowly stood up from the ground.

“No, Mother.”

The entire room erupted in another wave of gasps. Eclipse had resisted Sinistra Soleil. No one had ever resisted Sinistra Soleil. No one had ever been able to overpower her. No one had ever been stronger in Persuasion.

But Sinistra Soleil had never used her Gift against her own daughter before.

With all the stares of the room on her, Eclipse turned to face them all, looking upon them with disdain and contempt. Every one of their wretched faces held both shock and fear. She let out another bark of laughter, raking her hands through her hair. Tiny strands flew in all different directions, laced with sweat and negligence. Yet she didn’t care. Her hair didn’t matter any more. Let it be tousled if she wished it so. With a knowing smirk, she raised her hands to her head, and adjusted the shriveled rose in its place, keeping it safely pinned and secure. Eclipse smiled proudly at the petrified crowd, savoring it all.

Because this Court, all its councilmen, everyone, could go to hell.