Starfire

by Jenetta Penner

  He reaches up and brushes my cheek with a trembling finger, taking away a fallen tear. Just the caress centers me, and the fear in my core dissipates.

  But then he winces, and his grimace shoots me back to reality. Javen gestures to the still pulsating crystal around my neck.

  “I need your Starfire,” he whispers.

  I pull away from him, not understanding his gesture or his request. “Starfire? What are you talking about?”

  “Your—necklace. Can I borrow it?”

  I push my brows together in confusion.

  “The energy inside will heal my wound . . . and restore me from the shift, but I need to apply the crystal directly . . . to my arm.” His voice becomes so low that I barely hear him. I lean in closer. “After that jump I need to . . . renew. I’d use mine but”—he hisses in pain—“we don’t usually carry one across because the healing only works on this side.”

  He must be delusional from the pain, but I’m not sure what other options I have. Despite my reservations, I reach in and pull out the pendant from my shirt. After I unlatch the clasp, I place the necklace in his hand. The second I release the pulsating crystal, the world around me carousels. Javen is still in front of me, but he’s fading in and out. My lungs struggle for air, as if I’m drowning again. I fall forward and catch myself on his chest. Immediately, the spinning stops, and I watch as he places the crystal to his arm while rolling off his chest to the side of his injury. The area surrounding his hand glows for a few seconds, then goes out.

  Javen inhales deeply while straightening his spine. The strength in his body returns and he holds the necklace out to me. I dip close to his face and allow him to clasp the pendant around my neck.

  “Thank you,” he whispers.

  Amazed, I glance at the hole in his shirt. The skin underneath is completely healed. “How does that work?”

  Javen shushes me. He swivels around as if he heard a noise. Then he jumps into a low squat. I listen for whatever the sound is he thinks he hears. But, other than water lapping onto the shore, it’s completely silent out here.

  “You have to go,” he finally says and stands.

  “Go?” I look around. “Where? I don’t even know which direction the city is in.”

  Concern fills his eyes, his irises now a normal color. “They’ll be here soon.”

  I shake my head in confusion. “Who’s going to be here soon? Maybe they can help. How do you know they’re unfriendly?”

  Javen holds his hand out to me and pulls me to my feet. “Because I know. My . . . my friends can’t be aware of your presence.”

  My mind flashes with the memory of the glowing-eyed girl who tried to choke me. Maybe he’s right. If all his friends are like that, I don’t want to meet more.

  “Fine,” I say as I attempt to wipe the grass and dirt from the sides of my pants, but the stains are too bad. And I’m still too soaked.

  Javen pulls me toward the water and my pulse picks up.

  “Are we going back that way?”

  “No,” he says. “It won’t work again. But you need to follow the river.”

  I pan over the wide, slow moving river and I swing my gaze back to him. “What do you mean ‘me?’ You’re not coming? I’m going to get completely lost.”

  Javen grips my hand tighter and laces my fingers with his. “I promise. Your Starfire will lead you through the Intersection if you follow the river. It shouldn’t be long, and you’ll find the path to return to your home.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. Intersection? Nothing he says makes any sense. We’re nowhere near the city. “Please come with me.”

  “I must go the other way to ensure they don’t detect you.” With his other hand, he reaches up and grazes my cheek. “I can’t let them.” The touch makes me want to melt into him. Still holding my hand, he squeezes it. “They shouldn’t, but if anyone tries to approach you or speak to you, keep moving as if you don’t see them.”

  “Javen, you have to tell me what’s going on here. If people want to hurt me, how will ignoring them help? And I’m ninety-nine percent sure the river won’t lead me to the city.”

  He tenses his jaw and opens his mouth to speak but then he whips his head the other way. “You must go now. Don’t let anything stop you.”

  Defiant, I cross my arms over my chest and don’t move.

  “Cassiopeia, if you stay, I may not be able to protect you. I promise that I’ll explain all of this to you soon. I’ll track you again by summoning your Starfire.” And with that, he spins me in the direction he wants me to go and gives me a gentle push. “Now, go.”

