He sat.
“Jury, you’ve heard the arguments and the witnesses. Exit through the door and make your decision.”
The jury left with the bailiff.
After ten short minutes, the jury walked back in and sat. The bailiff took a folded piece of paper from one of them and took it to Wingrove. He opened it and read it without any facial expression. He nodded before refolding it and having it returned to the jury member.
“Jury, do you have your decision?” asked
Wingrove, looking at them.
“Yes, we do, Your Honor.”
“Lucas Adler, please rise.”
The man stood with the piece of paper in his
hands. Lucas also rose, his expression focused. I took Zach’s hand in my nervousness, and his thumb began moving in those soothing circles again.
“On the charges of murder in the first and second degrees, attempted murder, kidnapping, conning, attempting numerous times to take one’s Magic away, Dream-World invasion and kidding, and plotting against the lives of others, the jury of the Galaxy Court of Quan, finds the defendant, Lucas Owen Adler. . .”
I thought I was going to scream; what was taking him so long to say it? Guilty. Two syllables! Come on. . . please.
How Hard is it to Say?
The word rang in my ears as the man said it. “Guilty, of all charges.”
For a second I thought I’d been imagining it, and that Lucas was going to come after us any minute, but then I heard the joyful exclamations from behind me.
“Lucas Owen Adler, you are hereby sentenced to life at Bolenvare Galaxy Prison with no chance of parole. You will be taken there tomorrow evening. Case closed.” Wingrove hit his gavel against the podium once. “I’m not shortening it, Georgeson. Don’t even think about putting in an acquittal.”
Wingrove stood, picked up his papers, and went into his chambers.
Lucas was taken away, his lawyer looking like he was going to be sick (I’d have to check the obituaries) and then I looked at Zach. He smiled at me, having already been watching me.
“You’re safe now,” he said.
“Thanks to you.” He gave me a look. “What?” I asked.
“It was not because of me.”
We stood up, eager to get out of the courtroom.
“Zach, I’m alive because of you.”
He smiled, and then hugged me.
“I’ll keep you alive,” he whispered.
“I’m counting on it,” I whispered back.
He released me, his eyes telling me that we weren’t alone. I turned around to see Jessica and Thalia. My parents were waiting just a bit down the aisle.
“I am so happy this is over!” Jessie said, exasperated.
“You sound like you were on trial, here, Jess,” I said.
“You’ve been acting weird ever since Adler attacked you. I don’t like you weird.”
“I’m not weird,” I said, offended. “I was worried, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
“Don’t do that!” I complained. I hated that.
“Let’s just get out of here,” Zach said from behind me.
Jessie and Thalia moved out of the way so Zach and I could vacate our row.
He stood close to me, our arms touching, which they were quick to notice. Jessie gave me an accusing look, but Thalia, never one to keep her thoughts to herself especially when they were most wanted silent, verbalized Jessica’s look.
“So are we going to be seeing more of you around?” she asked Zach.
He frowned.
“What?”
She gave him a look.
“Well, Emma’s our best friend, and if anything the defense said is true—”
“Drop it,” we said.
She smirked, linking arms with Jessie.
“Guess that’s a yes. Tootles!”
They walked off, saying ‘bye’ over their shoulders. Mom and Dad went with them into the hallway, leaving me alone with him.
I looked at Zach, sighing in exasperation. He just smiled.
“What c’n we do?” he mused.
From the way he was looking at me, I knew I’d be feeling the current again.
I Have this Thing for You
The week following Lucas’s sentencing went by
quickly, and peacefully, but then again. . . I was miserable. I haven’t seen Zach at all this week, nor have I spoken to him. I was beginning to seriously miss him, and while I half-hated myself for letting me feel that way, I couldn’t help it. Hadn’t he said he was never going to leave me?
So, on days like today when I was home alone, I just wandered the house, trying to distract myself. I’d read, mostly, sitting in a different spot every day. Today I’m in the kitchen, sitting on the window seat near the table. I was able to see the birds fluttering around the garden, there. Well, I could, if I wasn’t so captivated by Christopher Rosen’s writing.
I marked my page at the chapter’s end and started to wash my tea cup. When the doorbell rang, I made the cup clean and dry itself, going to the front hall. I pulled open the door, and couldn’t help but smile.
“You’re here.”
Even if I was hurt, I felt more alive now that he was standing there.
He smiled back at me, though he looked a bit unsure. I bit my lip to refrain from talking, even though I wanted to ask him where he’d been, and why he’d abandoned me.
“Hey, Em,” Zach said, a bit meekly. “I’m sorry I haven’t—umm—been around.”
I crossed my arms across my chest protectively.
“Why were you gone? You promised you weren’t going to abandon me.”
He sighed, looking away from my eyes.
“Are you here alone?”
I nodded and stepped back, admitting him into the house. He came in and I shut the doors, then turned to look at him.
“I need to explain something to you,” he said.
