by Everly Frost
Michael didn’t miss a beat. “I’m here because of Luke.”
My heart thumped. “Is he alive?”
“He’s alive. So … I’m guessing you saw the attack.”
“We did. But we don’t know what happened afterward.”
“I found nectar in the plants, Ava. It was seeping all over the place. I thought it was something my dad invented, but when you were injected at the funeral, I knew Starsgard had it too. I tried to make Ruth tell me about it, but she refused. I put it on Luke’s wound and he healed. He’s laying low underground so Olander doesn’t know. Every time someone gets hit, we take them inside and heal them, but we have to do it while they’re still alive. Once they die, it’s too late, nothing can save them…” He shuddered, his expression far away. “There was one that came really close. We almost didn’t have enough nectar. Ruth finally admitted there was a source here.”
I glanced at Snowboy, sensing alarm in the increasing speed of his heartbeat. “She sent you to find it.”
“No, actually. Ruth didn’t. She had a massive argument with Naomi about it. Ruth said the source was too dangerous, but Naomi argued that the only way we’ll survive the midwinter attack is if we have a proper supply. Enough for everyone. Eventually, Naomi won and the Council sent me here. They said I was probably the only person who could get past the bears. I’ve been trying to find a way through their territory for the last week. I finally gave up and made a run for it.” His expression turned wry. “They told me the bears were dangerous. They didn’t tell me they could kill me.”
Snowboy’s alarm had built with every word Michael said. The Council had sent Michael to find the source and take it away and I could feel the frosty cold building around Snowboy with every passing moment. My brothers wouldn’t let that happen. It wasn’t because they didn’t want to help, and it wasn’t because of selfishness, but we didn’t know what would happen if the branch was cut from the tree, whether it would survive, and we didn’t know Starsgard’s intentions, whether they would destroy the branch once they didn’t need it anymore.
Not like us. We needed it to survive. Not just for today, but for our whole lives. “Did she tell you what the source was and where to find it?”
“She said I’d know it when I saw it, but she did give me the location—outside the broken tower on the northern cliffs.”
Snowboy was a picture of glacial anger now. “Naomi sent you to take it away from us. Well, we won’t let—”
I put a hand on his arm. “It’s okay, Snow. Michael isn’t going to hurt us. I know he won’t.”
Michael hurried to speak. “Naomi was very clear about her instructions. She told me to only bring back what was willingly offered. Those were her exact words.”
What was willingly offered.
“Snowboy,” I murmured, trying to ease his worry. “She promised to tell Michael where I was. This might be her way of doing that. And … maybe this is her way of asking for help. Don’t you think? What’s willingly offered might not just be nectar, but our assistance too.”
He glared at Michael. “Only what’s willingly offered? That’s what she said?”
“She made me repeat it so I didn’t forget.”
Snowboy exhaled, but his expression remained worried. He had a history with Naomi. She’d been like a mother to him when he was younger, but then he’d felt betrayed by her and he’d forced her to leave. This could be a peace offering and I hoped he was willing to see it that way.
He became unfocused and I knew he was listening again, checking for threats around us. “It’s safe for us to travel back now. The bears have cleared out. I can’t sense as far as Pip, but I’m sure our brothers are worried sick right now wondering if you’re okay, Ava. We should get back as fast as we can.”
He led the way across the slope and for the first time since the bear attacked, the leopard slunk out of cover and followed us. Michael hardly blinked when he saw it. I guessed, after fighting the bears and seeing Snowboy materialize out of the horizon, nothing was a surprise.
“What about your mom, Michael?”
“She doesn’t know where I am. Ruth told her I was helping the Council and apparently she accepted that.”
As we walked, Snowboy shot glances back at us—curious, slightly perplexed glances—and Michael drew closer to me, lowering his voice. He wouldn’t know that with Snowboy’s enhanced hearing, whispering wouldn’t do any good. “I know he doesn’t trust me—and I don’t blame him—but why is he looking at me like that?”
“You remind him of someone he once knew.” I squeezed his hand, realizing there was no point waiting until we were back at the tower. “You remind him of your dad.”
“How does he know my dad?”
“Because he was here.”
“Okay … I’m listening.”
I took a deep breath. “It was ten years ago. You would have been about seven years old…”
By the time we began our descent, I’d told Michael as much as I knew about his dad’s quest to steal the mortal children as well as the source of nectar from Seversand, and how he’d succeeded at both, but only to a degree, before he was forced to flee back to Evereach.
“In the end, I think he got away with a vial of nectar, some marsh plant, and a number of bugs, including the one he used on you. I think he initially thought that, even if Seversand had a mortality weapon, he could create a cure from nectar. He was trying to test it that day we were at the Terminal. He probably thought that by stealing the children, he’d at least thwarted Seversand’s plans to a large degree—even if he’d had to leave them here in Starsgard. But Seversand still has Rift’s sister, so … the threat continues.”
“So it’s true. Both Evereach and Seversand have mortality weapons.” Michael frowned, rubbing at the tired lines in his forehead.
I sighed. “Yes, but for some reason, Seversand hasn’t used theirs.”
“I guess Olander thinks they could at any time, which is why he wants you back.”
