Minal groaned. “Oh, gods, it’s like a virus. Soon the whole universe will be infected by all these puns. Thanks a million, Dev.”
Dev sneaked a lick of Sheetal’s ice cream. “You bet.”
Sheetal elbowed him. “Get your own.”
“Maybe later.” He held out a hand. “Can we take a walk?”
Sheetal gestured toward Minal and Padmini, who were too busy gazing at each other to notice. “I think we could walk to the North Pole and back, probably.”
She took another bite of ice cream, but there was no way she was finishing this behemoth without dying of sugar shock. She gave the cone to Vanita. “It’s all yours.”
Then she laced her fingers with Dev’s, and they strolled along one of the curving paths between the stalls.
“So,” Dev asked lightly, “how are you doing with everything?”
“About like you are,” Sheetal admitted. “I mean, I’m so glad my dad’s okay, and he seems really happy to see my mom. But what’s going to happen now? Will I age super slowly? What if Nani’s so mad, she’ll never listen to me?”
It wasn’t enough to have won the competition for her nakshatra; Sheetal couldn’t pretend she didn’t belong up there anymore. But she couldn’t throw away everything down here, either.
And that meant splitting her life between two worlds.
She didn’t add that if she did age slowly, Dev would get older way before she did, but he didn’t need her to.
“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Keep checking the Night Market, keep looking in old books. Maybe there’s a spell or something. You can’t be the first star who wanted to stay here and live out her mortal life. Besides, your nani needs you. She’ll come around.”
Sheetal hoped so. Nani had made it clear she wouldn’t give up without a fight, and Sheetal was still upset about having been treated like a pawn, but she did want to be part of her starry family—and that meant finding ways to work things out.
Besides, someone had to be there to help Kaushal remind the stars why humanity mattered.
As for Charumati, she actually seemed proud of Sheetal. Like mother, like daughter, I guess?
“Don’t force me to make the obligatory wish-upon-a-star joke,” Dev threatened.
Sheetal burst out laughing. “Okay, okay! Just no more puns for at least the next twenty-four hours, all right?”
“No promises,” he said. “Anyway, Minal’s right, and I hope you’ll sing with me. I mean, ice cream taller than you are should be worth at least one duet, right?”
Sheetal nodded. “I will. Any word from Jeet?” Jeet had been ignoring all Dev’s text messages, calls, and e-mails. When their family tried to intervene, Jeet had warned them to mind their own business or he’d cut them out, too.
It wasn’t fair that the other contestants didn’t remember anything about the starry court or the competition, but both Dev and Jeet always would. At least Priyanka had apologized for doubting Sheetal before they’d left the starry court. For her part, Sheetal had promised to do what she could to help Priyanka’s family.
Not that Priyanka even knew who she was now.
Dev’s smile crumbled. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m so sorry,” Sheetal said again, knowing how useless it was even as she said it.
“It was my decision, too,” he reminded her.
They stopped in front of a stall illuminated by glowing jasmine blossoms. The proprietor stared, as though trying to place Dev. Sheetal quickly cupped his face in her hands and kissed him hard, kissed him like he was the air and water and earth to her fire, letting her lips say everything her words couldn’t.
When they pulled apart, she whispered, “What are we going to do about the inspiration thing? I can’t inspire you. Not after all that.”
“I’ve been thinking.” Dev ran a thumb over the back of her hand. “You know how your dad never got inspired by your mom after that first time? Well, I asked her about it, and she said you can control it.”
Sheetal wanted so much to believe that. She thought back to Dev’s dream, to the pitiable people who had physically fallen apart as they forgot anything outside their work and their muses. Who had burned away from too much inspiration.
But Dad had never been like that. The only flame in him was the torch he kept burning for his wife. He nurtured her memory and grieved her absence, and he still lived.
It hurt to accept, but maybe he’d never wanted more from his career. Maybe all he’d ever wanted was to spend his days studying the sky and dreaming of the stars. “Go on.”
Dev hummed a few bars of his birthday song. “You didn’t notice I wrote that one without your help?”
Sheetal didn’t even try to hide her doubt. “How do you know that, though?”
