Heavenly Bodies: Book One of the Heavenly Bodies series

by Imani Erriu

Elara Bellereve had been able to walk through dreams for as long as she could remember.

Dream walker… soooo Violet?!

‘I want to kill a Star. And you’re going to help me.’

‘Meet me by the grand staircase. Leave your attitude at the door.’

‘I will if you do.’

To Elara, a reader was an alchemist. They turned the mundane into something extraordinary, transforming words on a page into entire worlds.

‘And what exactly is it that you’ve heard, princess?’ he murmured. He made his way closer. ‘That I’m an incredible lover?’ He stretched one arm with the other. She ignored the ripple of his biceps. ‘That I’m a feared warrior?’

Ahhh this tension

‘But I know that for the people he loves, Enzo would set the world on fire, if we asked.’

‘If I knew that to get you to be agreeable all I had to do was buy you food, I would force-feed you all day.’

Why do i love this!!!

In one fell swoop, Elara had been lifted in the air, and thrown over Enzo’s back. She screamed, wrestling against him, but the man was made out of fucking marble. He didn’t so much as flinch when she tried to bite him.

Ahhhhh

‘With honey,’ Enzo’s voice sounded roughly behind her. ‘Two spoons of it.’

STOP HE KNOWS HOW SHE TAKES HER TEA

‘It’s you, Enzo. Elara needs you to kill a god. When shadow and light combine, a Star will fall.’

WHAAAAAAAT

“You will fall in love with the King of Stars, and it will kill you both.” That’s why Ariete is hunting you. Not just because you cannot be killed by a Star. But because—’

‘The prophecy is about him,’ Elara whispered. ‘And he will do anything to stop it coming true.’

Fear is just a monster, Elara. And monsters can be slain.

‘And I don’t see the fuss anyway. Love-making certainly wasn’t anything to write home about.’

‘Then maybe,’ a deep voice said behind her, ‘you just haven’t found a man who knows how to seduce you properly.’

Ahhhhhhhh IM OBSESSED

Two thrones—one made of pure, shimmering silver, the other of gold. Hungry red flames devouring them both. A roaring lion, and finally a blade plunged into a stone heart. Darker than any shadow, darker than any night.

He chuckled. ‘Is it strange that I missed how you constantly irritate me?’

She smiled to herself. ‘You must have had too much to drink if you’re claiming you missed me.’

‘I did mis...

Ahh he is sooooo falling first

‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘for walking me back. You didn’t have to.’

He inclined his head. ‘Yes, I did.’

‘Why?’ she asked, her ...

Taking her hand again, he raised it as he looked at her, and she had to tilt her head back to follow the movement. ‘So that I could do this,’ he said quietly, pressing her hand to his lips. A soft kiss like a feather sent shivers up her arm.

AHHHHHHHH IM OBSESSED

‘I can think of many other ways I could distract you from the pain, princess,’ he purred.

FERAL

‘Trust me, El. I’ve not forgotten. Although the next time you have me on my back and between your legs, I’m hoping there will be fewer clothes involved.’

THIS MAN IS FERAL AND IM HERE FOR IT

‘Did they touch you?’

‘Did they fucking touch you?’ he asked again.

Touch her and die vibes

‘That will never happen to you again.’

‘I know. I can handle myself.’ She raised an eyebrow.

‘Yes. But in my kingdom, you are under m...

AHHHHHHHH

‘Let this be a lesson,’ he shouted over them all, ‘that this will be the fate that befalls anyone found guilty of the same. Of touching a woman against her will. Let this be a lesson,’ he said, turning to the whimpering figures tied to the posts, one hand raised elegantly against the bright skies, ‘that you will burn.’

He executed them for her

‘You deserve to feel true love, El,’

‘You deserve to be adored.’

‘To feel pleasure.’

‘To be the one they look for first in...

‘I think you would be very easy to worship,’ he murmured, his voice so soft she almost melted into it.

Ahhhhh kicking and screaming

‘I do not just tolerate you, Elara. You are my favourite part of the day.’

Omg my heart

‘I had an inkling you might try and do something stupid. Like, I don’t know, attend a masked ball, alone, where the god intent on killing you waits.’ He brushed a piece of lint off his indigo jacket. ‘So I got myself ready and came here to escort you.’

Ugh i loooooove him

Never a woman, just a weapon.’

‘Will you just be quiet for one Stars-damned second?’

Ahhhhhh

‘You’re the most beautiful woman anywhere. But that wasn’t enough to say. To tell you that you look beautiful seemed a lazy way to describe how you look.’

His eyes searched hers then he huffed a laugh.

‘So I didn’t want to tell you that you looked beautiful. I wanted to tell you—’ One of his hands raised to lift one of the thin straps of her gown back in place. ‘That you look like a fallen Star.’

STOP!! I LOOOOOOOVE HIM

‘Because, Elara, I may be a monster, but you make me want to be a saint.’

‘I don’t want you to be anything other than what you are,’ she whispered,

She likes him for him

‘Elara,’

‘Tell me this is all for me.’

‘Tell me you’re mine.’

AHHHHHHHH FERAL

‘El, what happened in there—’