“Exactly.”
“All the reports say that Olander has amassed an army. Every Hazard Officer is on standby for his command to attack Starsgard come midwinter. And worse…” Michael’s jaw clenched as he spat out his next words. “Every Basher has been pardoned provided they agree to join his cause.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Pardoned…”
Michael’s lip curled. “He says, and I quote, “Evereach needs to forgive past wrongs and unite to defeat the threat of mortality.””
“So that’s how he’s selling it to Evereach.” I turned to him. “Michael, I need to know. You’re here now, but … if my brothers agree to give you the nectar you need … will you go back? Will you leave…”
Will you leave me?
His response was sharp and immediate. “Not without you. I’ll find a way to get it back to them, but unless you’re coming with me, I’m not going back.”
The leopard slunk between us as Snowboy approached, and I could tell from the expression on my brother’s face that he’d given Michael and me as much time and space as he could. We needed to hurry home and walking was nowhere near fast enough.
“There’s a way to transport things from our home to the south,” I said. “And it’s time for you to try it for yourself if you’re willing.”
Michael raised his eyebrows at me as I gestured at the leopard.
He said, “Wait, what? You’re kidding, right?”
I smiled. “Nope.”
An hour later, we descended from the mountains and reached the forest. Although I was tired, the run did me good. Michael handled the leopard well but kept a constant assessment of where I was. I wanted to tell him it was okay—I wasn’t going to disappear—but I knew it would take time for his fears to disappear.
Before we arrived, I overheard Snowboy murmur quietly to himself about bringing Michael back with us and I knew he was communicating with Pip so that our brothers wouldn’t rage out of the tower in full-blown defense mode because
a stranger approached.
“The others are fine.” Snow turned to me as he spoke. “The bears stayed away. Quake will meet us at the entrance.”
Despite what he said, all three of my older brothers waited for us in front of the tower, each of them giving Michael the same curious looks, but Quake was the only one to speak. “There’s a hot meal waiting for you. Come inside and wash up. While we eat, your friend will tell us everything he knows.”
The last part was a stern warning, but Michael didn’t bristle. Now that we’d arrived, he seemed tired more than anything else and I wondered how much regenerative energy he’d used living in the mountains and when he’d last eaten. For the first time, he reminded me, not of his dad, but of his mom. A lonely island with a protective skin.
“That sounds pretty good right now,” I said, holding out my hand for Michael. “I want to show you your new home.”
“My new home?” He paused, his eyes raking me.
“Yes, home.”
A smile broke across his face for the first time. He took my hand. “Okay then.”
“Okay then,” I said and led him inside.
Chapter Twenty-Three
MICHAEL’S GAZE remained on me as I gave him a brief tour. I chose the room next to mine for his bedroom and within moments Snowboy had raced around it like a whirlwind, leaving the surfaces dust-free and depositing clean sheets on the bed.
Pip arrived when Snowboy was done, sprinting around the corner. The smaller boy was less hesitant around Michael and while it was Pip’s nature to be trusting, I guessed it was also because he had no history with Michael’s father. His appraisal of Michael was quick.
“Your hair is long.” He grinned before darting away. “You should cut it short like ours.”
He left Michael with a bemused grin on his face. Alone with Michael, I bridged the gap between us without hesitation. He welcomed me into his arms, but when I pulled away, his expression was troubled.
He pulled off his jacket and laid it on the bed. “The others—your brothers—I can’t even begin to understand what they can do. I mean, one of them—Rift?—I swear there was more than one of him just before. And Snowboy—how do you even keep up? I don’t … I can’t do…”
“Michael, you’re everything to me. Never, ever, feel like you don’t belong in my life.” I remembered Snowboy’s words to me when I’d first learned about the other mortals. He’d told me that if I needed time, then I had it—that I didn’t need to be afraid. That I could take as long as I needed to figure out who I was.
I said, “There’s a lot to take in. I know how strange all this must seem to you right now, and you don’t have as much time as I did to figure out how you feel about all of it. But I promise I’ll give you as much time as I can. If you need space, tell me. And … if you don’t want space, then tell me that too.”
“Ava.” His voice gave me goose bumps. “I don’t want space.”
My heart missed a beat. I couldn’t stop the smile crashing across my face as I closed the gap between us. “Good—because neither do I.”
He bent down to me, his lips near to mine. “There’s something … You’re different here, but you’re also the same. Different but not.”
I smiled. “I am who I’m meant to be.”
The breath stopped in my lungs as he kissed me and the only reason he stopped was because someone cleared his throat behind us.
Quake stood there with one eyebrow raised. He was grinning. “Food’s ready.” He lumbered away. “If you’re hungry.”
Part of me didn’t want to move, but I tugged on Michael’s hand. “Come and eat. Meet my brothers. Get to know them. Let them get to know you. Take it one step at a time. I think you’ll like them.”
When we arrived in the dining area, Blaze and Rift were already in full debate over our plan of defense, with the biggest question being whether we went to the fight or only got involved if it came to us.
“If we had Protector uniforms, we could blend in. The Council would never even know we were there.”