“There’s nothing like a star’s inspiration. It’s this stupid, impossible high that you just ride to the end of. There’s no struggle. Nothing standing in your way. That’s what makes it so addictive.” He gave her a bashful grin. “Let’s just say writing that song was, uh, not like that.”
“Okay, so? How do I not inspire you on purpose, then?”
“Whenever you’re down here and feel like doing it, just inspire someone else instead. Energy needs to flow, right, so instead of fighting it, redirect it! The world’s full of blocked people.”
She considered that. “Sounds simple enough. Like something my dad would say.”
“It was actually your dad’s idea,” Dev said, reaching up to play with her wig. “He told your mom to try it, and it worked.”
Sheetal tore off the wig and stuffed it into her bag. After all, she didn’t need it here in the Night Market. “I should’ve guessed.”
Dev smiled his answer against her mouth, and he tasted better than even the ice cream. Sweet, warm, and full of sunshine. Her own light flared, brilliant against her closed lids.
Harp strings began to trill, saturating the air with shimmering ornaments. “That is quite enough of your face-to-face!”
“Such thoughtless knavery in this, our place!”
Sheetal took the hint and let go of Dev, though not without rolling her eyes. “I think we’re being summoned.”
“Shall we sing again?” asked Vanita when they got back. Judging by the smudge near her mouth, she’d happily polished off what was left of the ice cream cone.
“Perhaps one about your mother?” asked Amrita, smacking her lips. Sheetal didn’t want to know what she’d been eating.
She looked from Dev to Minal, who was cracking up, to Padmini, who’d been staring at the heavens, and smiled. Tomorrow they would deliver sofas and make dinner with fathers, deal with irate cousins and grandmothers and unexpected singing careers, and figure out how to navigate life between magical and mundane worlds.
Right now, however, she had friends who saw her—the real her—and a shining crystal harp. “Well, I do know a few more stories. . . .”
Acknowledgments
They say it takes a village to raise a child or publish a book, and I’m here to say that’s one hundred percent accurate. Heartfelt thanks go out to:
First readers Amy Bai, Casey Blair, Roshani Chokshi, Rosamund Hodge, Jessica Kormos, Justine Larbalestier, Claire Legrand, Anna-Marie McLemore, Caitlyn Paxson, and Jennifer Walkup, who read what amounted to a seed striving to sprout and offered some much-needed Miracle-Gro.
Nova Ren Suma and the summer 2015 Djerassi workshop. Nova, your praise and notes spurred me to go much deeper.
Vinod Mishra, for telling me about the nakshatras. Danielle Friedman and Kunal Thakrar, for helping clarify what an intensive care unit is like and what could have landed Sheetal’s dad there.
Vashti Bandy, B. A. Barnett, Victoria Sandbrook Flynn, Annaka Kalton, Jocelyn Koehler, Claire Legrand, Jennifer Mace, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Renee Melton, for your invaluable insights and encouragement through the years of revising and rewriting. I’m so happy to call you friends and read your work, too!
Patrice Caldwell, a true advoc
ate of diverse voices. You did so much to help me get here, and I’ll always be grateful.
J. Koyanagi, for the love, heart talks, and clear sight. Cindy Pon, for insisting my day would come and being one of my dearest friends and favorite writers. Karuna Riazi, for never once doubting, reading so many snippets, and always reminding me we both can and must make our magic. Sukanya Venkatraghavan, for the talks, love, and Kali earrings. Mikey Vuoncino, for your unwavering belief in me and the stories I have to tell, plus the suggestion for why Sheetal’s dad won the Nobel Prize. The Sisterhood of the Moon, for tons of folklore and glitter along the way. You’re the best supporters this dreamer could ask for.
Cheerleader readers Jessica B. Cooper, Jennifer Crow, and Grace Nuth, for reading and squealing about how awesome the book was long and loudly enough to get me past the precarious spots when I was ready to throw it all in the trash.
Diana DeVault, you blessing with rainbow hair, you. I would have given up long before now if you hadn’t been there with your love, steadfast enthusiasm, and excellent hugs!