“I’d hope so.” I was almost angry with him. But I still cared. “We can talk in the den.”
He nodded, following me through the living room and into the den. The window was open, so the sunlight was streaming into the bookshelf-lined room.
I faced him.
“Why have you been avoiding me?”
“I’ve been trying to figure out how to be your friend. How to be around you without acting on how I feel for you.”
I stared at him in shock.
“Why?”
“Em, I care about you. I told you that I did, and I just don’t want to push you.”
I took a deep breath, feeling like I was going to pass out. I turned around as I spoke, unable to look at him anymore.
“You don’t want to be with me?” I asked, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice.
“I—that’s not it.” He took a breath now. “I want to be with you, way too much.”
I looked back at him, my eyes starting to water lightly in my frustration.
“Then what’s the problem?” I demanded.
“I told you,” he said, starting to grow flustered himself, “I don’t want to push—”
“You are so ignorant!”
“What is your problem?”
“Have you heard nothing I’ve said to you since this all started? I care about you! Probably way more than I should, but I do. I want to be with you, too, why don’t you—”
Zach cut me off, closing the space between us.
I stood up on my toes and kissed him back, my fingers twining themselves in his hair, my other hand laying on his neck. The current locked us together, but when I couldn’t breathe, I pulled my head from his. I untwined my fingers from his hair, resting that hand on his shoulder, as well.
“I missed you,” he breathed.
I kissed him on his cheek.
“I missed you, too.”
He smiled crookedly, reaching up to hold the side of my face.
“You won’t have to again,” he promised. His eyes flickered between mine. “Go out with me.”
<
br /> I cocked my head to the side a bit, leaning into his hand. I gave him a smile.
“Just once?” I teased.
“Exclusively. Be with me, Em.”
I smiled at him.
“Yes.” He smiled back at me. “But where are we going to go?”
“Wherever you want.”
“Wherever?” I grinned.
“Well, within reason.” He paused. “What about the pier?”
“It’s one of my favorite places to be.”
“I know.” He looked proud of himself. “Is tomorrow night too soon?”
“No, it’s perfect. . . Seven-thirty okay?”
He nodded, but then a sudden thought came to me, and it worried me.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes,” he said cautiously.
“If not for the current—”
“I would have just been able to avoid kissing you. The current just made it impossible for me to ignore how I felt about you before.” My heart jumped in my chest. “Same question. I want to know.”
“Same answer,” I admitted, after a moment’s hesitation. “Before. . . I just didn’t want either of us to get hurt. But them. . . I can feel them stir when you’re near me.”
Zach leaned over, planting a kiss on my forehead.
“I’m not ever going to hurt you.”
I heard the promise in his voice, but he wasn’t who could hurt us. That was far beyond either of our control now.
Just Overwhelm Me
I sat at the island while Mom cooked dinner,
talking with her. Suddenly, she turned around.
“You’re cheery.”
I looked at her quizzically.
“‘Cheery’?” I quoted.
“Yes, cheery. You’re smiling more, and your
voice is definitely happier than it was this morning!” She put down her stirring spoon and sat near me. “What happened this afternoon that’s put you in such a good mood?”
I watched her, and then sighed.
“It’s about Zach.”
She sighed, too.
“I knew there was something about you two.” “What? How?”
“You like him, don’t you?”
You can never lie to mothers, I thought.
“Yes,” I sighed.
She smiled slightly, but I could see in her eyes
that she was not one-hundred percent happy with my liking him. It upset me.
“He’s good to you.”
“He’s good for me,” I amended. “He asked me out this afternoon.”
“You—you and Zach Stone are dating?”
I stared at her, frowning, and growing upset.
“Yes,” I said slowly. “He asked me to the pier this afternoon, and I accepted. He is one of the few people that treats me with any normalcy anymore, and he’s very sweet to me. Not to mention, he’s saved my life on more than one occasion already.” I paused. “Why, do you have a problem with him?”
She shook her head quickly.
“Oh, no, I don’t, really. I’m happy for you, Em. I’m happy that you found someone.”
“Who did she find?”
I turned and looked at Dad, loosening his tie from work and placing his briefcase on the bookshelf by the kitchen doorway.
“I’m going to the pier with Zach tomorrow,” I said, watching his reaction closely.
He looked like Mom when I told her.
“On—on a date?”
“Yes.”
He hesitated.
“Well—he’s a good guy—so it’s okay. I’ll have to talk to him before—”
“Zach’s not going to disrespect me, if that’s what you’re getting at. He does respect me, Dad, more than most people. He cares.”
“I—” He stopped, shaking his head. “You’re growing up too fast, Em.”
“I’m still your little girl, Daddy, but I am nearly eighteen. I have to have at least one person I am serious about before I’m an adult.”
“You’ve never felt how you feel about Zach before, Em?” Mom asked.
I looked back at her, shaking my head.
“No, I never have. I really do like him, Mom.”
Mom smiled.
“And I’m happy for you, Em.”
