Soon, our blades were ringing in the still early evening air. My body had heated as brightly as Seth’s and we moved around each other with a familiar routine.
Hours and hours of practicing with each other, made this skirmish as dangerous as it was predictable. I could read his next moves but he could just as effortlessly read mine. I knew when to brace myself and when to lunge. I knew when he was going in for a tougher hit and when he would pull back because the opportunity wasn’t there.
But I also knew he was so much better than me.
In every way.
I needed to get out of here or his cave fantasy would become my reality.
I changed up my moves, attacking with a courage and strength I didn’t have. I burned a little brighter than I was supposed to, but I just needed to cross the property line and I would be free.
Free.
I hated that I thought that.
I hated that I was more afraid of Seth’s prison than his distance.
God, I missed him so much. But not this version of him. Not this side that sought to control, manipulate and destroy.
Seth pushed back and soon our swords were flying at supernatural speed with a grace and poise that surpassed our years and hours of practice.
I let out a feral scream and spun around, hoping to catch him off guard. He met me just as I finished my turn with the tip of his sword pressed into my side. Before I could let that fully absorb, I used my anti-gravity skills to flip my body over his blade and land with the tip of mine to the center of his chest.
I had two swords, to his one, so I kept my other blade crossed with his.
He laughed at my “checkmate” position and kicked out. He caught me right in the stomach and sent me flying backwards.
But not quite far enough.
He pounced on top of me. His sword landed elsewhere when he held me down by my biceps with both arms pinned to the ground. He grinned triumphantly down at me.
I bucked against his hold, but it was no use. I felt his heat cover every inch of my body and watched his Light brighten to blinding.
He dropped his head and gloated, “Should we start with the tour of the cave? Or get straight to the good stuff.”
I rolled my eyes and let myself explode into a burst of heat and Light. His grip disappeared on my body as I ceased to be a tangible being.
I had never been this bright before and besides the ground that would be charred and dead beneath me, I wasn’t really sure about the negative impact I would have on the ecosystem.
But I also didn’t have a choice.
I threw myself as far from Seth as I could and then jumped to my feet- which were human again- and flew the last remaining feet to the property line that would successfully shroud me with safety.
I turned around, feeling completely out of breath. My blood rushed in my veins and my chest heaved painfully. I rested my hands on my knees before lifting my eyes to meet Seth’s furious gaze.
He stood as close to the line as he could, leaning his forehead against it as if it were a glass wall.
“You’re a cheater.”
I stood back up and shrugged helplessly. “You can’t keep me here. I have to go.”
“You don’t have to go. You want to go.”
He had a point. “Fine,” I relented. “I want to go. And I want to find the traitor. It’s a win-win for me.”
“And if you die? Is that a win-win for me?”
I frowned. Gosh, he was smug when he was right, but it wasn’t like I was going alone. My parents would be there. Jupiter would be there. I would be protected.
He didn’t have anything to worry about.
I decided to pull a play out of his handbook and ignore his question. “I’ll come find you when I get back. You can buy me ice cream and apologize for doubting me.”
He let out a roughened chuckle. “Sure, Stella. You actually make it back from the Lower Realm alive and I’ll buy you ice cream. But we both know that’s not happening.”
“Don’t be such a pessimist,” I scolded. I started to turn around because he was really freaking me out now. All this gloom and doom stuff was not adding to the missing confidence I’d been experiencing for the last couple weeks.
“Stella,” he called after me.
I turned around but kept walking. All of a sudden it was too hard to be around him. It was too much. I didn’t want to leave him. I didn’t want to have to divide us between an invisible wall. I thought being away from him was hard enough, but being this close together was infinitely more painful.
“Yeah?” I asked on a choked whisper.
“I love you,” he told me.
But before I could say it back, he had taken off for the sky in a burst of Light.
And then I changed my mind all over again.
This was worse.
The separation was the worst.
I missed him already.
Chapter Three
I looked up at the clear sky that blinked back with a million of my sisters in arms. They were counting on me. They trusted me with this place, this last planet that held hope and life and humanity. They trusted me for some unfathomable reason.
And tonight, I would join them.
Adrenaline sparked through my veins like a thousand firecrackers at once. I breathed deeply but it was no use. There was no way to calm my racing heart.
In about three minutes I would do the one thing I had been told I was never supposed to do: Leave planet. The Council had summoned us and so my parents, Jupiter and I had no choice but to oblige them.
Even with Seth’s death threat looming overhead.
I’d informed everyone last night, as soon as I got back from my make-out session/fisticuffs with Seth. Serena and Nate had even come over to discuss my chances of survival.
Attempting something in the Lower Realm was extremely risky. Not only would they have to get past my parents and Jupiter, but the entire Council would be there to witness. Seth had to have his facts wrong. There just wasn’t someone stupid enough to attempt to pull this off.
Still, we were going prepared.