  I twist my head around to ask when soon is, but he’s gone. How did he do that? Well, what choice do I have now? My heart races as I take off along the shore, following the river.

  Chapter 11

  T he farther I go, the stranger this place becomes. My pendant, what did Javen call it? Starfire? Well, whatever the crystal is, it hasn’t stopped glowing since I left him . . . or he left me. And I’d swear the water beside me keeps shimmering with lights. But every time I turn, the glow is gone, like an apparition in my mind. Luckily, I haven’t seen a soul. Although there have been a few strange bird calls I’ve never heard before. I don’t even want to think about the animal life on Arcadia. A few nocturnal wolf-like creatures exist that could gobble me up in minutes.

  Up ahead, the trees seem to thicken, and I’m having second thoughts about continuing. Where would I go anyway? Javen said the journey shouldn’t take long and I’ve been walking for around fifteen minutes.

  I pick up the pace again and jog through the trees beside the water. As I walk, my crystal grows even brighter and, beside me, the flowers on the trees open and close, illuminating the night as they do. Just like the flowers on the buildings in Primaro. My breath shakes and everything around me fades in and out. The same experience as when I gave Javen the pendant. My stomach churns with the sensation, and I take a deep breath, realizing the air is becoming thin again. Logic tells me to turn back; this place isn’t safe. But Javen’s words float to the surface of my mind.

  Your Starfire will lead you if you follow the river. Don’t let anything stop you.

  I propel myself forward and through the thick trees. The farther I go, the denser the foliage becomes, the leaves, branches, and vines scraping against my body. But I push forward, believing I’m going to get to where I need to be, even though the hairs standing on end at the back of my neck tell me otherwise. Until this moment, I had never felt so alone, so unprotected. If one of those wolf-like creatures attacked, would anyone in Primaro miss me? What if Dad isn’t dead and can’t find me? I draw in a shuddering breath and blink back the forming tears. I miss Mom. She would know what to say to me right now. She would know how to comfort my fears. I lift my eyes to the stars and, for a moment, pretend that she can speak to me, tell me where to go and how to find Dad. A heavy sigh leaves my body and my shoulders droop. I twist the gold band on my finger and gnaw the inside of my lip. Then, I lift my eyes back to the trail along the river, determined to push forward, and freeze.

  A faint glow comes from up ahead, and I focus on it. The strange light wasn’t there before. I look back up to the stars, wrinkling my brows, before focusing on the light, moving my feet forward with renewed confidence. I reach for the illumination and push away a branch. Instantly, the world returns to normal, and I’m standing on the sidewalk directly in front of my dorm building. My chest clenches, partially with relief but mixed with utter confusion. I make a one-eighty and the forest is gone. There’s nothing but the buildings across the street.

  Maybe I’m the one who’s delusional! My Connect vibrates, and I look down to a message from Max. It’s working again.

  Are you okay? Message me back. I should never have let you go alone.

  I have to get off the street first. Who knows if the authorities are out searching for the people who broke into Hammond’s office. And, if the authorities already identified me, I guess I’ll find out when I get to
my room.

  I sprint into the building and take the elevator to floor seven. Once I’m there, I scan the hall for any activity, but the space is silent. I walk to my room, my feet still squishing in my shoes. At the door, I thumb the keypad and the door clicks open.

  The inside of the room is dark except for a small crack down the curtain’s middle, which streams moonlight into the center of the space. Irene must be asleep. I tiptoe in, not wanting to wake her.

  “Where were you?” Irene's voice comes from the darkness.

  I jump and let out a tiny yelp. “You scared me.”

  She snaps on the light under her bunk and stares out at me, pinching her lips and furrowing her brows. “No one had any idea where you were, and—what’s his name again? —Oh, Max . . . Max stopped by. He’s cute by the way, nice too, and you don’t come across many guys like that. So, of course when he’s at the door, Alina noticed from her dorm room and came over.”

