Deceit (The Stellar Series Book 1)

by Rebecca Clark

  “Princess, it’s time we introduce you to your people.” The queen smiles and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “I’ve been waiting all of your life for this day.” Her words ring warm and sincere, but I keep replaying in my head all of the horrible things she’s supposedly done: the rumored massacres, holding Michael’s family hostage, binding my so-called magic, and taking Miri away from her mother—that’s unforgivable.

  “Queen, you are too kind.” My eyes meet hers and I can tell she’s thinking something, but she says nothing. She draws me back into the dinner room and escorts me around to her people and I struggle to remember what a bad queen and mother she is. However, every time we approach a new table, she says something so touching about me, recalling my birth into the world, or the legacy she’s planned for me. How can she be so terrible and so kind all at the same time? These thoughts make my head spin.

  “Princess, are you okay?”

  The queen’s words halt the whirling in my head. “Yes, Your Majesty. I’m just finding this evening both overwhelming and enlightening. I think it’s all catching up to me.” I smile with my reply.

  “You’ll be fine. After tonight, you can rest as long as you need to,” she whispers in my ear. She grips my arm to steady me. The spinning starts to subside and I carry on as she expects me to.

  I have to admit, meeting the people of Mapu went a lot more smoothly than I had originally imagined. The queen introduced me formally with a toast with a bubbly drink that fizzed in my mouth and warmed my stomach. The drink reminded me of Earth’s champagne in both appearance and effect, I imagine, as well.

  After the toast, Mother and I greet each table. With each introduction, my heart softens. I receive praise and comments riddled with relief that I’m finally here. Everyone is pleased and excited to meet me. Why would they display such pleasure if that’s not the case? I find their happiness and sincerity touching, and I wonder if perhaps this is where I truly belong. Maybe this woman, my mother, the queen, isn’t so bad?

  Walking back to my room, I pause and remove my sparkling, magenta, open-toe heels and let my feet breathe. Miri didn’t stay for much of the party after dinner. She was exhausted and Michael escorted her to her room as soon as dinner was over. She did say that she didn’t sleep well the night before and she needed to rest. Thankfully, Mother was okay with that.

  Since Gabe and Gavin are helping to escort the crowd out of the castle, I’m free to roam around on my own. However, all I can think about is my bed. Entertaining is surprisingly exhausting. Especially when trying not to upset my mother.

  Gazing over the balcony on the way back to my room, I notice the tide is going out. The air smells sweet and salty, tickling my nose, and when I close my eyes, I imagine Elena and I vacationing in Maine. The imagery brings me back to a happy place.

  “Princess, are you all right?”

  I don’t need to open my eyes to know who is standing behind me. I sensed Michael nearing me a few minutes ago. “Did Miri get tucked into bed okay?” I turn around to look at him and notice something is different about him.

  “Yes, she did,” he murmurs. Then his brows furrow as if he wants to say something, but instead, his face shifts into concern.

  “Michael, what’s wrong?”

  He leans forward and his voice becomes urgent. “I shouldn’t be here, or be telling you this. She will kill my family if she finds out.”

  I can sense his fear, almost feel it. Shivers travel through my body, chilling me. The calmness of a few minutes ago is gone, replaced by heart-pounding anxiety. “Michael, could you be wrong about her? She seems so gracious, and she clearly cares for the beings on her planet. Maybe the one who kidnapped your family is that terrible Makin?”

  “That’s what she wants you to think, Alexa. She’s not nice, or good, or anything that a queen should be. She plays a game—and she plays it well. Have you forgotten how you got here? Or the place she sent me to retrieve you? I’ve been living a lie for a year, watching you and reporting back,” he says, his voice heavy with disgust. “I’m afraid she’s put a spell on you. She has made you only see what she wants you to see.”

  Michael takes a step toward me, holding out his hands. “Alexa, I know you have no reason to trust me, but you need to when it comes to her. She’s evil.”

  “Michael, I do believe you when you speak about her and tell me these things. But when you leave, I think about how nice she is, and that maybe there’s a chance we could have a mother-daughter relationship. I don’t know why I think this after what you’ve told me, and what we’ve been through.” I feel as frustrated as the day I arrived.

