Chapter 40: Andromeda

The small fire softly crackled in the dark, fighting off the night chill hanging in the heavy stone walls of the room.

Andie stared up at the ceiling, struggling to fall asleep. Ironic. That hadn’t been a problem for her back before she had that medicine, with her frequent collapsing in the middle of her day. Sleep had been so easy, so out of control. How was it that she couldn’t achieve it now?

She flipped over to her other side. Eclipse was already fast asleep, comfortably bundled up in her bed across from her. Her hair was pulled back tightly, the light of the fire glowing against her warmly toned skin. She looked so peaceful like this, an odd contrast to how angered and annoyed she had acted in the past couple of days.

Andromeda knew Eclipse was only sucking up to the prince for their benefit, but she couldn’t help but sense something else in her behavior.

Even though she wasn’t interested in the kind of manipulation Eclipse was clearly doing, Andromeda still knew there was a limit. Eclipse wouldn’t want to give herself more embarrassment than she already earned, shamelessly flirting with Prince Damian in front of everyone. That in itself was already degrading enough. No…she took things past their limits, taking his hand at every moment, and that time Andromeda had seen her cozying up against him. It was almost as though she were actually—

No, that’s ridiculous! You know Eclipse doesn’t care for that insufferable man. She told you so. She has feelings for Arcturus, doesn’t she? And he has feelings for her!

She shifted to the other side again.

No matter, it isn’t any of your business after all.

Andromeda knew that was true, and she didn’t think of herself to be the gossiping type. Yet she knew gossip didn’t have much to do with it. Perhaps she was just concerned for her friends.

After all, she surely didn’t trust that slimy, pompous, narcissistic piece of—

A sudden noise sounded from outside. Rapid footsteps, unlike the silent pace of guards. Andromeda quickly sat up, staring at the door. No knock came, and the room was left quiet again.

On a whim, Andromeda pulled herself out of bed; she wasn’t going to sleep any time soon. Maybe a quick walk would help her clear her mind.

She slid into the thin slippers the prince had sent to each of them. Her outfit—a silk nightgown softer than anything she had ever worn—was probably the only thing keeping her from lashing out at the man. He may be an arrogant fool, but he at least treated them somewhat well.

Andie slowly cracked open the door, careful not to wake her sleeping roommate. She slipped out into the empty stone corridor, the normal bustling servants slumbering away in the night. A few guards stood frozen at the ends of the halls, but they paid no attention to her, and she did the same.

Andromeda knew her way around the castle fairly well by now. Well, at least the areas around their quarters. This hallway eventually led out to a balcony, the perfect place to look out into the sky.

She followed the dim corridor to its end, passing by the boys’ room. A set of glass-paned doors lay in front of her, slightly cracked to let in a small breeze. As Andromeda approached it, she noticed something moving outside. A figure, probably a person.

As she crept forward, her ears picked up a hushed voice, like whispers in the wind.

She couldn’t make out what they were saying, or who it even was. So she moved closer, her arm reaching for the door.

She stepped onto the balcony, pushing the door open. She instantly recognized the familiar figure, dressed in a nightgown identical to hers.

“Astrid?”

She spun around fast, and Andromeda heard a faint click.

“Oh! Andie…you startled me.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked softly. Seeing her in something that wasn’t armor or her usual forest attire made the encounter strangely more…intimate.

“Oh, you know,” Astrid turned back toward the railing. “Just out for a stroll. You?”

She seemed a bit nervous, which was a bit odd considering it was Astrid. “I couldn’t sleep,” Andromeda said as she walked up to join her.

The Royal Garden was laid out before her eyes down below, the aerial view just as stunning as the grounds. She could see the weaving, grey paths moving throughout the thick green, disappearing around the edge of the castle as it stretched out farther. Spots of color dimly popped out from the green under the half moon. It was like another world lay below her, and Andromeda was watching it from above.

Astrid didn’t say anything, and Andromeda glanced back at her. She couldn’t help but notice the small trinket clasped in her palm.

“Who were you talking to?” she suddenly asked.

“Uh…no one,” Astrid stammered, but Andromeda didn’t buy it. She had clearly heard someone talking outside.

Astrid took note of her skeptical expression, and finally gave in. “Oh, all right,” she said with a sigh. “I have a confession to make.”

Andromeda leaned in, curious.

“I talk to myself,” Astrid said with a shrug.

She blinked, unsure of how to respond.