I even got to use one of my mom’s broadswords! Technically, I wasn’t supposed to use anything this potent until I came into my fullness of power, but my usual weapons wouldn’t withstand the trip. I needed something with staying power that could handle light speed, space and the otherworldliness of the Lower Realm.
So the broadsword it was. Which by the way, my barely matured muscles still had issues carrying. But it would be different on the trip; I would have complete access to every bit of Light within me.
I heard my parents at the door locking up the house. Jupiter was with them. This trip was about to really happen. It had seemed like a macabre fantasy before, but here we were, getting ready for takeoff. I breathed through my nose and tried not to puke.
This was it. I was leaving Earth.
Lights started to appear in the sky above, bright as the sun and coming fast. My replacements. There were supposed to be several of them. They were going to hang out on the farm and watch the place. Serena and Nate were patrolling tonight and would call for help if they needed it.
“You look stunning, Stel,” my dad smiled at me. His eyes twinkled in the dark and I could feel his excitement for the flight ahead of us.
I had never been more nervous but my parents lived for the times they got to fly off planet and fight the way they were born to. They promised I would love it just as much and that I should cherish this time because I wouldn’t get to use my full-strength ever again while I was stationed on Earth.
Unless I wanted to implode this planet… which I did not.
I looked down at the lavender, bohemian-style maxi dress with a tiered ruffled top and long flowing skirt. I had been told to dress up for the Lower Realm, but honestly, my closet wasn’t that much help. And I couldn’t exactly bring Piper in to help on this one.
I had been left to my own devices.
The heavy black boots beneath the full
skirt, helped make me feel more comfortable. They were a gift from Serena at the end of last year. She swore by their weight and pliability. They also seemed practical for a trip across space and time, but I wasn’t exactly an expert on interstellar travel.
“Thanks, Dad,” I smiled at him. “Will this be alright?” I gestured at the general vicinity of my dress and my dad’s smile turned proud.
“Absolutely. You’re perfect.”
“He’s, right, Sweetheart,” my mom chimed in. “You look great. They’ll love you.”
“I don’t think they love anybody,” Jupiter chimed in. “So it will be quite the miracle if Stella manages to simply convince them to like her.”
I scowled at Jupiter but he was in no way affected. I didn’t think he meant to insult me; that was just his version of the truth. His version of the probably very accurate truth.
Well, that didn’t help calm my nerves.
The bright bursts of Light landed all around us and before I could take another calming breath seven Stars faded into human form. I blinked against the blazing trail of fire they left in their wake. They had landed with as much grace as they could, but their feet still shook the ground with the strength of their fast landing.
We stared at each other for a moment. They took me in and I absorbed the ethereal beauty that felt almost painful to look at. Their hair color ranged from white to a pale blue that sparkled in the night air to neon yellow as bold as her Star-form.
They were tall, willowy creatures that towered over me. Their elongated limbs moved with elegance and a supernatural fluidity that mesmerized me. I stood there dumbfounded, unable to think up any kind of greeting other than, “Welcome to Earth.”
Which seemed highly inappropriate.
“Starling,” one of them said instead. Her hair was a shade of purple more white-washed than my dress and her eyes flashed with thin, white streaks, like small snaps of lightning. “We are honored to serve you tonight.”
“Really, I am the one that’s honored,” I quickly assured her. “I appreciate your time and sacrifice.”
She smiled at me as if I’d said the perfect thing. Okay, that bolstered my confidence somewhat. She stepped toward me and waved her hands out at two other Stars that moved to flank her. Her hands made a cupping gesture against her chest and she said, “I am Ciana, general of the southern skies. Siraj and Senna will escort you beyond this atmosphere.”
“Escort?” I looked at Siraj with her pale pink hair and Senna with her blinding yellow hair and wondered why they didn’t think my parents and Jupiter would be enough.
“The Council has voiced concerns for the enemies that live within the confines of this planet,” she explained. “They want to ensure you are able to leave safely.”
I looked beyond the women charged with my safety and into the dark night. We made a tight circle in the middle of my parent’s drive but beyond us and the small circle the motion light over the kitchen door made, the rest of the property was entombed in darkness.
I wondered if the Council had heard the same threat Seth had warned me of, or if Seth was the one they were most afraid of.
Only, it wouldn’t be Seth that sent an assassin after me, it would be Aliah. Seth would prefer to kill me himself. Aliah was under contract not to touch me.
Last spring, the three visiting Elders had brushed concerns of Aliah under the rug because they believed he could be easily disposed of. Now they had sent a guard with me in the small space between ground level and space.
I felt manipulated.
Or maybe it wasn’t Aliah they were worried about, but the traitor.
What if these girls were traitors? Or someone among them was the traitor? And they were only taking us as far as the sky where they would ambush us and slit our throats?
Too dramatic?
Maybe. But when someone threatened my life, I wasn’t sure there was a way to be overdramatic. Pretty much every circumstance and decision now carried the potential of taking my life.
Yikes.
“I think we can handle it,” I blurted.