  He gently brushes a strand of hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear. “Alexa, I don’t know what her plan is, but I know your magic is being suppressed by a sorcerer on the island. I also know your mother had a spell cast over you, probably by this sorcerer, that makes you think about her as a motherly figure—not as the monster she is. Somehow, it suppresses your anger toward her. Your mother has no magical abilities, but she keeps people close by who do. She uses them to do her dirty work. Honestly, that’s why I think she keeps Miri here. If things don’t work out with you, she’ll abuse Miri’s power to rule.” Michael takes a deep breath and sighs loudly. I can see subtle signs of the old Michael returning.

  “Why are you telling me all this? How do I know you aren’t under a spell?” I question.

  “Awhile ago, after my family was taken, I asked Miri to put a block on me so no spell could be cast over me, unless she willed it herself. She has very strong abilities,” Michael muttered.

  “I’m not sure what I can do. But I’m going to do something.” My voice sounds stronger than I feel, but I know if I don’t believe in myself, no one will. “Michael, somehow, we need to locate the being who is preventing me from learning and using my abilities. You should work on that. I think you could probably move about the island easier than I can.” I think of my two bodyguards and the ruckus I would cause if I were caught venturing out of the castle. If Michael works on this, I can work on a plan of my own.

  “Alexa, please believe me when I say that I’ll make this better,” he says earnestly. “I’ll do anything you ask of me to prove that I do care about you.” His eyes search mine, silently begging me to believe in him.

  Before I can speak, he moves closer. My will fails me. I stand there, half of me not wanting to move, the other half wanting to run. When he kisses me, it’s different from before. His lips are still soft and familiar, but the magic is absent.

  He pulls back and shrugs. “Alexa, I love you, and I’ll prove to you that I’m the same person you were falling for on Earth before all of this happened.”

  Tears collect in the corners of my eyes. Sadness ripples through my entire body. “Michael, we have to focus on what’s happening right now. I can’t do this.” My face warms with embarrassment at my emotional reaction.

  He nods, steps back, and starts down the hall.

  The moisture in my eyes spills over. Trying to see through tear-filled eyes, I stumble into my room.

  The sobbing begins as I throw myself onto the bed. My breath catches in my throat as I replay Michael’s admission of his feelings for me. Emptiness fills my heart, darkening my soul. My feelings for Michael have changed. The obstacles and lies have altered everything. I bury my face in my pillow and cry for the old Alexa and Michael, the two who studied for their biology exam and exchanged witty banter.

  Those two people are gone.

  Everything has changed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Alexa, are you there?”

  His voice reverberates within me, dragging me out of my sleep. I find myself lying on a bed of green flowers in our field; silence surrounds me. I lie there staring up at the sky, waiting to hear his voice again.

  “Alexa, I’m almost there. We are coming to rescue you. I’m not sure if you can hear me, but be ready.”

  “Jax, where are you? I can’t see you.” The tree line is looming befo
re me. I wait to hear a response from Jax but the silence is maddening.

  The three moons lined up in the sky above me begin to blink and darken in color. Once orange, they now glow more crimson. My body begins to quake. The moons are also growing in size. No! They aren’t only growing, they’re moving closer!

  I spring to my feet, heart pounding, panic tightening my chest, preventing me from taking a deep breath. I stumble toward the forest, my bare feet sinking into the soggy grass, making a sucking noise each time I pick up my foot. I don’t let that stop me.

  When I make it to the tree line I gaze up and behind me to see if the moons are still plummeting toward me. Yes! The magenta light filtering though the trees begins to darken. I struggle to see what’s right in front of me, but I keep moving, too afraid to stop.

  My feet hurt, bruised from running over rocks, sticks, and other bits on the forest floor. I clench my teeth and run through the pain. A loud noise echoes behind me, and I know the sky is falling. All I can do is run. Sweat trickles down my face and a fire burns in my chest. I close my eyes and continue to run.