Not what I was expecting…

“I know, it sounds stupid, but—”

“No no, it’s perfectly fine,” Andie breathed. “It just wasn’t what I—well…nevermind.”

They fell silent again, the stars twinkling above them. From the corner of her eye, Andromeda could see Astrid rubbing her thumb against her trinket.

“What is that?” she hesitantly questioned.

“Oh, this?” Astrid said, lifting up her hand. “It’s a compact mirror. See?” She clicked open the rounded trinket, two small mirrors reflecting Andromeda’s moon-lit face inside. “It’s just…something I kept from home.”

She said it with a saddened tone, and Andromeda had a feeling she had gone too far. She remembered the story Astrid had told them back at camp and instantly felt a pang of remorse. Perhaps it's best if she stopped bothering her with all her nosy questions.

“Is your medicine working okay? Did you run out?” It was a clear attempt to change the subject, and Andromeda took it in stride.

“Oh, it works wonderfully. I’ve finished the first two vials, so you needn’t worry about it. I’m just…having some trouble actually falling asleep.” She gave Astrid a smile.

“Oh, that’s good. I know I said I’d help you figure out what they mean, but I haven’t been very…forthcoming on it.”

Andromeda looked down. “It’s all right. I know there are bigger things at hand.”

The night air blew past and chilled her exposed skin. Andromeda could feel her body asking to go back to the warm room.

Astrid seemed to feel that way as well. “Well, I think I should probably go back to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, Andie.”

She left her alone on the balcony, yet Andromeda couldn’t shake her uneasy feeling. She tried her best to push it out of her mind and left the stars shining over the garden, the quiet whispers seemingly following her to bed.

✦✦✦

The water was hotter than she expected, and Andromeda jerked her hand back. Twisting the knob, she slowed the rush to a trickle and filled her cupped hands. She splashed the water across her face and blinked a few times in the mirror.

Andromeda took a second to study herself. The morning sunlight filtered through the high window, and landed on half of her face. The same rounded chin and soft jaw, a healthy pink. The same straight, golden-brown hair, trailing past the view of the mirror and down to her waist. The same scattering of freckles across the bridge of her small nose and cheeks and forehead, surrounding her father’s grey eyes.

I wonder if Father’s ever come back.

A bout of homesickness washed over Andromeda. She had left home, her parents, the sea, everything, for these dreams. Here she was, with six other runaways, sitting in the king’s palace in an attempt to acquire the prince’s favor against an ever growing terrorist group led by a man Andromeda barely knew anything of.

And she still didn’t know much about her ailment. Wasn’t this why she had agreed to come along in the first place?

What if this is all a big mistake?

But then you would have never met these people. Your…friends.

Andromeda let out a sigh and dropped her head. Stars knew what the right choice was now. But it was too late for that. She had to focus.

She quickly rewrapped her bandaged wrist, replacing it with a clean one from their bags. It had mostly healed, but she decided to keep it for a few more days. Grabbing a comb, she ran through her hair before pulling it back in its normal braid. All of their clothes had been washed for them upon their arrival, and they smelled of fresh soap. Wearing her plain shirt from the camp and pants, she stepped out of the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her.

“Good morning Andie,” yawned Eclipse, who was sitting by the vanity near the rumpled beds.

“Good morning,” Andromeda replied. Her nickname still sounded a little unnatural coming from someone besides her parents, but she liked it nonetheless. It gave her a sort of strange feeling of comfort.

“Did you sleep well?” A tangle of ribbons sat on the dark wood, and Eclipse plucked one to wrap around her hair.

“Um…yes, I did.” Andromeda didn’t know whether or not to mention the encounter with Astrid. “What about you?”

“After such a long day with that idiot? Most definitely.”

Andromeda chuckled. She dropped onto her borrowed bed and pulled out her boots from underneath it. They sat there with her bow and quiver, the only place she could think to keep them. Lacing up her shoes, she glanced out the large window, revealing the side of the tall stone wall surrounding the palace.

“So, what is our plan today?” she asked.

“Mmm, I’m not entirely sure.” Eclipse swiped the rest of the ribbons in her bag, and threw it on her bed. It landed with a bounce. “We should probably meet in the boys’ room again.”

Andromeda nodded. They had to regroup there every time because Antares couldn’t risk even walking down the hall. It was the least they could do for him. She couldn’t imagine staying cooped up in a room by herself all day.

Eclipse stretched her legs out with a groan before jumping to her feet. “Come on, let’s go. Maybe we’ll catch them still asleep.” There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she grabbed Andromeda’s hand.

