Star Dust (Force Of Gravity Book 1)

by Ali Winters

  “My clothes were ruined, and he—” Her face felt warm.

  You haven’t done anything wrong. She reminded herself.

  “Why is he with you?” he demanded.

  “Caelan, please listen to me. He’s not your enemy.”

  “Not my enemy? Who do you think is responsible for this?” He waved his arm behind him, dragging her attention to the destruction of the room. The open area was naturally void of most unnecessary decor, so she had missed the cracked pillars and the holes in the cream-colored marbled walls.

  With lightening quick motion, he pulled out a small emerald button trimmed in gold.

  “This is from one of his Citali guard’s uniforms. They were here.” He flicked the button at the other man, hitting him in the chest.

  “Where are people getting all these buttons from? You’d think we’d have a shortage of them by now.” Lucian muttered to himself as he crossed his arms, leaning back against the nearest door frame.

  “What was that?” Caelan growled through gritted teeth.

  “Stop it, please. Just listen to me,” Oriana begged, and stepped between them, guiding her fiancé’s eyes back to her. She held up a button. “I found one too, in my room, and another on Pluto, another was found on Mercury. Don’t you see what this means?”

  “Yes, Oriana, I do see. Thanks to his so-called Citinal and their incompetence—we know exactly who to go after.”

  “No, Caelan, he didn’t do it, his Citinal weren’t involved.” She placed her hand on his muscular forearm, and continued in a soft voice. “A Citinal that could cause this kind of damage to this many worlds wouldn’t be leaving parts of their uniforms behind like this. Every world we’ve been to has found one, and I’m willing to bet that the ones we haven’t been to yet also happened to find one as well.”

  He stood silently for a long time, his eyes scrutinized Lucian who was still leaning casually against the wooden frame.

  Oriana wasn’t sure what was going through his head, but Lucian didn’t seem too worried about it. She let her hand slip down Caelan’s arm and rest in his hand. Her fingers intertwined with his. The gesture pulled the Prince’s attention to her.

  “Fine. You have a point,” Caelan conceded.

  He stared downward meeting her gaze, a small smile spread over his lips. A soft sigh escaped him. “Oriana, you are a ray of sunlight on this dark day.” He tugged on her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

  Lucian let out a low groan, but Oriana ignored it.

  Oriana hesitated, the sudden movement catching her off guard and then brought her free hand up, to rest on his back. There was nothing wrong with Caelan’s embrace, but the sound of Lucian clearing his throat, brought her attention back to him. He eyed her with an unamused expression and raised an eyebrow.

  Having a man’s arm around her wasn’t a feeling she was used to. It didn’t matter that they would be married in a year’s time. To have another set of eyes on them, watching and judging, made her spine stiffen.

  “Caelan, where are the King and Queen?”

  His arms stiffened around her, his fingers bunching the material of her shirt, pulling her closer.

  “Oh Caelan… I’m so sorry.” She offered him what little comfort she could as he held onto her. After a long moment his arms loosened and his breathing evened.

  “So,” she said, pulling away. “I think we all have a lot to talk about.”

  “You’re right. Come with me. We will go to the stateroom and discuss the matter. Lucian—stay here.”

  “I’m not going to be—”

  “You will do as I say as long as you are on Jupiter,” Caelan interrupted, crossing his arms as he towered over the other man.

  “Caelan, please, he’s as much a part of this as you or I. He should come.” Oriana waved her hand at Lucian, indicating he should follow her regardless of what the other Prince was saying. She didn’t know what their issue was, and she didn’t care. The two of them had taken an instant dislike to each other and hadn’t even tried to mask it. Regardless of the issue, they would both have to put it aside for the good of the universe. They would all have to work together to fix this mess.

  Caelan glared at Lucian, grunting once before leading the way. Lucian’s mouth lifted into that signature smirk which always came so naturally to him.

  “Nice boyfriend you’ve got there,” he muttered, pushing off the wall and followed.

  Oriana felt her eye twitch.

  I am not getting involved in this… she thought, shaking her head.

  Oriana

  The silence that filled the room roared loudly in Oriana’s ears. Caelan paced the length of a fireplace that took up half of one of the long walls. She sat in a chair and watched him pace, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

  “Are we going to talk, or just spend the next few hours in silence?” Lucian asked.

  He folded his arms across his chest and leaned his back against the wall, one foot propped up.

  Caelan stopped his pacing and glared.

  “We need to check on the other planets. I have to know everyone else is okay,” Oriana interjected before they could snap at each other again.

  “No.” Resuming his pacing, he shook his head. “That’s not something we have time for at this juncture. We need to find out who’s behind this.”

  “Yes,” Oriana said slowly. Irritation at being dismissed brewing in her chest. “By checking on the others, we might be able to save some of them, and find out who’s behind the attacks.”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t abandon my people to go and check on everyone else. Not until things are settled. Stay here with me and once things are restored, then we can go and look. I won’t leave Jupiter without a leader. Especially not knowing if the attackers will be back again.”

