Starburst: Half Light Read online

  “Very well.”

  He dropped it, and I was grateful. Had this argument been with Caspian he never would have stopped until I agreed to see it his way. But there was no reason to think of Caspian. I knew what I had to do. We continued on in silence, the wind howling and Amsi beeping as we moved along.

  I opened my eyes, and to my surprise I could see. At first it was only faint lights twinkling in the distance. As I continued forward the blurry image became a thatched roof hut.

  “Is that where Veraka is?” I couldn’t quite believe the little house was holding up against the elements. Or that someone in a coma would be left to live in such a place.

  “Yes,” Bando immediately replied. “That is where Veraka resides currently.”

  “Currently? Where did she reside before?” So they moved the girl in a coma to a lightly fortified home? It seemed cruel.

  “In the gatekeeper’s mansion.”

  “What?” I stopped short a few feet from the small home. “The man I met when I first landed?” He’d been a funny man, and not the sort I imagined had lots of random people living with him.

  “Yes. Veraka is his sister.”

  “Funny he never mentioned that.” I knew it wasn’t just funny. It was for a reason. I’d felt uncomfortable since landing on this planet. That unease was only growing more. Why would the gatekeeper keep such important information from me? He’d acted like he’d barely known who I was talking about.

  “Veraka’s condition is quite the embarrassment to her family.” Bando stood in the dark shadows beside me. I couldn’t see the details of his features, but he was humanoid for sure. I tried not to let that reassure me. Appearances could be deceiving. Besides, it might not be his only form.

  “An embarrassment? The poor girl is in a coma.”

  “Which is not a common occurrence for the high born here.”

  “Yet it’s common for the low born?” I was getting frustrated, and I was feeling worse for the poor girl.

  “Would you like some advice?” Bando asked.

  “Sure. Why not?” I took a few more steps toward the house before stopping again. I wasn’t completely ready to face the girl.

  “Do not concern yourself with the politics of an individual planet. You have a universe to save.”

  “Yes. A universe. No pressure at all.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Who said there was no pressure?”

  “Forget it.” I steeled myself. There was no reason to put this off any longer. It was time to face Caspian’s starmate.

  3 Rachel

  There was no one at the door. No guard. No one.

  The lightweight doors pushed open with the slightest effort, and I was blinded by light. After blinking a few times to adjust my eyes, I looked over my shoulder to see if Bando was following.

  I gasped. He was right there and breathtaking. Now out of the shadows I could see him for what he truly was. His skin was as white as snow, covering muscles that could rival mountains. Muscles that continued up and down his completely exposed body. He would have been right at home with the people of Andrelexa, although they at least wore some form of clothing. I pulled my eyes up to his face. “Are you coming in?”

  “Would you like me to?” He hesitated in the doorway.

  I thought about it. I still didn’t know him, but he knew more about this planet and Veraka than I did. On the surface he also looked extremely strong, which would come in handy depending on who else was with Veraka. I still couldn’t believe the girl was unguarded. “Sure.”

  He nodded and followed me inside. Amsi beeped as the door closed behind us. We were in a small room—more of a hallway really—with silver walls and a glass floor. I looked down, there was a large hole beneath us that seemed to go on forever. “I hope this floor holds,” I mumbled.

  “It will,” Bando replied. “At least it should.”

  Rachel. I heard my name again. There was no wind inside, yet the voice still sounded exactly the same as it had before. I followed the voice through the silver hallway, holding Amsi as I wandered further inside. At the end of the hall was a small thatched door. I pulled it open, hunched over in order to pass though, and returned to darkness. My eyes were getting tired from all the back and forth.

  Luckily I was getting used to moving through the dark. I took small, deliberate steps.

  I blinked again as a light flickered across the room. I headed in that direction only to discover the light wasn’t a light exactly. It was a person. A girl. Sleeping in a bed. The low light seemed to be emanating from her. The closer I got, the clearer it became. It was really a shimmer. An iridescent shimmer.

  Rachel. I heard my name again. It was coming from the girl. But her eyes were still closed shut. Her breathing was slow and even as her chest moved up and down.

  I removed my mask without thinking about what I was doing. “Yes. I’m Rachel.” I spoke out loud even though I wasn’t entirely sure if she could hear me.

  Rachel.

  Yes, I’m Rachel. I thought it this time. Evidently saying it out loud wasn’t helping anything. And I could breathe the air here. Maybe Bando’s ability to keep my air replenished meant I could breathe in different atmospheres.

  Finally.

  Oh. You can hear me better when I just think things? It was strange just thinking things at someone, but I’d experienced far stranger in my life.

  You are speaking to me. Her voice was soft yet also strong. Alluring in an off-putting way.

  Okay. So your name is Veraka? Maybe small-talk was a waste of time, but technically this could be the wrong person.

  Yes. I am Veraka.

  And you know who I am? Yes, she’d been saying my name, but once again double checking didn’t seem like a bad idea.

  Rachel. Yes. I have been waiting so long for you to come.

  How? What made you think I was coming? I hadn’t even heard of her until a few days before. But then again, I also hadn’t realized my home planet still existed until recently. There was a lot I didn’t know.