“Until Quake breaks something.” Blaze laughed.
“The only thing I’ll be breaking is Evereacher heads.” Quake made the grisly promise with a wink so I’d know he was joking.
“I don’t understand why Olander’s waiting until midwinter.” Blaze was suddenly serious. “The terrain’s difficult as it is, and with the winter snowfalls and shorter daylight hours, he’ll be hard pressed to break Starsgard’s defenses.”
Michael took a seat next to me and started piling food onto his plate. His movements were calm, but I sensed his hunger. I pushed a glass of orange juice across to him and he gave me a grateful smile.
Although he was focused on his food, he said, “It doesn’t matter to the drones whether it’s night or day. We caught one to study them. They have heat sensors that pick out human targets. We think the explanation for the delay is the simplest one: he’s waiting until he’s manufactured enough drones to launch a full-scale attack. It’s not like he can get people up the cliffs past the moss.”
His words fell into an awful silence. When I’d talked to Michael about his father, I hadn’t told him about the construction mech and how it could climb the cliff. The Council didn’t know how Michael’s father had escaped either, but my brothers and I had figured it out, and the truth held terrible possibilities. If Olander knew what Mr. Bradley had done…
“Michael,” I said carefully, “how did Olander create the drones? Evereach doesn’t have organic technology. It should have taken them years to develop that kind of weapon.”
He sighed. “He has my dad’s research. We don’t know the exact details, but we do know that Dad isn’t helping him willingly. Olander seized his research by force.”
I’d hoped that Mr. Bradley hadn’t shared all his secrets, but the chances of that were getting smaller and smaller. “All of his research?”
“As far as we know.” Michael glanced around the table. He swallowed as he took in all the stony expressions. “Why? What don’t I know?”
“Michael, your dad knew how to get past the moss.” I explained about the construction mech and how it could be used to scale the cliffs without being repelled by the moss. “That means Olander knows too.”
“Wait … so … people can climb the cliffs. When Olander attacks in two weeks’ time, he’s not just sending drones, he’s sending troops. That’s potentially all the Hazards and Bashers in Evereach. That’s … an enormous army.” Michael ran a hand through his hair. “This just gets worse and worse all the time.”
To my surprise, my brothers all put down their forks in unison.
Rift said, “I guess that’s where we come in.”
He exchanged a look with Blaze. The room temperature rose as Blaze’s skin burned hot. “We’re Starsgard’s best defense.”
Snowboy cooled things down without even thinking about it, icing the air as he spoke. “We’ll be there to stop him.”
Quake exhaled. “I guess this means we’re going south.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon planning for the journey. We had two weeks to get ready. There was no way we’d leave the tower vulnerable while we were gone and we set about making plans to fortify the cliff line on one side and the forest on the other, creating defenses for a full radius around our home. By the time our plans took shape, evening had well and truly fallen and dinner was a quiet meal. We’d talked ourselves out that afternoon.
When it came time to sleep, Michael’s shadow passed by my door and hovered there.
I turned on my lamp to find him standing in the doorway with a question in his eyes. At my smile, he pulled his blanket inside and placed it on the floor like he did when we stayed at Tower Seventeen.
Propped up on one arm, I said, “You don’t have to sleep on the floor.”
He missed a beat. He contemplated the blanket and pillow he’d brought with him and then the space between us.
“Yeah, I do.” He grinned. “I think your brothers would be in h
ere in two seconds if they thought I was sleeping anywhere else.”
There was a moment of thick silence before Snowboy called out. “He’s right, Ava.”
“Don’t make me come in there and chaperone you two,” Quake rumbled.
Blaze called, “I don’t fancy sleeping in a chair in your room all night, but I will if I have to.”
“What? In here?” I challenged.
“Yes,” was the firm response.
Then Pip’s sleepy voice said, “What are you all talking about?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, Pip,” Blaze called back, and then, “She turned me down for you, Michael. You’d better treat her right.”
I threw my hand over my eyes, my cheeks blazing.
With an eyebrow raised, Michael asked, “What’s Blaze talking about?”
“Nothing. Seriously. It was a joke.”
Blaze grumbled something, but not loud enough for me to make out the words. I held my breath, waiting for the next taunt. Rift was on watch on the surface, but I imagined if he were there, his opinion would be spoken in volumes of silence.
“I guess you were right,” I whispered to Michael. Then I said much louder, “Are you comfortable on the floor, Michael? He’s sleeping on the floor, everyone. You can all rest easy now.”
I threw myself onto my pillow and pulled it over my face to stifle the laughter bubbling up inside me. “Sorry, there’s no privacy here.”
As I let go of the pillow, I found Michael leaning toward me, his feet planted on the floor, his body across the gap, his arms resting on the bed. I thought he was about to kiss me, but at the last moment, he broke into a smile.
It was the smile he reserved for me. He brushed a stray strand of hair from my cheek, his thumb grazing my skin.
“Goodnight, Stargirl.” He didn’t say anything else as he leveraged himself away to return to the floor, but I wasn’t letting him go.
I snagged his hand with a finger to my lips and pulled him close. He hesitated a moment, contemplating me, before settling down on the edge of the bed facing me.