  “I’m not asking you to abandon them, Caelan.” Why does he have to see things in black and white? Her world was destroyed. She still had responsibilities to take care of back home, but she needed help—a Citinal to protect anything that might be left and to find out who was responsible. If she could learn that one piece of information, she could not only save others, but could prevent this from happening again.

  She stood.

  “There are too many unanswered questions right now. We need to make a plan.”

  “A plan? What kind of plan do you have in mind?” Caelan asked. His tone made it clear he was just humoring her. Just because she wasn’t a queen yet didn’t mean she wasn’t as qualified as he was. She might not have had his training, but she had a mind that was more than capable. What kind of life would they have if he just dismissed her thoughts and concerns before he even heard them?

  “We need to find out who’s responsible for this,” Lucian cut in. “Staying at home, where it’s safe, isn’t going to tell us anything. How do you expect any of us to keep our worlds safe if no one knows who the threat is?”

  Oriana turned to face him, glad that someone understood. “We need to find out who was affected and who wasn’t to narrow down all possibilities. Once we know who is responsible, we can stop them.”

  “That sounds idealistic. As much as I would love to go traipsing across every world in our Galaxy.” He waved his hand, “I would be remiss if I left now when our defenses are weakened. The King and Queen are gone,” his voice cracked, causing him to hesitate for the briefest of moments, “But we still have something to protect. I don’t know how it is on your world, or any other, but I can’t risk Jupiter like that. I’m sorry.” Caelan stopped pacing and hung his head.

  Concentrating on her breathing, Oriana tried to see the logic in it. Don’t cry. Don’t cry! He didn’t mean it as an insult. No one will ever respect me as a queen if I cry when I don’t get what you want.

  Begrudgingly, she had to admit that she was overreacting to him. He did have a point. His world had been attacked and his parents had been killed. It was different than Soleis, Pluto, and Mercury because his Citinal guards had been able to fight back and drive out their a
ttackers.

  “I… I understand, but regardless, I’m going to find out who did this.”

  “I wish you would stay. It will be safer for you here,” Caelan said, hope written all over his face.

  “I know,” she placed a hand on his arm. “But this is something I have to do.”

  “Is there anything I can say to convince you?” The look in his eyes told her that he already knew her answer.

  “No,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “We will find out who did this and then we will be back,” Lucian said. “I trust that your army will be available then?”

  Caelan lifted his head. “Yes. Come back when you find out who did this and their current location. I will lend my army to you. In the meantime, gather as many forces as you can to help. I would rather be over prepared than under prepared.”

  Oriana walked up to him and took his hands in hers. “Thank you.” She chewed her lip. She needed a plan. “Caelan, do you have a basic map of the Inner Ring? I want to look at it.”

  “Yes, just down the hall, in the study. There will be a map rolled up near the desk.”

  “Thank you,” she said, then hurried out the door.

  Lucian

  As hard as he tried, it was impossible for Lucian to ignore the heated glare aimed at him by the tall Prince. Sitting here and waiting for Oriana to return was low on the list of less than entertaining things he wanted to do. He’d go with her to find the map, see what she had planned and then they could leave.

  Lucian turned to follow when the door slammed shut in front of him. He looked up at the man towering over him, with narrowed eyes and clenched fists.

  “You should know better than to follow a betrothed princess around like a love sick fool,” Caelan said through gritted teeth.

  This guy was crazy. Instead of focusing on the issue at hand, he was worried about Lucian having a thing for his betrothed. That is absurd. Even if it were true, what kind of guy does he think I am? There were more important issues that needed to be dealt with than feelings.

  “Now isn’t the time for formalities. I am trying to clear the name of my world—and the only way to do that is with her. In case you haven’t been paying attention—whoever is responsible is after her and I stand a better chance of finding out who that is if I’m near her. You can rest easy; I have no interest in her. Besides, I’m not about to let her go off on her own in search of the people who want to kill her.” It was true—someone had to help her. He couldn’t help it if her betrothed didn’t want to be the one to do it.

  “I don’t care what excuses you choose to believe. You need to leave. For whatever reason, she trusts you. I, however, do not—all of this points to you—regardless of what you claim. Persuade her to stay here where it’s safe and go back to Earth where you belong.”

  “I don’t need you to believe me. I’m doing what I need to do to protect my world. Oriana’s the only heir to her Kingdom, and I have no place telling her what to do. Oriana can make her own decisions.”

  “She’s too emotional right now. She can’t think clearly. As the last surviving heir, she needs to remain safe. I can’t keep her safe with her running about the Galaxy with the likes of a winset,” he sneered.

  “She doesn’t belong to you.” Lucian’s fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. He would let that insult slide off. Though a solid punch to the other man’s face might make him feel better.

  Insinuating he was a man who would flirt with her for his own self-interest was one thing, but acting as if Oriana was an object he could own made his blood boil. She wasn’t an object and Prince Caelan needed to stop speaking about her as if she were.

  “In a year, she will be my wife,” Caelan spat.

  Lucian’s jaw tightened. As if I don’t already know.

  “Then maybe you should join her. She wants your help, not mine. Oriana would have us trade places in a heartbeat if it were up to her.”

  “I can’t do that. My duty is to my people. Before I can help others, I must ensure—”

  “Then don’t presume to tell anyone else what they must do to protect their own.”