  The universe.

  What do you mean the universe? The universe speaks to you?

  As it speaks to you. That is how we are conversing. The universe is sharing our words with each other.

  She was crazy. But I tried not to think that thought at her. I chose another line of conversation. How did you end up like this? Okay. Maybe that wasn’t tactful, but I needed to figure out what was going on.

  It was what the universe willed.

  The universe again. That excuse was already growing old.

  How can you be so skeptical? You are a feeler.

  And I’d thought the thought out loud so to speak. Yes. But that doesn’t mean much to me. You know a lot more about it than I do. Evidently she knew way more about everything involving starmates than I did.

  You know plenty. You just have to want to know.

  “I want to know.” I spoke out loud without thinking.

  Amsi beeped. Sometimes it seemed like my robot had a sentient mind. Although she was also broken, so I couldn’t put too much stock into her noises and responses.

  I want to know. I thought it instead.

  No you don’t. You want to find Noah. That’s something different.

  What does my motivation matter? I was tired of having to defend myself. It was normal to think about Noah a lot. To want to be with him. He was my starmate after all.

  The universe will not be fooled.

  You speak of the universe as if it were a person. Which was both alarming and confusing.

  It is so much more than a person.

  Okay. I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I understand.

  Join me. Her words were an order not an invitation.

  Join you how?

  In this state.

  You want me to join you in your coma? Are you crazy? Yes. She had to be.

  I am not crazy. This may be exactly what you need.

  I can’t do that. Not a chance. I had enough issues to contend with already.


  Why not?

  Because I have things to do.

  Noah to see. There was annoyance in her voice.

  Why do you care whether or not I want to see Noah?

  Because you are letting your feelings for him blind you from what is really important. Her glow grew brighter.

  We are starmates, isn’t our love important? Truthfully I still didn’t understand our connection, but love had to play a part.

  Not more important than our role in the universe.

  It was time to set the record straight on one thing. To answer your question, no. I do not want to join you in your coma.

  Coma? Does that imply a state I can’t wake from? She asked.

  Yes. I wasn’t sure of the exact medical definition, but that was definitely part of if as far as I was concerned.

  I can wake at any time.

  Then why don’t you? And why was I there? If she could wake up, couldn’t she have found me? Or better yet, couldn’t she have found Caspian herself?

  Because the universe hasn’t told me it’s time yet.

  Doesn’t my showing up here mean it’s time? I was running out of patience. I wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed, but it was too much as far as I was concerned.

  No. It means it is time for you to join me.

  Then when do you think it will be time? I tried to keep my thoughts calm much the way I did with my voice when I was angry.

  When my starmate comes for me, of course.

  Oh. Great. So much for me being the one who needed to come get you. I didn’t even bother to keep my thoughts to myself this time.

  You did need to come. Don’t doubt your decision.

  I’m not joining you in your coma. I turned to look at Bando, but the room was empty. Had he left me already?

  Well, that means I will have to wake up.

  I turned back to look at her. She was growing even brighter now. I had no idea what that meant, but something told me it probably wasn’t a good thing. No matter what it meant I wasn’t voluntarily entering a coma. Then wake up.

  What if the universe gets angry?

  So what? Is it your job to make the universe happy? No. It isn’t. It’s our job to keep the universe balanced. Those are two totally different things. I didn’t really understand what our job was, but I was going off of what I had been told.

  I heard clapping. I turned to see Bando clapping away and grinning. Evidently he’d returned. “Very well said. You are learning. Just as the Overlord predicted.”

  I tried to picture what the Overlord looked like. Was he humanoid? Was he large or small? I had learned that size had little to do with power.

  “Fine.” The word wasn’t in my head. It came from Veraka’s mouth. She sat up and opened her eyes. “Oh. You are pretty.”

  She was one to talk. Her eyes were a deep shade of green, and the light freckles on her face only added to the angelic effect of her blond hair and petite size.

  I stopped studying her. “You say like it’s as a bad thing.”

  “I have to take my starmate back after he has been hung up on you. I wish you were not so pretty.”

  “You are just as pretty. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” And Caspian knew we were over—not that we were ever really anything. Looking back I found it increasingly difficult to define exactly what we had been. Was he my captor? Was he ever really my friend?

  She flipped her long hair off her shoulder. “But I’d hoped you’d be hideous.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” I didn’t bother to dial back my sarcasm. Geez. Maybe this girl should have stayed sleeping. That would have been better than listening to this.

  “Sorry. That was rude.”

  “It was rude.” Bando eased his way further into the room. “Very rude.”

  “Oh. Hi. I heard you were getting a snow-demon, Rachel. I wish I had one.”

  Snow-demon. I’d nearly forgotten what he was. Seeing him in person he certainly didn’t look like a demon.

  “There aren’t very many of us.” Bando raised his chin.

  “No. There aren’t. Rachel is lucky.” Veraka swung her legs off to the side of the bed.

  “She didn’t know what I was.” Bando pointed at me.

