Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu

Here is a summary with spoilers for Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu

Elara is the princess of the Kingdom of Night, cursed by a prophecy that says she will fall in love with a Star and it will lead to her destruction. While she has dealt with this prophecy her whole life, she has a much bigger problem: her homeland is being attacked, and her family is being killed by the God of War, Ariete. After seeing her sister go missing and her parents murdered, Elara is forced to use her illusion magic to go undercover and flee her kingdom, leaving it in devastation.

She begins her travels alone and crosses into enemy territory, the Kingdom of Helios. She is attacked almost immediately, but is also quickly found by the Heliosian king. King Idris wants to use her. He offers Elara protection only if she agrees to become a weapon against the Stars. She must train her magic so he can use her when needed. She agrees.

Her training is placed under Prince Lorenzo, Enzo, who is far from pleased with his new role. He hates Elara and her people because his mother died due to the war, and he wants nothing to do with her. While Elara is hesitant around him, she is more comfortable with his friend Leo, a general in the army. Elara also enjoys the company of her ladies’ maids, treating them as friends rather than servants.

During one of her magic sessions, Enzo tells her that everyone should have three types of magic. Elara has illusions, dreams, and shadows, though for some reason her shadows are not working. Even after weeks of training, they refuse to emerge. Her other two abilities improve quickly. Each night she dreamwalks, and one night she realizes how powerful this ability is when she enters Leo’s dream and learns how he earned his position. As a child, Leo challenged Enzo to a fight. Enzo admired his spirit and chose to train him, even bringing Leo’s mother to the castle so she could be healed. Leo knows Elara dreamwalked and learned his secret, and while he keeps an eye on her, she promises not to tell anyone.

After more weeks of training, Enzo decides it is time to consult someone about Elara’s shadows. When Elara realizes he plans to take her to a witch named Isra, she refuses to go. Witches give prophecies, and her last one did not end well, something Enzo does not know. He drags her there anyway and learns that Elara already knows why her shadows refuse to appear. Enzo forces the truth out of her, and she reveals that when she was a child, a light magician attacked her. He was one of Enzo’s father’s men. Since then, her shadows have never returned.

Enzo does not push her further, but with encouragement from Leo, Elara decides to try training her shadows again. She knows the only way they will emerge is if she is terrified and close to death. She provokes Enzo into fighting her, pushing him until he truly wants to kill her. She says terrible things to make him angry enough, and it works. Her shadows finally come out. The two royals form a tentative friendship, realizing they work well together. Enzo tells Elara she can rest and take the next day off.

Elara decides to explore the town despite being forbidden. She runs into a priest, and things turn unsettling, but Enzo arrives and rescues her. He believed she had run away and confronts her angrily. They fight with words, and Enzo tells her to leave, saying he will take the punishment from his father and that he cannot wait to be enemies again.

Elara does not want to leave. She still wants to learn, so she stays. Enzo refuses to see or train her. Elara dreamwalks into Enzo’s dreams and sees that his father abuses him. She later offers Enzo a quiet apology and tells him they would make a good team. Enzo responds with flirtatious remarks, leaving Elara unsure of what to think.

Since Enzo still refuses to train her, Leo takes over for a few weeks. Meanwhile, the palace prepares for a small celebration. Elara has no intention of attending, but her ladies persuade her. At the event, she sees Enzo with another woman. She comments to Leo that it is strange to see people be so open, since her former boyfriend Lucas never was. Enzo overhears and provocatively tells her he cannot wait to do things to her. He pulls her aside, and they reach a truce. He promises to train her again.

Their training becomes filled with playful banter, flirting, and shared stories. Enzo learns about Elara’s first arrival in Helios and how she was attacked by his people. Days later, Elara hears a commotion in the courtyard and finds Enzo confronting her attackers. He kills them for her. Later, Enzo finds her outside and comforts her, and the two share a kiss.

