Starborn (The Order of Orion Book 1)

by Samantha Jane

  She nodded.

  “Some telepaths can communicate with others a great distance away. I want you to try and connect with Eve. She’s your twin and your raw power is phenomenal. If you can ascend, I think you could find her, maybe even communicate. It’s a long shot, but I want you to try.”

  She frowned. “I’ve already tried to sense the others, but I can’t pick up anything.”

  “The cube is insulating your powers,” he said grimly. “I’ll switch off your cube’s insulation field for a few hours to give you a chance. Okay?”

  Hope shone in her eyes as she leaned forward to clasp his hands. Then her wan smile dropped. “That’s against the rules isn’t it? You’d get in trouble.”

  “You let me worry about that.” He didn’t need to tell her it was a grave crime. All he needed was for her to try to ascend and make it through her initial ritual.

  She licked her dry, cracked lips and gave him a tentative smile. “Thank you” she said roughly.

  His heart thundered when her blue eyes roamed his face. Tempted to lower his shield again, he held strong and instead spoke to her softly. “I must go. You can do this. You will do this.” He stood and ducked his head so he didn’t hit the low ceiling. “Imagine your sister here with you. Call out to the stars to find her. Remember, be open to the darkness.”

  The door slid open and ended their time together. The emptiness of the cube had nothing on the emptiness in his heart as he left her alone to suffer another twenty-four hours.

  He looked up to see Granger stride toward him. “You’re fucking crazy,” Granger hissed. “I can’t believe I did that for you. You’re gonna get us in the cube for fuck knows how long.”

  “No one will find out. Have you switched the audio back on?”

  “Yeah, and just in the nick of fucking time because Serena just went into the observation room. What the hell did you need to talk about with Doc that had to be off record?”

  “How’s Paige?”

  “Awe, come on! Black, you’re a cagey bastard.”

  “I appreciate what you did, but we don’t need to have a deep and meaningful about it.” Lucas didn't want to think, let alone talk about why he’d just done what he did. He’d gone in there just wanting privacy from Council ears, and had come out promising insanity. It was official, Willow Trilby was making him lose his mind.

  Granger rolled his eyes. “Geez, you take the fun out of everything. What now?”

  Lucas ignored his question and asked after Granger’s neophyte again. “What of Paige?”

  The blond rookie stuffed his hands in his pockets. “She’s doing pretty good, if you really want to know. I think she’s gonna go okay at the Celestial Chamber.” Granger’s commitment to the frightened girl over the past two weeks had surprised Lucas. Normally arrogant and annoying, Granger had been patient and encouraging in the face of her fears and failures during the training process.

  “I’m glad,” said Lucas. “And I do appreciate the risk you’ve just taken.”

  And he was grateful to the young rookie. Lucas had been able to switch the insulator field off in Willow’s cube and put on a temporary fake indicator light in the observation room, but he’d needed someone to switch the audio off briefly. Granger’s electrokinesis had been ideal.

  Relying on Granger, Jesus. His world really had turned upside down.

  25

  Willow

  Lucas walked out the door, leaving her alone to face the stark emptiness of the cube. She couldn’t have followed him, even if she had tried. Her body was weighted to the floor, but her mind, her mind raced with possibilities. Then came the crashing doubt. She had tried to open up for the ascendency of her powers, but had felt nothing. She had even let herself go back to a time she had spent more than a decade trying to forget. Maybe she didn’t have the ability like they hoped. Maybe she had nothing left to give. Or maybe she hadn’t truly let go. She moved to lie down on her back, the concrete floor cold and hard against her body. Gazing up at the white ceiling, she crossed her arms over her chest and rested her hands at the base of her throat. The emotional charge from Lucas remained within her body and she used it to collect herself. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing.

  Breathe in for a count of four.

  Hold for a count of four.

  Breathe out for a count of four.