  I stand, not knowing what to say to her. Anything that comes out is going to sound completely crazy.

  “I . . . I just wanted to see the city.”

  “Max told me who you are. You’re Richard Foster’s daughter.”

  I sigh and look away from her. “Yes.”

  “He died in the explosion.”

  I swing my attention back to Irene. “We don’t know that. No information has been released.” It’s stupid to say, though. Of course he’s dead.

  She nods, and the expression on her face reflects momentary guilt until she’s back to being all business again, and continues. “Alina said that you approached Hammond at the gathering the other day. And, from what she could tell, your confrontation didn’t go well.”

  “No, it didn’t,” I mutter.

  Irene throws off the covers and swings her legs to the ground. “I hacked into the city security system. An alert was released on how Hammond’s office was broken into earlier tonight.” She walks over to me and wrinkles her nose. “Why are you wet?”

  My stomach tightens and then flips. I run a hand through my still damp hair and eye my rumpled, dirty, soggy clothes. “I . . . I, uh, don’t really know how to explain any of tonight.”

  Irene shrugs. “Well, at least there’s a measure of honesty in that. Not something I’m used to.” She nods to the bathroom. “Why don’t you take a shower? Then we can talk more when you get out.”

  I nod, realizing I can’t wait to get out of my clothes. I grab pajamas from the drawers next to the bunk and head for the bathroom. With the door shut, I start the water and peel off my uniform, tossing the clothes on the floor.

  I step into the shower and sigh when hot water flows over my body, washing tonight’s events away. My mind drifts to Javen. I picture his face and wavy dark hair in my mind. The way he speaks to me is a sound that mixes words and music and I have no idea how or why. The way I feel when he touches me . . . my entire being longs to be back with him. He said he’d contact me soon and explain everything. Why can’t it be now?

  I shake my mind from thoughts of him.

  How can any of this be real? Did I really break into Hammond’s office? Breaking and entering? That’s not who I am. And then love at first sight with a guy who’s—no, focus Cassi. You just met him! It’s just a weird infatuation.

  I reach for Mom’s ring on my finger and study the shiny gold. She’d be so upset with me right now for my behavior. How could I let her down? I grab the shampoo and rub a dollop into my hair to distract myself from my anxiety while working the suds into my scalp. But Mom’s disappointed face is all I can see in my mind.

  Yet, how can I let her down by not finding Dad? That’s more important, right?

  I don’t have an answer. If solving this gets me killed, Mom wouldn’t be very happy about that, either. I sigh and bend my head back beneath the spray of warm water as Dad’s words before the Gala rush back to me.

  If I teach you one thing—always follow your principles. There are times when no one will understand your reasoning.

  “I need to hold my ground,” I mutter. There’s no way I’m letting the explosion and whatever happened to Dad get swept under the rug. After tonight, I know that digging up information could get me killed, but I need to find out what happened and what Hammond knows.

  I finish showering, dry off, and then slide into my PJ’s. Before I open the door, I close my eyes and tuck the pendant under my shirt. Dad, if you can hear me. Please help me get through this.

  My lids slowly open and I stare at the door handle. What am I going to tell Irene?

  I twist the knob and swing open the door, and steam wafts into the living room in a big puff. Irene is sitting on one of the so-called chairs with her legs draped over the side. She spins toward me.

  “You look better.” She eyes me up and down. “Now spill it. You can’t live in this room with me unless I know what’s going on.”

  I gulp down my nervousness. I could move out and not tell her a thing. But moving isn’t what I want. Right now, I need stability. Maybe if she’s aware of what’s going on, she can help. I take a seat in the chair next to her and begin.

  “It wasn’t well known, but my Dad didn’t get along with Hammond at all,” I say. “The two of them had completely different viewpoints about making Arcadia a home for us.”

  I tell her the entire story of how I eavesdropped on the secret meeting when Hammond surprised Dad. Irene listens without interrupting the entire time, just nodding and totally engrossed.