“We both are,” Dad said.
**** Oh, no, this is going to be a disaster!” I cried,
upset, standing before my open closet.
Mom stood behind me.
“Don’t tell me you have nothing to wear!” I looked at her.
“I do, but I don’t know what. I’ve never been on a
date before, Mom!” I turned back to look at my closet.
She came and stood by me, looking into my closet.
“You’ll find something, Em.”
“But he’ll be here at seven-thirty!”
“And it’s five.”
I looked at her, frowning. She sighed.
“I know, I know; it’ll take a while. But you can always use Magic-Changing to do everything else!”
“I think I’m going to end up doing that,” I mumbled.
Mom smiled at me and left.
I went into my closet and started rifling through my clothes. I finally found what to wear—but Zach would be here in half an hour. I settled on one of my favorite skirts and blouses, with a pair of flats.
Then I headed to my bathroom to fix my hair, but I ended up just using Magic-Changing to curl it. I put on one of my necklaces and then sat on the floor, closing my eyes. I blocked out all the sounds around me, trying to calm down. I didn’t open my eyes until Mom tapped me on my shoulder.
“Emma, Zach’s here.”
I stood and straightened my skirt.
“You look fine, Emma! I’ll have to take a picture of you two together!”
“No, Mom, don’t! don’t!”
“Fine. . . Really, don’t keep him waiting with your father.”
I groaned.
“He promised!”
“You know your father.”
We headed downstairs, where Dad was talking to Zach.
“Dad!” I said, coming to a stop on the last step and crossing my arms. “You promised.”
“I’m just laying down some ground rules, Em,” he said.
Please don’t try to scare him off! I Pathed.
I just told him to respect you!
I looked at Zach and smiled at him.
“Hi, Zach.”
“Hey, Emma.”
I finished the steps and went to stand next to him. My parents stood next to each other.
“Ten thirty,” Dad said.
We nodded and said good-bye to them. We left the house, Dad watching us through the window (I could feel that glare on our backs) until we were half-way down the driveway. I took Zach’s hand and he wound his fingers through mine.
“Well that was interesting.”
I looked at him, my hair being blown back by a cool burst of wind. I used my free hand to get the hair back into place.
“Why?”
“Your parents are acting the same way as mine. Like us being together is wrong.”
I rolled my eyes.
“This isn’t about them. My parents—they’re just worried I’m going to get hurt. I told them you’d never hurt me.”
He squeezed my hand.
“That’s the truth.”
****
Zach and I spent the early part of our night
wandering through the various carts that were on the Pier. Balls of light were in the trees, illuminating the market. Most people come here to buy their groceries or knickknacks. We had dinner by the sea before heading up to sit on a cliff overlooking the water. We watched the lights from the market play on the waves.
“This is working,” Zach said suddenly.
We looked at each other.
“What is?”
“Us. So far, at least.”
“We are,” I breathed. “I was worried it’d be
fleeting, what we fe
lt.”
“Don’t be pessimistic,” he criticized.
“I’m not. I want us to work.”
“Same.” He hesitated.
“What?” I queried.
“Can I—can I ask you about them?”
I swallowed, casting my mind out to find if
anyone was eavesdropping. When I found that we were completely alone, I nodded.
“What—what exactly can you do with them?”
“Anything.”
“Really?”
I nodded.
“I can make the sea calm during a storm, clear the sky of clouds. . .”
I looked up, focusing on the lone star I saw, and the glow of the moon behind the clouds, and the clouds dispersed. The stars twinkled, almost appreciatively. Smiling, I reached my hand out toward them, and then brought my hand down. One star sat there, just in the palm of my hand.
“That’s amazing,” Zach whispered, his voice filled with wonder.
I nodded, looking at him. The star disappeared.
“I can do anything.” I swallowed. “Anything but be away from you.”
“What d’you mean?”
“When I didn’t see you for a week, I just—I couldn’t breathe. It’s like you took the air with you when you left.”
He looked at the water, but I remained watching him. Finally, he looked back at me.
“Why do you think I came back?”
****
My parents were waiting up for me. Not that it surprised me; that’s why Zach kissed me good-night at the corner. They knew we were on a date, not that we had our first kiss already. Dad probably wouldn’t have been so accepting of his little girl going on said date if he had, of that I was sure. Instead, Zach took me to the door and hugged me.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered.
I nodded against his chest.
“Tomorrow.”
He kissed my forehead, and left. Settling my
racing heart, I waited a little while before going inside. I bit back a laugh when my parents were nowhere near the front windows, and hollered, “Night!” before running up the stairs. I collapsed onto my bed, using my Magic to change into pajamas as I did.
I let out a deep sigh and then slipped under the blankets, extinguishing the candles that were lit. I felt such a relief at being able to have Zach know everything. Galaxia, though, hadn’t said anything, which made me wonder just how well she was watching us. . .
Starlight (The Lightning Strike Trilogy Book 1) Page 10