  She continued until she finally disconnected from the sterility of the room. When she lost sensation of her body, she knew it was only her emotional walls stopping her from reaching the low alpha level of brainwave activity she desperately sought. She threw years of control aside. Let herself go into free fall. Imagined her hands slipping on a rope as she fell backward into a dark pit of nothingness. It was terrifying and strangely exhilarating. The final melding of her mind with the all-consuming darkness made her body vibrate with tension and anticipation. The cube’s confines fell away and she had a sudden sense of a wide open space. She lifted her arms up in subjugation.

  Here I am. Take me.

  Energy pulsed through her body. Her mind searched back through her childhood.

  She focused on the image of her sister’s face when she had last seen her.

  Eve?

  Each time a thought crept in that made her doubt the process, she shoved it away, opening herself to all that she could be or become.

  Eve?

  She tried to imagine what Eve might look like now. Did she have long hair like Willow? Or cropped short? Maybe she’d colored it. Although Willow’s hair had naturally darkened over the years, they had spent many a day together as little girls bemoaning their carrot colored hair. Her blue eyes wouldn’t have changed though, and with fierce determination she mediated on her sister’s eyes that would be the same as her own. For more than an hour she maintained an alpha state of awareness. Her mind reached into the universe and sought her sister’s aura. It was like she was flying through the air, ducking and weaving across the winds of time, searching for her sister, and knowing perhaps she searched for herself. She touched auras of sadness, joy, boredom, jealousy—every emotion imaginable was discovered as she searched across oceans and countries.

  Exhaustion pulled at her mind and body and tempted her to give up, but she held on—the hope of a child spurring her on.

  And then it happened.

  Her astral self nudged another aura that was familiar in every way, a mirror image.

  Eve!

  As other auras crowded in, Willow took a shuddering breath and held on to her twin. It felt like hundreds of people clawed at her, tore at her clothes, grabbed her hands, and pulled her into a typhoon of emotion. Her body arched with the effort to stay connected to Eve. A humming sensation flooded her body. And then she saw her sister’s face surrounded by a kaleidoscope of confusing images. Willow’s heart raced with excitement. She focused on the familiar lines and contours of her sister’s face. Savored the image of her twin’s eyes.

  Desperate for more, Willow delved into her sister’s aura. And retracted with horror. Eve was wracked with despair and filled with hate. She pulled back slightly to see more of her, to understand her twin’s emotional state. Her short blond hair was surprising, but more shocking was her sister’s body. Dressed in a tight black singlet and jeans, her upper body was covered in tattoos. One arm was covered with a swirling pattern which wound its way across her shoulders and climbed up her neck. Eve sat on a plain bed deep in concentration. She leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees. Willow tried to pull herself back a little further to see more of the room. Her heart lurched when she saw the room had only one small window, high up, with thick black bars.

  A jail cell. No!

  Willow desperately reached out to her, but didn’t have the energy to hold on. She cried out as Eve’s image receded. It was like she was looking through a camera and pulled back for a wider angle. Eve’s location became clearer—she wasn’t in a prison, but a highly secure house. With an almighty metaphysical jump, Willow was again by her sister’s side.r />
  “Eve?” she screamed.

  Her twin turned as though she heard her name called.

  “Eve, It’s me, Willow. Please…can you hear me? See me?”

  Eve suddenly moved around, twisting her body this way and that as though looking for the sound of Willow’s voice.

  “I’m here,” Willow cried out, her body wracked with tension and fatigue. “Eve, I’m here with you. Open up your aura if you know how?”

  Eve nodded.

  Willow began to cry, her relief pouring out in strangled sobs. Eve’s image became blurry and Willow felt her again slip away. She tried to return but swam against a current of other auras.

  “Willow?” called out a feminine voice. With a slam, Willow felt herself metaphysically held by her sister in a suffocating bear hug.

  Their auras danced together in perfect symmetry.

  “Is it really you?” asked Eve.

  Through their auras, Willow showered her sister with love and happiness. “Yes, yes it’s me! Are you okay? I’ve been looking for you for so many years. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay, Willow, we’ve found each other now. I can’t believe it.”

  Before Willow could respond, she was hit by another wave of fatigue that lessened their connection.

  Her sister’s voice, and then her face, disappeared.