They blinked at me.
Not exactly my most compelling case.
I tried to smile but it came out wobbly. “What I mean is, thank you for your help but we can manage the trip. My parents have taken it plenty of times. Jupiter has… too.”
I had no idea if Jupiter had left Earth one time since he landed. Was landed the right word? Did he land? Or like, did he descend? Arrive? What if he was the original alien sighting? Hell, were there more aliens landing on Earth?
Besides, these ones, standing in front of me.
I shook my head out and tried to focus. Those thoughts were not getting me anywhere productive.
“Is there a problem, Starling?” Ciana asked gently. Her brows had pinched together and her shoulders strung tight with tension.
I looked back and forth between the two Stars behind her and pressed my lips together. I didn’t know what to do. I had to protect myself and my family first, but I didn’t want to offend anyone. Intergalactic PR was clearly not my forte.
Thankfully, Jupiter jumped in and rescued me. “Stella’s right. We don’t need an escort. And we don’t need your extra Light drawing more attention to us.”
Ciana looked more disturbed and I could feel the ripple of anxiety stretch into the others. Siraj and Senna leaned behind Ciana and whispered words I couldn’t make out. My dad looked back at me and seemed to understand my internal debate or at least he seemed to understand I would not be convinced to accept the escort.
“Ciana, you are gracious to offer protection,” he said smoothly. Good, he could cover for Jupiter and me. “Jupiter is right though. We will already have to contend with the planet’s authorities in regard to the Light and landings. If we can minimize the fallout of your visit, it would be best.”
“You mean Earth’s government?” Ciana asked with her airy voice.
“Yes!” I said too quickly. Slow down. Play this cool. “This is bound to make the news. We don’t want to make it worse than it already is.”
“I can understand that.” Ciana looked around at her frantically whispering friends and gave them a commanding arched eyebrow. They immediately settled down. “Then, we will detain you no longer. Go safely and in peace.”
“Peace to you as well,” my mother replied. Such a diplomat. I should have let her do all the talking. She gave me a meaningful look and then lit up to take flight.
I followed her example and before I could second guess myself one more time, we were air born. We took to the skies quickly but with as little Light as we could manage. Once we were out of this atmosphere, I would have my first taste of light speed, but we were playing it safe for as long as we could.
And protecting the environment as best as possible. It turned out having three Stars with the ability to burn brighter than the Sun in this galaxy would have adverse consequences on this planet if we lit up together.
Who knew?
Sorry Global Warming, my bad.
Once we were up a ways from the farm, Jupiter grabbed my mostly human wrist and stopped me. My parents hovered above as Jupiter nodded to my left. I followed his intense red-eyed gaze and found Seth hanging out there.
Seth.
My heart immediately picked up rhythm and ached with a longing that pounded so powerfully in my chest, I couldn’t think of anything besides the pain.
He seemed so nonchalant, just hanging out in the middle of the sky. Shockingly there was no glow of Light around him, nothing but a hazy gray aura that outlined his body. Just yesterday he had still had his Light. And now… Today… nothing. His arms were crossed and his feet spread, the same kind of angry stance he would have given me with his feet planted on the ground.
I turned to face him and breathed in the warmth of my soft glow. I was grateful for the protection Seth had earned me when he joined the dark side, but personally, I couldn’t imagine being without my Light or the warmth that came with it. The Darkness that infec
ted Seth was so opposite from the person that he really was; it made me sick to see him like this.
To see him so Dark.
“I’m going,” I told him with a strong enough voice to carry across the distance.
“I see that,” he hollered back and I could feel the sarcasm in his tone.
I looked down and realized that he hovered outside the property lines of the farm. It was nice to know the blessing carried this high into the sky. But it sucked to realize that he still couldn’t cross that line… that he still wanted to harm me or my family.
“Be good until I get back,” I shouted to him.
His face cracked into a devilish grin and some of the gray flickered to white around him. His hazy outline looked like a snowy TV screen for just the few seconds it took the Darkness to inject back into the place where his soul was supposed to be.
“If you get back,” he countered.
“So little faith in me.”
“No,” he argued more seriously. “So little faith in everyone else.” He tried to fly forward but the boundary line kept him from gaining any distance. His shoulders went rigid with frustration. He glanced at the ground for a second, a look of pure determination flashing across his face before he returned his attention to me. “Come back to me, Stella. Don’t let us win.”
My heart moved to my throat and I had no response to that. He left then anyway so it didn’t matter that I couldn’t speak, that I couldn’t even think.
He’d said “us.” Don’t let us win. He was associating with them now.
He believed he was one of them.
“Come back to me, Seth,” I whispered into the night but he didn’t answer. Nobody answered. Nothing happened except the dark night pressed against me until I felt suffocated by the emptiness and the Stars pushed further away until I was a lonely planet in the middle of a fathomless universe that would not help me but would gladly hurt me.
And him.
All we had was each other and we couldn’t be together.
That was the definition of despair.