  “Alexa, wake up!” Miri’s hands shake my shoulders. “Please, wake up!” Her voice is loud, but at the same time, it sounds so far away.

  “Miri?” My voice is barely audible. I blink and open my eyes to see two large, lilac eyes staring back at me. Worry sprawls across her face.

  I slowly sit up and quickly notice that we aren’t in my room. “Where are we?”

  Miri puts a finger over her lips. “Shhhh, keep your voice down,” she admonishes. “If we get caught, both of us will be in big trouble.” Her usual carefree expression is very serious. “I came to check on you after the dinner because I couldn’t stay asleep. When I got to your room, you were just leaving. I could tell you weren’t awake, but you wouldn’t stop when I called your name.”

  I lower my mouth to her ear. “So where are we? Where did I go?” Shivers spill down my back, making my whole body shudder.

  Miri’s pale face looks even whiter, if that’s possible. “I followed you out of the castle and into the woods. I’ve never been out this far before, but you seemed as if you were on a mission, like you’ve been here before. We came to a little house in the woods and you walked right in.”

  “Well, why don’t we just leave?” I’m perplexed. How is this an issue? Why would we get into trouble? But I know there must be more to the story.

  “Before you woke up, I could hear two male voices outside the house. I recognized one as Makin, but I’m not sure who the other voice belongs to.” Noticeably, Miri tenses up and tiny quivers run through her body. “They were shouting back and forth, something about your powers, and then the voice I didn’t recognize screamed like he was in pain. And then the shouting stopped.”

  I look around, taking a better inventory of my surroundings. If a fight is going to erupt, I need to see what I can use to defend us. I slowly stand, hunched over, and creep over to crouch below the window and peer out. “Maybe Makin left,” I whisper. “I don’t see anyone. How long ago did this happen?”

  “Maybe ten minutes ago.” Miri pulls her knees up against her chest. “Why wouldn’t you wake up? What were you dreaming about?” A single tear rolls down her cheek and falls to the wooden floorboards she’s sitting on.

  “I…I don’t remember. All I know is that I was running from something.” I close my eyes, trying to recall my dream. Where did I just come from? I could tell from the pounding of my heart against my ribcage that whatever I’d been dreaming about had really scared me.

  “Miri, can you use your magic to see or sense who is outside this cabin?” I try to appear calm and in control. I don’t want to upset Miri; she’s my little sister and I’m protective. It’s hard to explain, but keeping her safe is my top priority.

  “Yes, let me try.” Miri closes her eyes and sits very still.

  A high-pitched ringing echoes around me, and I slap my hands over my ears, trying to muffle the piercing noise. Flashes of red and images of fire singe the back of my eyelids.

  “Alexa, what’s wrong?” Miri grabs my arm, but the noise is debilitating and I can’t bear the idea of moving my hands away from my head. The pain brings tears to my eyes. They flow down my face and dampen the floor.

  “You’re bleeding. Alexa, what do I do? Your ears are bleeding!”

  My own screaming drowns Miri’s frantic pleas out. I blink open my eyes and I can only see darkness. Miri’s hands are on my arm and squeezing me tightly, but I can’t hear her or see her.

  Panic clutches at my chest and fear paralyzes my whole body. I know it’s only a matter of time before I pass out. But I want to hold on. I want to be there for my sister!

  “Alexa, listen to me!” The man’s voice is louder than the piercing ringing, louder than my shrieks. “Take a deep breath.”

  His voice is soothing and I focus on it. I focus on my breathing and count. One, two, three, four, five—I blink my eyes open, but I still can’t see anything.

  “Miri, where are you?” My voice comes labored and echoing. It sends a stabbing pain into my head.

  “Alexa, don’t speak. You need to rest. Miri is right here, safe. You’re both safe.” The man’s voice is lulling me into a restful state. He gently rubs my arm and I instantly find comfort.

  Thoughts flicker around in my head. I don’t fight it or even try to talk; for some reason, I trust this unknown voice. “That’s it, Alexa, don’t panic. There will be plenty of time to talk.” His voice trails off and my body relaxes.

