Orion

by Cyndi Goodgame

  "How do you how?"

  "Smell 'em."

  Hmm! I haven't been around many that I know of, but I doubt it.

  “But my father. When my brother is returned, they’ll murder us in our sleep I’m sure. And me? Bet the plans for me are anything but nice. They wanted to get to my brother and they want me to show up. I’m sure of it. What is it they want that has anything to do with strange prophecies and such?”

  Lee was thinking. He liked puzzles and this was some freaking major kind of puzzle.

  “Lee? LEE?” he didn’t respond.

  “Stop. Let me think?”

  Calum has a throne? How did I not see that coming? I can’t hide from him anymore. I’ll have—

  “It fits. Deep voice, as you call him, wants the Valkyrie, Hunter and Vampire throne? Your entire family eliminated, Calum’s, and…they take it all. That has to be it.”

  He said what I couldn’t say. Eliminated. How can I tell Calum? “Do I tell my father?” I’m no leader. I can’t even decide what to tell and not. I’m freaking asking the outcast.

  “Not yet. Let’s both sleep on it and talk tomorrow. I will do some looking, ask a friend."

  "A friend we can trust?" I asked with honest doubt.

  His eyes cut to mine, "A lot can happen in a few years Anastacia."

  We were back in the parking lot, just sitting in the dark when he made that statement. It was a warning.

  “Sleep is optional," I offered instead of asking.

  He laughed quietly in the dark.

  “Same here.”

  “Give me one more day with Calum, then we’ll talk.”

  “Do you want me there?”

  “Not a good idea. I will come to your dorm room after, if he still wants to talk to me. We will figure it out then.”

  He nodded in the darkness, old friends with little to say. I had a wearied feeling Lee wasn't so innocent as before. Left alone for so long without much family, he seems to have taken on a darker look. A sad one.

  We didn’t say goodbye when we neared the dorms up the backside away from the monitors on duty. We looked at each other, both of us quietly in the car hidden in the shadows, but either saying anything about it. He nodded as I walked backward three steps toward my room. I knew why I shed my two treacherous tears. I knew what lie ahead. But Lee’s hidden sorrow, I couldn’t place. And I didn’t ask?

  Chapter Nineteen If we did all the things we are capable of…

  I watched the sunrise from the front steps already showered and ready for…whatever may come.

  Students started appearing, saying the normal morning hellos. Lee walked up, sat down beside me.

  “Hej. You sleep?”

  I nodded.

  “Calum will be here in five.”

  I looked over at him. Stared blankly. “Ja!”

  “I’m here…” his message mixed with something else, “to wait for Maze. I mean, I need a reason to be sitting here.”

  “Oh, ok. Good idea.” He was right.

  “Tonight, I’ll stay in my room.” His eyebrows lowered.

  “I’ll ask him to meet me at our spot.” I pictured the first time I saw Calum there. “It’s in the b—

  “I know. The bench. Calum is softer then people know. He talks about stuff like that. But he’d kill me if I told you that.”

  Kill! He caught his blunder as I did. Silence.

  “Hey there! What are you two so gloom and doom for?” Maze was standing over me as Calum walked up to my side and pecked my cheek.

  We, meaning Lee and I both managed a smile, turned on the joy, and headed to breakfast.

  I tried to say everything to Calum that I possibly could think of before the day ended. In weapons class I sparred him in swords just to see him laugh and smile. When he walked me all the way to math after chemistry, I made him tell me what his favorite food was, favorite childhood memory, favorite dessert, favorite movie of all time and so on. He finally cut me off with a really deep long, painful I almost forgot my doomsday ending kind of kiss.

  I walked into class and quickly jotted down his answers so my dizziness didn’t help me forget them.

  Favorite food- pizza

  Favorite color- green

  Favorite weapon- sword

  Favorite dessert- Miss Lan’s cookies

  Favorite movie- Top Gun

  Favorite childhood memory- father gave him his sword

  I didn’t want to forget anything. So I decided I’d ask him a few more later, before the day ended. We’d decided to meet at 6:00 by our bench with a blanket under the stars. Just what I needed before I break his Rigel heart.