They left their room, moving down the hall towards the boys’ room as they passed by the normal guards. Coming to a stop, Eclipse held a finger to her lips, and gave the door three quick raps.

Silence. Then a few shuffles. Then a loud thump. Andromeda flinched, exchanging a wide-eyed glance with Eclipse.

The door opened a crack, and Orion’s head peeked through the gap, his bespeckled green eyes holding a suspicious glint.

“Hel—wait, it’s you two.”

“The hell do you mean, Orion?” Antares’ voice incredulously called out from behind him.

Orion rolled his eyes and swung the door open, revealing the room. Andromeda looked around, and struggled to suppress a laugh.

Antares was staring at them from the bathroom door, his body half out and his hair in its usual mess. He had one arm through his shirt and was in the process of putting in the other, exposing part of his chiseled stomach. Andromeda quickly looked away to see Arcturus standing by his untidy bed, half asleep as he rubbed his eyes. Orion somehow looked the most put-together, his beard freshly trimmed.

“Are you bloody serious,” muttered Antares, pulling the rest of his shirt down. “Nearly gave us a heart attack, Eclipse.”

“Well, excuse me for waking you all up.” She stepped inside, Andromeda following and shutting the door behind her. “Besides, it wasn’t just me who came to check up on you, Andie’s here too.”

“I know, but Andromeda is too nice to come up with that idea. She just got caught up in your antics.”

Antares looked to her as he said her name, and she gave him a small smile in response.

“Oh please. Quit complaining,” Eclipse said with a wave of her hand.

Orion caught Andromeda’s eye. “Is this normal?”

She gave him a nod, an amused look on her face. “You get used to it eventually.”

Antares finally stepped out of the bathroom, scratching his red curls. “Anyway, what are you all doing today? Since I’m still stuck here.”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Andromeda replied as Eclipse sat down on one of their chairs.

“I must ask, how is it being stuck in here all day, Anastasia?” she asked.

“Riveting,” he responded, crossing his arms. “Now, what do you all really plan to do?”

“The past few days have been a chore,” Orion began, leaning against the wall. “Though I think we made a bit of progress with that royal pain yesterday with the pardoning of that Terris guard.” He looked to Eclipse with an eyebrow raised. She stiffened but kept quiet.

“‘Royal pain’?” Antares repeated with slight surprise. “Isn’t that a bit disrespectful?”

“Oh, trust me, Antares. None of us give a shit at this point,” Eclipse said, and everyone seemed to nod in agreement. Andromeda purposely took a glance at Arcturus, though, who held a strange expression of confusion laced with disturbance at that remark.

Antares frowned. “He still hasn’t agreed to anything?”

“He keeps dodging it with all sorts of things,” scowled Orion. “Invitations, counter-arguments, pointless excuses. We can barely get a proper answer out of him.”

“If he didn’t have the Royal Guard, this whole thing would be a waste of energy,” muttered Arcturus, his eyes clearing from his pull of sleep.

“Well, maybe we can—”

A loud CLANG rang into the room, everyone jumping as it smothered Antares’ words. It sounded again, echoing straight into Andromeda’s ears and leaving her shaken.

“What—”

Another ring, coming from all around the castle. Andromeda watched everyone’s eyes widen with confusion.

What is that? What’s happening?

Between the loud bursts of metal hitting metal, Andromeda caught the rapid knocks coming from the door, desperately trying to sound over the noise. She jumped to the door, scrambling to undo the locks. Pulling it open, she was met with Cassiopeia and Astrid, Eclipse and Orion coming up behind her.

“What in the blazing stars is that?” yelled Orion, his loud voice barely audible over the clangs.

Astrid shook her head. “I don’t know, but all the guards have left their posts! It must be an alarm!”

Andromeda felt her heartbeat quicken.

The guards, all leaving?

“You two, come with us!” Astrid shouted, pointing to Orion and Eclipse.

Andromeda understood and stepped back, the loud bell still ringing painfully loud.

Why must it be so loud?

Eclipse and Orion disappeared through the door, swinging it shut. Andromeda felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Antares, his dark brown eyes filled with confusion and worry. Arcturus came up behind him, all signs of sleep now gone.

“They’ve gone to see what’s happening!”

The bell came to an abrupt stop, leaving Andromeda’s last word echoing in the room.

“Why’d it stop?” Arcturus whispered, glancing up.