  Suddenly, Willow found herself back in the physical reality of the cube. The loss of Eve was devastating. She let her head fall to the side, her energy completely spent. Her mind was a cacophony of joy at seeing her sister and despair at the misery she had detected. Her body ached and her stomach cramped. She turned to her side and dry retched as though she purged years of grief and regret.

  26

  Lucas

  Lucas paced outside Willow’s cube, his boots the only sound in the corridors of level seven. He’d become increasingly agitated over the last twenty-four hours. Countless times he’d walked up to Willow’s door wanting to open it and gather her into his arms. Each time he’d torn himself away. Ever since he’d met Willow, the primitive urge to protect and care for her had ruled his heart and his head. He’d just gone against The Order, broken his vows, not to mention pulling a rookie into this crazy mess. They could be punished by the Council with execution. To interfere with a neophyte’s initiation rite, encourage her to astral travel and communicate outside The Order of Orion, was a big fucking no-no. Jesus Christ, what had he been thinking? Her and only her. Wanting to help her. Wanting her to accept The Order. To accept him.

  He should be focusing on getting back out in the field, not desperately wondering how she would feel toward him after the initiation. If she was unable to reach her sister, would she still think it was worth the suffering? Would she blame him? Would she wish he’d advised her to choose the two day modern way instead?

  Footsteps sounded down the corridor and he turned to see Serena and the other mentors walk toward him. Granger trailed behind.

  “Lucas,” Serena acknowledged.

  He nodded to her and the others as they strode toward Gabriel’s cube without stopping. Her entourage followed, except for Granger, who stopped in front of Lucas.

  “She’d better be worth it,” said Granger.

  Lucas pointed down the hall. “Go watch Gabriel’s release.”

  Lucas thought Granger would argue. Instead, he shook his head slightly, as if confused by Lucas and at himself for aiding and abetting. Join the freaking club. After a few moments of silence, Granger nodded and sauntered down the hall to the join the others. He released a ragged breath. His body was wired with tension. Not from the momentary fear Serena had discovered his deception. Not from thinking Granger might expose him. But from being seconds away from seeing Willow, touching Willow. He picked up the bottle of water placed near the entrance to Willow’s cube. Shifted it back and forth in his hands. Finally, the door slid open.

  She lay prone on the floor, curled in a tiny ball in the furthest corner of the room. He strode in and gathered her into his arms. Holding her up, he pressed the water bottle to her lips. Cracked and dry they moved automatically to take in the water. Her eyes remained closed as she drank thirstily. Worried she would make herself sick, he held the container away for a few moments to slow her drinking.

  Gently, he brushed back her hair off her pale face. “Willow, you’ve made it. The first part of your initiation is over. You have an hour to have a meal and clean up before the Celestial Ceremony begins.” Her normally bright blue eyes were dull. Instinctively, he tightened his arms around her and looked deep into her eyes.

  “I can leave the cube?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  Her smile was brilliant before she closed her eyes again. She let her face snuggle up against his chest. Could she hear his heart thumping out of control? She ran her fingers along his bicep and he stifled a groan.

  Her words tickled his chest through his shirt. “I found her. Lucas, I found her.” He strained to hear her next words. “She’s alive. Eve is alive. I can’t believe I’ve found her.”

  He shouldn’t be surprised her power had grown so great she was able to astral travel, but it still shocked him. “I’m happy for you, Willow. The strength it must have taken to do it…” His voice trailed off as he became mindful of the audio communications. “Let’s talk about it when we get back to our quarters.”

  He stroked her hair and allowed them another minute of the physical comfort of each other’s touch and embrace. Sighing, he set her back a little and then helped her to stand. They walked out into the corridor and left one horror to soon go to another. She would only have an hour before the Celestial Ceremony began. Weak, she clung to his shoulders as he helped her back to his quarters. A new neophyte outfit was laid out on the futon—a red dress to symbolize the formal occasion. She picked it up with a frown, but disappeared with it into the bathroom. As she showered, he prepared a small meal consisting of mainly fruit and steamed vegetables.