  He left me at afternoon classes knowing my secrets would be revealed. I had to prepare him somewhat. I’d decided to start with pulling out the two items and showing them again, ending with who I really was for the finale.

  We laid there counting our stars, creating the battle in our own story like we’d done for several weeks now. Amazing how a few weeks makes a huge difference in one’s life.

  I asked him about some favorites again like his favorite ice cream and favorite sport. Mint chocolate, and of course, soccer. Should have known both.

  I sighed and began with a small trickle of information know my time limit was unavoidable.

  “I want to show you something.” Rising up on my knees, I pulled my shirt up, and dropped my pouch beside me.

  I pulled his hand and placed it on my stomach watching him trace Orion with jolts of amazing fire flowing through me. He let me do the same laying down beside me. It was beyond words.

  “I have to tell you something besides what we both know. What I have learned. It’s going to be more than you can handle. And…”

  He put his hand on my heart. “That sounds ominous. I assure you I can handle what you’re dishing, but can you handle mine?” His bad boy smile came out.

  “And you will most likely hate me before the night’s end.” When I didn’t smile he moved to avoid the lack of humor in my voice.

  “Hate is a little harsh, don’t you think?” He mused moving his hand back to my stomach.

  I moved his hand, “I need you to be serious for a minute.”

  He stilled. I put the knife in his hand.

  I lay back down figuring by watching Orion maybe the stars could bend Calum’s will to understand what I was about to say. My stomach fluttered like the other times and I bolted up looking everywhere for heartbeats and bodies secretly watching us. Calum followed me upward and back down when I saw nothing. Dang animals.

  "You see something?"

  "No, just feel it."

  He eased when I did, but the feeling didn't go away.

  “The knife was mine, taken from me at twelve, and I‘ve since learned my father knows and was most likely the one who took it. But I found it somewhere else. The patch belongs to my brother, who is missing, taken from him on the day of his kidnapping.”

  He started to rise up, my hand stopped him. “Please, keep looking at Orion. It is helping me not to see your face as I tell you what you don’t want to hear.”

  Reluctant, but he did.

  “And the letter you found on your dresser last night. I put it there after finding all three items together.”

  He shot up again, “Where did you get that?”

  “Let me finish. I found them, all three, in your father’s office.” Before he could keep going, “I was sent here to find out more about my brother and where he was taken and by whom. I found out your father is connected, but he isn’t the one who is the real bad guy. Someone else is, and your dad, I think trusts him right now, and he wants to hurt you, me, and our families.”

  His face was somewhere between disbelief and waiting for a punch line. I tried to look at the stars and not him looking down at me.

  “I know more about us,” I pointed to our stomachs speaking as fast as steam spouting from a teakettle. “I did some research, I told you, and I know that us meeting wasn’t an accident. We both were born February 29th, not even
a real day, our mothers died in childbirth, both marked with the same sign, and both left an item by our mothers that have something in common. A letter.”

  I continued while he still seemed calm. “I am fairly certain that someone wants the two of us to not come together, and trying to separate us by you finding out the truth about me. I was sent here, I think, by one party to befriend you, and to be hated by you from the other party. I never meant for this to happen, nor did I know that I would meet you. I’d never heard of you before that day, standing here, at this bench. I promise. I asked my friend to google it and she found the prophecy, asked my court the stories, and confirmed what I couldn’t deny.”

  “I looked it all up. It’s all true, I’m sure. I just didn’t want to admit some of it yet. It wasn't easily accessible, but I have a friend of a friend.” He’d researched as well. Hmm! Well, well, well! He’d known at least before today for sure, or at least wondered.

  He was calm enough, so I kept going. “I overheard a conversation between Dr. Quinn and someone I didn’t know. They have my brother hidden, intend to separate us for some unearthly reason, and…” I swallowed back, “to return certain individuals, who are not in power, to the throne.”