“I don’t know,” muttered Antares, his hand dropping. “Who was at the door, Andromeda?”

“Astrid and Cassiopeia,” she breathed. The alarm was still ringing painfully in her mind. “They went to follow the guards that had left their posts.”

“Oh stars. That doesn’t sound good,” said Arcturus.

The room was silent for a few moments, the air tense and uncertain.

“I don’t like the feeling of this,” said Antares. “Alarms—”

A loud knock, followed by a progression of rapid ones. Antares stared at the door.

“Open up, quick!” Eclipse’s voice rang out, and Andromeda bounded for the door, pulling it open.

“Get your things, now,” she said breathlessly, tugging her out of the room. Orion dashed back in behind her, his face grim. Astrid and Cassiopeia rushed down the hall, not bothering to stop.

“Eclipse, wait! What happened, what—”

“The Ash Court is attacking the Terris Court. Right now.”

“WHAT?”

Antares’ voice spilled out of the room. Orion’s was firm as he spoke for Eclipse.

“We need to leave, help stop it somehow. The Prince is taking his Guard to go. He’s finally decided to help at the threat of war.”

Andromeda felt her stomach drop.

Courts attacking Courts. War.

“Andie, please, come on. We need to leave as soon as possible,” pleaded Eclipse.

Nodding numbly, Andromeda followed Eclipse, leaving the boys in their room. The pair dashed down the hall, Eclipse throwing the door open.

“Get your bow, every weapon you can carry. Plus the medicine. Leave anything else, we’ll come back for it later,” Eclipse rushed, diving for her blade in her bag.

Come back?

Andromeda shook her head, her heart pumping adrenaline to her body. Not the time to think. She had to move.

She ran for her bow, slinging both the weapon and her full quiver over her shoulder. She pulled on her gloves, and whipped around, her mind racing.

What else, what else?

The medicine. She ran to the bathroom, grabbing the sack with shaky hands.

“Andie, let's go!”

Dashing out of the room, she found Eclipse standing by the door, her face unsettlingly pale. She held something in her hands.

“You have it all?” she panted, her eyes bright.

Andromeda nodded, not trusting her voice.

“Good, put this on,” she said, handing her a bundle of leather pieces. “We’re meeting by the stables.”

Andromeda quickly pulled the pile apart, the torso armor coming unfolded as arm and leg pieces fell to the floor. She frantically slipped them on as she struggled to find her way through it. Eclipse began to pull on her own armor beside her. Once it was all on her, she did a hasty adjustment of some of the strings and latches. The armor was a little loose around certain areas, but it would do just fine.

The pair left the room in its messy array. With a glance behind her, Andromeda saw Astrid and Cassiopeia’s door wide open and empty, the girls having already left. They stopped at the boys’ room in seconds, out of breath.

“Ready,” grunted Orion, rushing out with his sword strapped to his side. Antares and Arcturus followed, each dressed in their leather armors and weapons. Arcturus carried another sack over his shoulder.

“Medicine?” he asked Andromeda shakily.

She nodded.

“Let’s go,” Antares said coldly, his exposed face unreadable. His cloak was still on, yet not adjusted properly, almost abandoning his anonymity.

“To the stables, where we came in before,” said Orion, turning away.

The group took off down the hall, eerily empty of any guards. Servants rushed past them, giving no notice to the battle-clad people storming down their halls.

We’re going to battle. Real battle. With the Ash Court. What do I know of battle? Do I really think I can walk into war and bloodshed?

They burst through a set of wooden doors, humid, stale air greeting them. Long, wooden stalls stretched out in front of them, but Andromeda immediately found Astrid sitting atop Maximus, the doors already wide open to the outside. Cassiopeia came up behind her on Clover, her spear strapped to her back.

“On your horses, now!” Astrid shouted. “They’re attacking from the south of the Terris base—we need to move now if we’re going to get there in time!”

Eclipse and Antares rushed forward, grabbing the reins of Bella and Phantom. She watched as Orion swung himself behind Astrid, and Cassiopeia helped Arcturus behind her.

Antares brought Bella up next to her and reached his arm out. “Come on,” he breathed. He kept his face stoic, but Andromeda could see the panic ensuing behind it all.

She grabbed his hand, and he hoisted her up beside him.

“Antares?” she attempted, though she didn't know what to say. His body was tense as she held onto his abdomen.

He didn’t respond, and instead snapped the reins, Bella taking off in a gust of wind.