  Jax is standing over me as I begin to open my eyes. His muscles ripple through his tight-fitting, long-sleeved, white shirt. I find myself admiring him, wondering if he knows why I’m goofily staring at him. “I must be dreaming…”

  “Don’t seem so excited, Alexa.” He purses his pouty lips, then offers me a weak smile. “You’re not dreaming; we rescued you.”

  I slowly sit up, noticing I’m in yet another room that I don’t recognize. There’s a dull throb in the back of my head, so I don’t move my head too quickly.

  Before I can ask any questions, he hands me a glass of water and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The smell of the peanut butter instantly makes my mouth water. “I thought you might be hungry; you haven’t eaten in a few days.”

  I practically launch the sandwich into my mouth. “I can still ask questions,” I say around a mouthful, then quickly chew and swallow. “So, am I dreaming, or did you kidnap me from yet another place?” I flash him a smile, letting him know that either way, I’m happy he’s here.

  His blue eyes are dark, deep pools that I can’t look away from. “I prefer rescue. When we got to you, you were in quite a state.” His playful expression turns grim. He motions for me to move my legs so he can sit down next to me. “Do you remember what happened?”

  “You’re making me nervous, Jax. Why are you being so serious?”

  “You don’t remember?” He moves closer. I can feel his breath on my neck, and a warm sensation surges through me. “I was so scared, Alexa. I thought I was going to lose you.”

  I tilt my head and slide back on the bed, putting a bit of distance between us. “Um, I remember being in a cabin with Miri—oh, my god, Miri! Where is she? Is she okay?”

  I throw the remaining bite of my sandwich to the ground and jump up from the bed only to be seized by Jax. His strong arms wrap around me, holding me still. A tingling sensation travels through me and sparks begin to ignite where he touches me. I shake myself free of him and sit back down. What was that?

  “Miri is fine. You can see her soon. When we got to the cabin, you were having a seizure. It was pretty serious. It has something to do with your magic. We believe someone tried casting a spell on you using your own magic. We aren’t sure who did it, but we were able to stop it.” The corners of his mouth rise, revealing a toothy grin. “We’re just so happy you’re better. It’s been three days since the cabin, and Miri is driving me crazy!”

  “Three days! It feels like it has on
ly been three minutes.” I try and remember what I saw last. “I can’t believe I’ve been unconscious for three whole days. We? What do you mean, ‘we’?” I spit out.

  On cue, the door creaks open and a tall man walks in. His light-brown hair and familiar eyes make me ill. “Mr. Riley?” I exclaim. “You’re the ‘we’? I don’t get it.”

  As soon as he begins talking, I instantly remember the last moments I had in the cabin. He’s the man with the soothing voice. I close my eyes in disbelief and pull up my memories from school with Mr. Riley. He’s a biology teacher—and a strange one, at that. Why would he be here?

  “Alexa, please, you need to calm down. You had us all really worried.”

  I hesitate, then blurt, “So I was not only fooled by Michael, but by my biology teacher, as well.” Wow, so much for being astute and aware of the behavior of the people around you.

  “Well, it’s not like that. I was there to watch over you and ensure your safety.” He darts his eyes around the room, avoiding my gaze.

  “So go on, then,” I quickly counter.

  Uncomfortable, Mr. Riley clears his throat. “Well, I didn’t want to tell you like this, but here it goes. My real name is Kalus. It just so happens that I’m your father.”

  My back stiffens and I fight the urge to vomit. I look over at Jax to see his cool-blue eyes studying me, waiting for my blowout reaction or complete breakdown. “You’ve got to be joking!” I yell, unable to suppress my shock.

  “Did you know this?” I shoot Jax a glare.

  “I just found out a few days ago,” he answers solemnly.

  Kalus, from what I’ve heard, is the most strategically gifted warrior in the galaxy. How can this same being be Mr. Riley? This is the being that left me with Elena and fabricated my whole entire life up to this point!

  The emotions running through me are a jumble of excitement, resentment, and relief. The fact that he isn’t dead, as I was told on several separate occasions, is not only shocking, but also favorable…I think. Maybe now I can get some honest answers and find out what else about my life is a lie.