  He lifted his head for the first time, “What throne?” His eyes darkened and were unreadable. The amount of fear was excruciating painful for me to sit and consume, but now anger!

  I don’t want to tell him here. “Can we go to your room? I have something to tell you, but not here.”

  “More surprises than now?” His head was most definitely spinning.

  “You still don’t know who I am,” I mumbled audibly enough for him to hear. I stood hoping he would follow.

  With fear looming in the air, he didn’t stand, but looked up at me, “My father isn’t always honest with me. And there are a few things I should tell you about him. I’m not ready to believe he took those things yet, but I don’t doubt it. Prophecy or not, something is amiss and I want answers. Since you came my father has done nothing but bark orders. I’m not sure if I’m ready to believe that someone wants us dead, or worse, but I’m going to finish listening to you. I said I would.” He was beginning to show an unstopping anger now and continued after a ragged breath, “I want you to know that the Hunter in me looks for facts and right now, my sincere reaction is to doubt. This is more than…a secret. You lied.”

  He let another breath out. He was angrier that I appeared to just handle the accusations, but he would not say it. He just didn't know me well. He signaled for me to move off the blanket not looking at me, and turned, waiting for me to lead.

  I crawled into the window, while Calum walked around the entrance. We were way before curfew. I briefly wondered if he might bolt out of there and leave while he could, but he didn’t.

  Lee was standing in the room with me facing him, reading my face no doubt. We had exactly less than a minute before he’d walk in the dorm room door. I fiddled with my hair and realized it would make me look nervous, so I dropped my hand.

  “He knows most everything, but not about you and I and what we are? Do you want him to know about you?”

  “Yes, I’m in this with you, Anastacia. Like I should have been a long time ago.”

  His eyes darted back and forth when he came in. He was noticing the interactive stances of both us talking and no doubt, figuring out that it’s been going on longer than the possible few seconds head start. The Hunter in him asked though, “Lee, can you go somewhere a while?”

  I looked at Lee, “No, he needs to stay,” and answering Calum’s unspoken accusation.

  Calum shut the door and sat at his desk chair far away from either of us. I stood. Lee sat on his bed with his hands going through his hair no doubt wondering if this was the end of their friendship. He was taking a huge chance on siding with me and I was all too well aware of it.

  “Will you let me finish everything I need to say before you bolt?”

  Wrong thing to say apparently, “Yes, I said I would,” his even darker eyes were glaring kill notions at Lee.

  Here goes! “I am Princess Anastacia Anat Hathown of the Valkyrie court, daughter of Lord Hathown. And…” I waved my hand towards Lee.

  Calum’s eyes were wavering on the falling apart side, but I knew his pride wouldn’t show any emotion. At least I thought. His eyes had………………… tears. I didn’t predict that by a long shot.

  Lee stood, “And I’m Lee Dyer the third, son of the deceased General Dyer, first lieutenant in the Hunter regime and son of Amelia Dyer, Valkyrie.”

  We, as in Lee and I, watched Calum process all of this.

  “My twin brother, Szar was taken four weeks ago by Hunters, reasons unknown, until yesterday. I found out that my father most likely knew all along, and that I’m not here at this school, to find out more, but rather to be hidden for a time and then I don’t know what. Yet, another group is involved with less than cordial intentions. I haven't made headway until last night, but there are several who are less informed on who is the rightful heirs and for what political gain."

  I wanted to run to him. Hold him. Say something to make it better.

  Calum looked at Lee. “Why are you here?” There wasn’t a way to decipher his voice. It was too even. He was surely trying to reason how we know each other otherwise and are tied together in this other than parentage.

  “I was sent to spy on the Hathown court for a period of two years since my hidden heritage allowed me thus so, and when I knew too much, was sent back here, slapped on the back, and told to keep my mouth shut or else,” Lee stopped short.