Lindsey Márton O’Brien, for your love and faith and for my sparkling jewel of a website, and Asma Kazi, for plucking the Night Market right out of my imagination to form the backdrop of that website.
Terri Windling, for nurturing such an inclusive mythic arts community in a time when I didn’t see stories like this one anywhere and for believing my voice a necessary part of it.
Holly Black, Plot Whisperer Extraordinaire. A glass of frostberry wine and a front-seat ticket to the celestial art competition for you. If I ever do find those sentient cloud barrettes, they’re all yours.
Laini Taylor, for your beautiful “Stars” Laini’s Lady quotation and for inspiring me with your own enchanting tales and love of whimsy.
Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, for your splendid illustrated novel Stardust, which first inspired Star Daughter (“I know, I’ll write a story about a girl whose mother is a star in a Hindu constellation!”).
The We Need Diverse Books organization, for awarding me an inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant while I was revising an early draft of this book, and the late Walter Dean Myers himself, a champion of inclusion and real representation in media. We all deserve to have our stories told—in our own voices.
Super agent Beth Phelan, for your no-nonsense editorial eye, your business savvy, and your kindness—and to the entire Gallt & Zacker agency for caring so well for its clients. Here’s to many more books together!
My brilliant editor Stephanie Stein, who got my vision and guided me with liberal amounts of stardust, wisdom, and support to make it real. This book is what it is because of you. You deserve an entire table of astral sweets and a trip to the Night Market, World’s Best Editor.
Charlie Bowater, for your cover art that leaves me gasping at its impossible beauty. You brought Sheetal to life in a way I never even dared dream of. And that moonlight lotus!
Corina Lupp, for your incredible cover design that makes me swoon every time I see it. (That title treatment! That filigree detail! It’s all so gorgeous!)
Louisa Currigan, Kadeen Griffiths, Jessica Berg, Vanessa Nuttry, Michael D’Angelo, Shannon Cox, Deanna Hoak, Mary Ann Seagren, and all the other delightful people with and at HarperCollins for everything you’ve poured into making this book a magical object people can hold in their hands. What an amazing team! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
My beloved husband, Ed, who wouldn’t stop bugging me to finish this book whenever I felt like quitting. And look what happened; I sold it. Maybe I should listen to you more, huh?
My teacher Shankara, who sits with me in Truth. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And finally, Devi, who always pushes me to bloom. May we all seek to be light in the world, through art and compassion.
About the Author
Photo credit Luminous Creative Studio
SHVETA THAKRAR is a part-time nagini and full-time believer in magic. Her work has appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Enchanted Living, Uncanny Magazine, and Toil & Trouble. When not spinning stories, Shveta crafts, devours books, daydreams, travels, bakes, and occasionally even plays her harp. You can find her online at www.shvetathakrar.com and on Twitter and Instagram at @ShvetaThakrar.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Books by Shveta Thakrar
Star Daughter
The Dream Runners
Back Ad
DISCOVER
your next favorite read
MEET
new authors to love
WIN
free books
SHARE
infographics, playlists, quizzes, and more
WATCH
the latest videos
www.epicreads.com
Copyright
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
STAR DAUGHTER. Copyright © 2020 by Shveta Thakrar. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.epicreads.com
Cover art © 2020 by Charlie Bowater
Cover design by Corina Lupp
* * *
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Thakrar, Shveta, author.
Title: Star daughter / Shveta Thakrar.
Description: First edition. | New York, NY : HarperTeen, [2020] | Summary: Sheetal Mistry, a rising high school junior who is half-star, half-human, must win a competition in the starry court to save her human father.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019040558 | ISBN 978-0-06-289462-5 (hardcover) — ISBN 978-0-06-305555-1 (special edition)
Subjects: CYAC: East Indian Americans—Fiction. | Stars—Fiction. | Mythology, Indic—Fiction. | Contests—Fiction. | Courts and courtiers—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.T4472 St 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019040558
* * *
Digital Edition AUGUST 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-289464-9
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-289462-5
2021222324PC/LSCC10987654321
FIRST EDITION
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
okFrom.Net
Star Daughter Page 32