  “I was raised with lots of lies. I didn’t know much of anything.” And I still didn’t know nearly enough. But if I was lost in all of this, Noah must have been dealing with far worse. He hadn’t even known there was life on other planets than Earth until recently. But then again, at least he’d known his home planet existed.

  “I heard about that.”

  “From the universe?” I couldn’t keep the irritation out of my voice. Something about Veraka brought a snarky side out in me.

  “No. From the Overlord.” Veraka folded her hands in her lap. “He talked to me a few times.”

  “I see.” So she knew about the Overlord too. She knew so much more than me.

  “I’m sure you will meet him one day. You will like him.” Veraka folded her hands in her lap.

  “What makes you think I’ll like him?” I had to ask.

  “Because you will. I just know. I know everything about you.” Her lips twisted into the barest hint of a smile.

  “Yet you thought I would want to enter a coma? That is definitely not me.” I never wanted to be at someone else’s mercy. I needed to stay in complete control.

  “Not you now. I should rephrase my words. I knew everything about you before. You have changed. You are braver now. Stronger. I do not know why, but I suppose you do.”

  I didn’t. Or not really. Maybe it was meeting Noah. Maybe it was seeing Earth again. Maybe it was realizing my brother was still out there growing older. My life had changed so much so quickly, and somehow that changed me. I hoped it was all for the better.

  “Where is my starmate?” She crossed her legs at the ankles.

  “Caspian?” I thought about the last time I’d seen him. I wasn’t even sure how long ago it was; my concept of time was slipping away. “I’m not entirely sure.”

  “You don’t know?” She pursed her lips.

  “He wanted to defeat his father. I haven’t seen him since.” And I was glad for that at the moment. I wasn’t sure what I would say to him. As much as I knew I belonged with Noah and Caspian with Veraka, with our history it wasn’t exactly easy. But maybe he’d see her and get so blinded by his feelings that it would be fine. But that wasn’t what happened when I met Noah. With Noah and me it was more gradual. It started small and grew.

  “Well, let’s find him.” She jumped to her feet before very quickly falling head first on the floor.

  I reached to help her up. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Fine. I guess my muscles are a little out of shape right now.”

  “How long were you in that coma?” I helped her lean back against the bed.

  “I’m not entirely sure. But it has been awhile.”

  “I can help her.” Bando reached out. “But only under your orders, Rachel.”

  “My orders?” I felt my eyebrows knitting together.

  “I am here for you. I can help her only if you believe helping her will help you.”

  “Help her.” Regardless of whether she could help me, she needed to be strong.

  “Okay.” Bando moved so he was standing in front of her. “Muscles back at full capacity.”

  “Thank you.” Veraka grinned. She hopped down. “You work fast even for a snow-demon.”

  Once again I was lost. Were snow-demons known for working quickly?

  “I’m ready to go. When do we leave?” Veraka pulled her leg up toward her head in some sort of stretch.

  I didn’t want to crush her excitement, but I had no choice. “We need a ship for that.”

  “I can get you that.” Bando held out his hand palm up. “I already told you I can get you anything you need.”

  “Well then.” I smiled, careful to keep my eyes well above his waist. “Please procure us a ship.”

  “Absolut
ely.” Bando grinned.

  I really hoped the universe knew what it was doing.

  Part 2

  Noah

  4 Noah

  “What do you mean she isn’t here anymore?” I stared at the gatekeeper. It had taken me hours to get him to remove the gag and let me talk. I hadn’t gotten a warm welcome to put it mildly. Then again, I was still alive and had all my parts, so it could have been much worse.

  “She isn’t here. She left with Veraka to find Caspian.” He spoke so calmly. Didn’t he realize how important it was that I find her?

  He didn’t. No one understood. “Perfect.”

  “Okay. If you are happy about that, then you can stop complaining. Your trial has been scheduled for a few weeks out.”

  “A few weeks out?” I glanced around at the small cell I was in. Hard floor. Bars all around. There was what I assumed was a toilet in one corner. A sleeping pad on the other side. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Why not? Do I sound like I am using jest?” He watched me from his seat atop what looked like a padded version of a life guard chair. The ceiling of the room wasn’t all that high, so his head nearly touched the it.

  “No. But this whole situation is.”

  “You are of Earth, aren’t you?” He leaned forward.

  I craned my neck to get a better look at him. “Yes. Why?”

  “I’ve heard Earthlings struggle to grasp this sort of thing.”

  “Have you met many Earthlings?” Maybe if I made polite conversation I’d get on his good side.

  “Here and there.” He leaned back against his chair.

  “Have you been the gatekeeper here long? Well, and the jailer?”

  “The jobs are one and the same, and yes. For a long time. I inherited the job from my father. And him from his father. And so on.” He wove his hands around as he spoke.

  “Great. Family tradition.”

  “Why did you come to Soldrum?” He abruptly changed the conversation.

  “I told you. To find Rachel.” I had told him that over and over again, yet here I was locked up in a cell.

  “And she came to find Veraka?” He started his descent from his seat. It was an awkward thing, with his stopping every few steps to catch himself.