Soon after, Elara dreamwalks into her friend Sofia, whom she has been searching for since fleeing her kingdom. Determined to save her, Elara decides to return home, even though Ariete is still there. Enzo chooses to go with her. While sneaking in, they encounter Lucas, Elara’s former boyfriend, who has sworn allegiance to Ariete. He captures Elara and imprisons her while Enzo escapes. Lucas tortures Elara and bites her, but the worst moment comes when he brings out Sofia and kills her in front of her. After Lucas leaves, Elara escapes and runs into Enzo, who was searching for her. Seeing her injuries and learning what Lucas did, Enzo puts Elara on a ship with Leo and returns to the castle.

Soon after, Enzo rejoins them with Lucas captive. He allows Elara to torture him as she sees fit, and when she is finished, Enzo kills him.

As they flee, Elara’s bite begins to poison her. Sirens attack the ship, and Enzo is badly injured. Elara uses her magic to save him, but it drains her completely. She collapses as the poison overtakes her.

Back at the palace, Elara fights the poison for days. Enzo stays with her constantly, ensuring she takes her antidotes and is cared for, though it pains him to see her suffer. The doctors stabilize her but want to numb her emotions. Elara senses something is wrong, and Enzo hates seeing her dulled. He urges her not to take the drink, but Elara is overwhelmed by guilt and grief. When she wants to numb herself again, Enzo calls her a coward. She agrees not to take it, and he helps her through her pain.

Elara and Enzo are summoned by King Idris, who is furious that Elara is still not a fully trained weapon. Enzo promises they will train harder, though he privately admits he no longer cares about that. He only wants Elara. He takes her to his hidden sanctuary, where they spend quiet days together. She reads while he paints, and they enjoy each other’s company. When they use their magic together, they accidentally create a dagger made of a rare stone. Isra identifies it as Duskstone, capable of killing a god. This means Elara could reclaim her throne from Ariete.

To help Elara process this, Enzo takes her to a lake. They confess their feelings for one another, but Enzo refuses to kiss her, insisting he wants to court her properly.

When Enzo tells King Idris about the Duskstone, the matter is delayed by the arrival of the summer solstice. Elara disguises herself to attend the festivities unnoticed. During one of the solstice traditions, Enzo is meant to be seduced. Elara drops her glamour and does it herself. The people are thrilled, believing that love between the two could prevent war. Elara and Enzo share their first official kiss, but they are interrupted by a goddess. The goddess reveals she is the mother of Merissa, Elara’s lady’s maid and friend. She warns Elara and Enzo that their time is coming and they must prepare.

Over the next days, Elara and Enzo steal moments together. One night, Elara overhears King Idris and Enzo speaking and realizes she should not fall for him. She tells Enzo this, and he bows before her and gives her his crown. They agree to separate, and both suffer deeply.

Eventually, they meet again by the lake. Enzo admits he cannot stop thinking about her. Elara confesses her fear of the prophecy. They kiss again, confess their love, and Enzo declares they are fated mates.

Before confronting Ariete, Elara visits Isra one last time. Isra warns her not to give the Duskstone to Enzo. When Enzo later asks for it, Elara gives it to him anyway. At the throne room, Enzo approaches Ariete and hands him the stone. Elara watches in horror as Enzo looks at her with hatred and she is imprisoned.

The next day, Enzo visits her cell. Elara stabs him with a dagger, only for the illusion to fade. It was never Enzo. She reveals she never gave him the real Duskstone. Escaping her prison, Elara finds Enzo and rejoins him.

Enzo kills King Idris, and he, Elara, and Leo regroup to face Ariete. During the battle, Ariete mortally wounds Enzo. As he dies in Elara’s arms, he shows her a memory of when they first met as children.

Merissa arrives, revealing a loophole in the prophecy. She kills Elara, and Elara is reborn as the Moon, an ancient Titan. The prophecy is fulfilled: falling in love with a Star kills them both, though Enzo survives. Elara pulls him into her dreamscape, but Ariete steals Enzo’s soul tether, leaving him in a deep sleep.

Elara and Merissa return to Helios. Elara could claim both crowns, but instead plunges the world into darkness. She vows to find a way to wake Enzo and wage war against the remaining Stars.