  “Hey,” she said softly, standing in the entry way to the kitchen. Damp curls framed her pale face but she appeared stronger, more alert. He tried not to look at how the red dress accentuated her curves.

  Pulling out a chair, Lucas motioned for her to sit. “I’m sorry it’s not more. Your body can’t cope with anything else yet.”

  He sat and watched her eat, not ravenously, but slowly; appreciating each mouthful. Color returned to her face and he felt the tension run slowly out of his body. They had another few minutes before they needed to leave for the Celestial Chamber.

  “Tell me about Eve,” he prompted.

  Willow’s expression shifted to wonder, to almost childish delight. Leaning forward, she spoke in a rush. “She doesn’t look like me. Her face is the same, but she has short, spiky blond hair. And tattoos. She looks alternative, kind of punk.”

  “Were you able to speak with her?”

  “It was incredible. We spoke and she hugged me. It felt so real.” Her eyes danced with excitement. “I can’t wait to try again. We must…I mean, I must find her.”

  His heart did unfamiliar thumps at her use of the word we. But they needed to be cautious. “Willow, you can’t share this with anyone. Not until we explore your ability more. Not until after the ceremony.”

  He was surprised when her expression turned serious. Solemn blue eyes started into his. “I know you took a huge risk for me, Lucas.”

  “It was nothing.” It was a ridiculous lie, but he wasn’t about to admit to her or himself the gravity of the situation.

  “No. I know this was big. You went against the rules to help me.”

  He shifted in his seat, unsure of what to say. Finally, he spoke, “If there was a chance my brother Danny was still alive, I would do anything to find him.”

  She reached out and touched his hand. “Thank you. After the hard time I’ve given you...for you to do this for me…means a lot.” Her fingers brushed along his skin and his breath caught.

  With an unsteady voice he said, “We need to go to the Ce
lestial Chamber. After your ceremony, we can talk about how to find your sister.”

  As they descended to level five in the elevator, they stood close, their arms just touching. Neither stepped away to break the contact. He knew that their new intimacy was something more than just mentor and neophyte, something important.

  The doors slid open to reveal the darkened amphitheater and reality crashed in around them. Willow jerked in shock. Hundreds of Starborn sat in rows surrounding a dimly lit center stage. Candles peppered the darkness, giving the chamber an air of menace and mystery. In the front row, the Council’s six Elders sat with their ornate silver chest plates hung across their necks distinguishing them from the other Starborn. Claps and shouts reverberated through the chamber as the crowd watched the first round of the initiation ceremony come to an end. Gabriel and Tyler left the stage with their mentors. They looked physically well and the crowd’s cheers spoke of success, but he felt uneasy when only Gabriel received the official Starborn black cloak to cover his red neophyte clothing. Tyler remained dressed as he was, the red outfit now a symbol of shame that he hadn’t passed his final rite of passage.

  Lucas swore under his breath and was thankful Willow did not see the guards escort Tyler out of the chamber using a different exit. He’d chosen the easier initiation path—and likely would become fodder for Wren’s campaign to overturn the recent modernizations. He hoped Tyler would be spared any harm. Hoped that perhaps he would be given a chance to spend more time in the cube. A terrible prospect, but better than death. Willow hesitated as they drew closer to the deafening crowd.

  “You can do this, Willow. I know you can. It’s almost over.” His words of encouragement were as much for him as they were for her. The ceremonial ritual was a traumatic experience for any Starborn. He wished to God he could take her place.

  Near the stage, Granger hugged Paige and gave her a pep talk, while Isobel stood next to Juliette and stared stonily ahead. Willow quickened her pace and when she reached the stage the three women hugged each other tightly. Their formal red dresses were striking in a chamber of black. Wren stood and a hush fell across the Celestial Chamber. Lucas clenched his jaw as he saw people smile with expectation and excitement. Memories of his neophyte ceremony rushed in. Feeling alone and exposed. Expected to perform some incredible feat after days of isolation and pain. It was barbaric, like most ancient traditions. But now as Willow faced her ritual, it was horrific, nauseating even.