  I chided myself for hesitating to help Calum.

  Calum’s eyes went back and forth between us and settled back on me. “Did you know he,” he tossed his eyes back to Lee and back to me, “was going to be here?”

  What was he insinuating? “No, he disappeared right before my fifteenth birthday, and I didn’t know it was him until Saturday at the movies. I think…he means to help me.” I looked at Lee.

  My fingers fidgeting with my mom’s pendant, I noticed Calum’s fingers settled on the letter he had in his hand now. His lips moved open and stayed.

  “And my father knows where your brother is?”

  “I think so,” I answered. I had no idea what else to say. I’d surely said it all. “Quinn was there.”

  Lee spoke next like it was news to him but he was the spy. Didn’t he have more inside knowledge? Lee verified what we knew, “It seems Quinn is the gopher in this…whatever this is. Your dad seems to just be a pawn. We think both families are in danger.”

  We waited. There were so many other pertinent things Calum needed to know. Facts to help piece things together. But he’d just heard the motherload of bad news and I wanted to feel out both boy’s real intentions.

  “I need a minute,” Calum crawled out the window leaving the two of us alone.

  I sat on Calum’s bed. Lee still on his.

  Facing each other, Lee put his head in his hands. I copied, letting the tears go even though I knew I should have the strength to hide it. I never really cared about anyone before.

  “Undskyld. Sorry!” Lee spoke to his hands. Lee walked over and put his arm around my shoulder. I mewled it out of my system for over fifteen minutes with my face hidden. I noticed the clock’s time at the same time I saw Calum standing back in the doorway of his room.

  “I need to know something,” Calum started. His eyes closed for one sharp second, and swallowed.

  I leaned up more to see his perfect face.

  “Is there something going on between the two of you?” His jaw was set like stone.

  I jumped away from Lee. He moved over the other way, but slower.

  “Nej! No!” we both looked astonished at him saying in unison, one in Danish, one not.

  “No,” Lee said again sadly, “I knew Anastacia a long time ago. We’re just friends. Long time friends with a lot in common.” He looked at me. I needed to hear this.

  I looked at Calum, “He has
been a good friend then and now. He could have ratted me out all the way back to the first day I came. But he didn’t.”

  Lee seemed to need the same sentiment.

  Calum seemed to be deciding. “Lee, don’t leave. I’ll be back later. Cover for me. Stace, come with me?”

  I hesitated and my face all but showed it.

  “I’M NOT…” his voice lowered again after he heard himself, “here too hurt you, Stace. You know that by now.”

  I looked at Lee who nodded for me to go. I crawled through the window into the darkness and forever unknown.

  Chapter Twenty …we would literally astound ourselves.

  He walked me to the edge of the woods away from our bench where we stood looking up for a really long time at the sky, both knowing what the other was seeking. He had his hands in his pockets. Mine were folded and drawn in, though not cold. My stomach began to flutter that same distinct screaming amount of flip flops that’s happened every time I’ve stood near the wood line.

  “I knew you had to be different.” He looked at my hair as I looked at his face. “I’m not sure how to go forward, Stace. I think you’re here for a reason, but this is all too much!” He was looking up again. “I don’t know what else to think. It’s not normal by any means. Hunter! Valkyrie! My best friend too! All lies. What am I supposed to do?”

  I couldn’t answer.

  “I walked out of there thinking the right thing to do is walk away from you, your secrets.”

  I saw the fainted line of a vein appearing on his forehead, his fingers running through his hair like I’d seen him do when stressed.

  “I—

  His hand shot up in the air to shut me up. He looked at my arms trembling.

  “But that means “ratting” you out, they take you away, and I…I just can’t do it. I can’t let you walk away from me. Not yet. Hell!” His face apologized for the colorful language that I could care less about. He cracked his head up to me, “I’m not sure why we found each other, this prophecy or whatever the heck it is, but it all kind of makes sense and it all kind of doesn’t. Crazy junk!”