  Oriana

  Turning sharply around a corner, Oriana collided with a servant. She fell back and landed on her butt. In her rush, she hadn’t been paying attention.

  “Oh, pardon me miss, I should have been more careful,” the older man said.

  She looked up, into a familiar face. Where have I seen him before? He had dark, kind eyes.

  “It’s okay. I was in a hurry.”

  “Where are you headed? Maybe I can help.” He offered her a hand, which she gratefully took.

  “Do I know you?” she asked. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that she’d seen him before.

  He hesitated for a brief second before replying.

  “No, your Highness, I’m afraid not. I would remember you. Please, let me assist you.”

  It was an odd way of saying it, but then, she’d never been to Jupiter before. She shrugged. This wasn’t Soleis, and she was thousands of light years away. It would be natural for them to speak differently.

  “Yes, I am looking for the study, I am in need of a map.”

  “Ah yes, I can show you where they are kept. Is there a particular chart you are looking for?” he asked, leading the way.

  The study wasn’t exactly “just down the hall” as Caelan had said. They turned and walked past a few more rooms.

  “I believe this belongs to you,” the man said, holding out a bag.

  “Oh no, I don’t think—”

  “Oh but it is, it was made to match your outfit. Please, it has a small knife and some food for your journey.” He placed the satchel in her hands and smiled. “Now, let’s get you that map.”

  Further protests died on her lips as the man led her down the hall. She followed, slinging the strap over her shoulder. This bag could come in handy…

  Oriana entered the study to find the two men in a silent battle of wills, facing each other on opposite sides of the room, they looked as though they were trying to will each other out of existence.

  She cleared her throat.

  “Ahem, if you two are almost done, I’d like to formulate a strategy.”

  Caelan and Lucian startled at her sudden reappearance as she strode over to the open space near the fireplace and sat down, spreading the map out in front of her. Neither man made a move. “Come on, we’ll make a plan.”

  “What kind of plan?” Lucian asked, tilting his head to the side.

  “We can’t just start on the first planet and work our way back. We need to make it random. That way if they figure out what we are doing, we can lose them by being unpredictable.”

  “What if the next world you go to, is the one responsible?” Caelan asked.

  Sighing, Oriana sat back on her heels.

  “I know I don’t seem qualified, but I managed to make a lot of progress before I found either of you. Can’t you trust me?” Her eyes pleaded for them to have even just a shred of faith in her.

  Without saying a word, Lucian sat down across from her and leaned over the map. Reluctantly, Caelan did the same.

  She pointed to her planet on the map.

  “I was on Soleis when we were attacked. No one in the palace was left alive. No one that I could find. I’ll admit I didn’t search beyond the palace boundaries, but my parents and Celeste are dead.” She paused. All this time she’d been so focused on what she needed to do, she’d kept herself from thinking about everyone she knew, their deaths, and what that meant to her.

  “It’s all right, Oriana, take your time,” Lucian said.

  She shook her head, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over, and rushed on. “I went to Pluto first and only Princess Cassia was left alive. Her parents are deceased. The attackers were still there. They wore Pluto’s uniforms, just as they had worn Soleis’ uniforms when we were attacked.” She dragged her finger across the map to Mercury. “We ended up here. According to
Erin, the Royals were taken, not killed. That was maybe a week before the attack on Soleis. From there I went to Earth, now here.”

  Caelan nodded. “That leaves, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.”

  “Don’t forget Eris,” Oriana reminded him.

  “Eris? Their planet is small and outside the Kuiper belt.”

  “Yes, but they shouldn’t be ignored. We need to make sure they are all right, and to see how far this attack has reached.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have thought to check on them if they hadn’t just been to Soleis for a talk recently.”

  “A talk—”

  “They have a double Gateway system and depending on who’s responsible, we might need access to the Outer Ring planets,” Lucian said.

  Caelan coughed lightly, bringing her attention back to him and finished his question.

  “A talk about what?”

  She pulled her gaze away from Lucian’s face, her questions chased from her mind by Caelan’s words.

  “They wanted to discuss forming a treaty with us. Father said if they formed an alliance with us, then the rest of the solar system would be more open to trades and agreements.”

  “That was a good move on his part,” Caelan agreed.

  “So now that we know where you’ve been, how do you want to go about checking the other worlds?” Lucian interrupted.

  “I thought, we could start at Neptune, then go to Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Venus, and finally, Eris. Then…” she paused taking a deep breath. “I’d like to go back to Soleis, in case I missed something.”

  Rubbing her chin, Oriana lifted her eyes to find them both watching her. Caelan had a wide-eyed expression of wonder, like a child who’d seen the Firebirds of Soleis for the first time. Lucian was looking at her with a sad smile. “Anyway,” she mumbled dropping her eyes, uncomfortable with their gazes. “That’s just the first plan I came up with. Do you two have anything to add that I might have missed?”

  “It is a fine plan, Oriana. Provided you stay hidden until you know which worlds are safe, just find out who’s alive and which planets are still occupied. Come back and we will have a plan of attack ready.” Caelan stood and smoothed out his shirt.