  “So, you think the Board might have caused the explosion to try and kill your father because of his opposing views?” she finally asks when I’m done.

  I nod. “I can’t prove anything, but if the explosion was just an accident, why isn’t Hammond releasing any information to the public?”

  “I’m not even going to ask why you were all wet when you came in, but did you break into Hammond’s office tonight?” she asks.

  “No,” I say a little too quickly.

  Irene stares at me and I just know she’s going to declare that I’m a liar and make me leave or perhaps that I’m in shock or that the Board is trying to do the right thing—

  “None of this surprises me.”

  My heart skips with hope. “What? Really?”

  “At Extra Solar, I get access to the higher up projects. Nothing top secret or anything, but the projects made me curious. And curiosity made me dig. When no one is watching, I’ve hacked into the company system and learned . . . let’s just say eye-opening information. I’ve always had to watch my back, and I can’t let my guard down here either.”

  I lean closer to her. “What have you found ou—”

  A knock echoes at the door, and I swing my attention to our dorm’s entry. What if Hammond found out? And now she’s here. “Who’s that?” I ask.

  “How am I supposed to know who’s at the door in the middle of the night?” Irene scoffs as she rises. Without even using the peephole, she swings the door open—Alina.

  The blonde girl looks as if she just rolled out of bed, and considering the time, she probably did.

  Alina yawns. “Did Cassi come home?”

  “You came over here in the middle of the night just to ask if Cassi came home?” Irene asks.

  Alina shrugs. “I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. So, did she?” She peers around Irene and spots me. I wave. Instantly her eyes open wide, and she pushes her way past Irene.

  “Excuse me?” Irene says, raising an offended brow, but Alina doesn’t pay her any attention and plops herself down into Irene’s vacated seat.

  Irene closes the door and pulls up one of the computer desk chairs, all the while glaring at Alina, who still doesn’t notice Irene’s body language cues.

  “So, where were you? Were you meeting with a guy or something?” Alina says, suddenly completely awake.

  “A guy? No,” I choke out. But why would she say that?

  “Well, then what?” Alina asks.

  Maybe I could tell her, too. Really, she’s been nothing but
helpful. She tried to take me on a city tour, and she’s checking in on me now.

  I open my mouth to speak.

  “Did that guy Max happen to message you?” Irene interrupts.

  I swing my attention to Irene, and she shakes her head slightly.

  “Max is really cute,” Alina says with a sigh. “You think he’s single?”

  Maybe more than one confidant is a bad idea for now. I follow Irene’s lead. “As far as I know, Max doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

  Talking about boys seems to make Alina forget all about her original question.

  “Are you into him?” she asks.

  The question takes me aback. I haven’t even thought about Max that way. He has been nothing but sweet and helpful. And she’s right; he is good looking. But I’m not here for boys. Especially after everything that has happened. A relationship would complicate everything further. Not what I need.

  So why can’t I get Javen out of my mind? My insides quiver with just the thought of his name. “No,” I say, almost too forcefully. Softening my voice, I add, “Max and I are just friends.” I’m not sure if that statement is entirely true or even how Max feels, but figuring that out is way beyond my emotional capacity right now. Stifling a yawn, I mutter, “You know what, though? It’s late, and I’m super tired.”

  “I have to be at work early, too,” Irene says and looks a little grateful for the change in topic.

  Alina checks the time. “You’re right. Glad you’re okay, Cassi.”

  “Thanks for checking in. Good night,” I say and head for my bunk. I scale the ladder and, once I’m up there, throw the blanket over my head.

  The door opens and shuts. I peek out to see if Alina is still here—gone. I let out a relieved breath.

  “We still have talking to do, Cassi Foster,” Irene says.

  She’s right. We do. But I say nothing. Instead, I place my hand over the Starfire and wait for sleep to come.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  My Connect buzzes and my eyelids flutter open. I bring my wrist to my face and squint. It’s Max. My stomach does a flip when I see it.