The Court of Stars

Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

"Where is she?" I shoved the Constel in front of me, Volans I think, and glared at Gilen. The metal crown in my hand dug into my palm, the jewels threatening to pop out of their places as the crown bent.

Gilen shrugged, a smug smirk on his lips. He had taken her somewhere, saying she would be well taken care of, but I knew the Aries. I would tear down this palace until I found her, until she was safe.

I shoved the man against the walls, his lips slipping up into a ludicrous grin, and pressed my knuckle into his larynx. He choked for a few moments, his face turning an almost bluish color, before I finally released him. Though the Aries was a violent man, known best for the gun hanging from his belt, I could outpower him any day. I cleared him by at least six inches and I packed more muscle than him. The most frightening part about Gilen was his loose mind and the way his hand always rested on his gun, not his strength or muscles.

"She's fine." He spit at my feet, his face reddening. But, I didn't care if he was embarrassed, I wanted to know where Asteria fucking was.

I stormed down the hall, opening every door that was unlocked and punching every one that wasn't. Lupus followed suit, his face as red as Gilen's from anger. Perseus grabbed Lupus's arm, his muscles bulging as he tried to stop the Wolf from destroying the Aries Palace, but Lupus growled and lunged at him, causing them to tumble in the hallway.

Ignoring them, I kept going to each door until I finally found the one she was in. She was curled up in the middle of the bed, her hair spread out around her. She wore nothing except for a pathetic robe, her face streaked with her tears.

The crown slipped from my hand, blood dripping beside it from how tight I was holding it. Asteria's eyes met mine and she flinched away as I went to brush back her hair from her face. "Where were you?" The pain from a moment ago lingered behind her seething anger, her teeth burying themselves in her swollen lips. "Where the fuck were you?"

"Who did this to you?" I couldn't respond to her question because I didn't want to say that she had passed out and was taken into the Aries' care. I thought we could trust the Constels here to watch over her.

She pulled herself tighter, her nails crusted with dry blood. "You were gone. And no one was there to stop him, just like every time. I thought we were done with it, that the first time was the last time. But, it fucking wasn't. And you weren't there to stop him this time, just like the next one and the one after that. It's just going to be a circle, of him threatening me, of him taking from me, of him doing what he wants."

My vision blurred with red and I spun around so fast that I nearly toppled over. But anger kept me upright and I collided my fist into the base of Gilen's nose, his body going rigid with shock. A smile spread on my lips as I did it again, as his face met the floor. I went to punch him again, raising my fist, but someone's arm caught me before I could smash in the bastard's head.

I turned my head to Ara, my anger barely contained as I shouted, "What?"

She let go, knowing that I would take her with me in the punch. "You're going to kill him."

I froze as I realized she was right. I couldn't kill another- I couldn't kill Gilen. The other Zodians would be in outrage, even if he did rape Asteria. But, I wasn't letting him get off the hook that easy. Leaning down, I whispered in his ear, "Watch yourself at Tanith's party."

"I think you need to watch yourself, you little cunt." He grinned and spit his own blood at me, and I slammed his skull into the tile, watching his gold eyes roll into the back of his head.

Wiping my hands on my pants, I stormed out the door with Ara and Lupus behind me, the former carrying the crown and the latter clutching Asteria like she was his life line. I ignored the jealousy tightening my throat and sat down in the carriage. I assumed Norma and Circinus were already on their way to Paige, so we went onward to our next destination.