I exhale a sigh of relief. But it’s a tall order since we currently have no idea what is happening with Javen and Wirren’s group.
“Once we open the portal to Earth,” Dad says, “we’ll make every provision we can to ensure your families are moved to a secure location, if possible.” Dad slides a glance to me. “I know how important that is.”
I give Dad a tiny smile, despite the gravity of the situation still weighing on me.
“Hammond isn’t aware of the Intersection yet,” Dad says. “And if we transport to Earth, the portal will be from inside the Intersection. I’d like to propose moving the four of you to that location for safety, until we’re ready. Otherwise, since I don’t know the coordinates of this location, the only way we can return is by contacting Alina again, which could cause a delay.”
“And how do you plan to transfer us?” Senator Simmons asks.
Dad produces the portal device from his pocket. “I’ve already programmed the Intersection’s coordinates. I only need a few minutes to configure the setting for more people to pass through. Just to be safe.”
The Senate members glance around at each other.
“Give us thirty minutes to prepare,” Simmons says.
Dad stands and extends his hand to Simmons. They shake hands and the four Senate members exit the room.
As the group leaves, I ask Dad, “You think this is all really going to work?”
Dad taps at the portal device and lets out a light, nervous chuckle. “Cassi, we don’t have any other viable options. It either works or it doesn’t.” He glances around the room. “I think opening the portal in the bay we flew into will work better than in here. Do you happen to remember the way back?”
“I do,” Max offers as he stands.
I follow both men through the door, but just as we exit, the floor shakes, throwing Dad to the ground and me into Max.
“Dad!” I stand and reach my hand out to him. He takes it and pulls to his feet.
“What was that?” I ask, eyes rounded as I examine the corridor’s stone walls. “Another earthquake?”
But before anyone has the chance to offer speculation, a siren pierces the air.
Chapter 6
“Are you okay, Dr. Foster?” Max yells over the blaring siren.
Dad brushes dirt from his pants. “Yes, thank you.”
Another muffled boom sounds nearby, followed by more vibrations through the ground.
Two gray-uniformed guards appear at the end of the hall and jog toward us. The first continues past without even looking our way, but the other stops next to us, breathing hard.
“I’ve been assigned to escort you three to a more secure section,” he says.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Are we under attack?” My heart races, pounding against my ribcage. I check my Connect to see if any new information is displayed. But the screen is blank. Maybe Hammond knows where we are?
“I’m only authorized to inform you to follow me to a safer location.” His voice is professional, though a throbbing blue vein pops up on his forehead.
I flit a look at Dad as he swipes at his portal device’s screen.
“If we leave now, we won’t be able to take the Senate members with us,” Max says.
The soldier furrows his eyebrows, unsure of what we’re talking about. “Please, just follow me.”
Dad leans in toward my ear. “The portal is still ready to go at any moment.” He tucks the device back into his pocket and eyes the guard. “Lead the way.”
The guard pilots us down several long corridors and past the occasional meeting room like the one we were just in. After about a five-minute run, the space opens into a larger room. About twenty people watch us enter, including the Senate members, who each has a bag slung over their shoulders.
Dad looks around. “Should we take them, too?”
I already regret taking people into the Intersection, but this place doesn’t seem safe. Bringing them along may be the best option. “Only if they want to come. But there’s not a lot of time for them to decide.”
We hustle across the room to ask the senators if they know more about the explosions.
But just as we reach them, my head goes light. I stop as the space seems to move into slow motion and blurs in and out. Warmth grows in my stomach, and the energy moves outward toward my limbs.
The Starfire.
Dad slowly twists my way, mouth open as if to say something to me. But I never hear the words. My consciousness shifts to a new place and my body detaches from the large meeting room.
Behind me, the Tahm mountains stretch into the night sky. But from my recollection of Arcadian topography, we’re on the opposite side from Primaro. I study the side of the mountain, lit by the moons and stars, and find small, dark cracks forming an opening—an opening large enough for a good-sized ship to enter through. Alina brought us to a facility built into the side of a mountain.
I rotate to get a better view of my surroundings. In the valley below are the aggressive Alku. Panic shudders over me and floods my thoughts. They must know we’re here . . . that I’m here.
Images flash in my memory of Javen severing our bond and then nearly killing Dad. Despite my urge to escape, I allow myself to drift lower to gain a better view of what’s going on in the dull light. I need to fix this!
As I do, a cyan ball of energy hurtles past me toward the mountainside. The blast crashes into the stone and sends a flurry of rocks and dirt into the air and down the mountainside. But a green haze shimmers over the opening, leaving the surface mostly undamaged—a sort of force field to protect the bunker’s entrance.
I relax and drop down farther in front of the Alku, drawn to Javen’s presence. I have no idea if he can sense me near him, but from his appearance, he can’t. His hair is ruffled, and his face pinches with anger. He barks orders to the Alku behind him. A group immediately forms into a circle, reaching their hands into the middle, but not touching. Blue electricity builds and crackles in the center, and after a moment, they work together to hurl their weapon at the mountainside once more. The blast hits and shudders through the air as rocks and debris tumble from above.
Yaletha, head held high, marches up to Javen’s side. He says something in her ear, and she nods. A wave of jealousy ripples through me while heat radiates from the marrow of my bones.
I suck in a sharp breath. My eyes shoot open. A bright light overhead pierces my vision and I blink.
I’m back inside the facility, and Dad is kneeling next to me.
“Cassi,” he says.
But before he gets a chance to say anything else, I’m on my feet. “It’s the Alku. I don’t know how they found us, but they did.” I flit my gaze around to the other people in the room as I shove shaking hands into my pockets. “They must be looking for me or Dad’s portal device to get them back into the Intersection for more of the Starfire.”
“How would they know you were here?” Max asks.
“They must have sensed the Starfire energy I used,” I say, tossing out the only logical solution that comes to mind.
“We should just use the portal and get away,” Dad says. “Once you’re gone, they might leave this place alone. Otherwise, the attack is going to catch Hammond’s attention, if it hasn’t already.”
I wring my hands together. “But the Alku might not stop. I saw their faces, their rage. They aren’t exactly rational right now.”
The walls tremble again, and without another word, Dad has the portal device out, tapping at the screen. People around the room gasp as a blue-green rimmed portal bursts to life before us, seemingly from nowhere.
A guard races toward us. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“I’m getting the Senate out of here. They’ve already agreed.” Dad looks around. “Anyone else may come as well. You can return as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
The guard uses her Connect to comm someone. “Wait . . .” She holds her hand in the air.
A blast shakes the space again and d
ust falls from the ceiling as the room groans. People scream and crowd closer together, their darting gazes studying the roof.
“I want to be anywhere but here,” a man in his thirties says.
The people rumble in agreement and press in toward Dad, ignoring the guard. But I hang back as an idea worms its way around in my head.
Max turns my way and a tiny stress line forms between his brows, his gray eyes darkening. And before he can talk me out of my choice—one he has clearly guessed—I close my eyes, graze my fingertips across the gun still holstered at my waist, and focus on Javen’s position.
In a single beat of my thumping pulse, I envision my arms around Javen. But not in a loving embrace. As much as I want that right now, I need to protect myself—protect my family, and protect Javen from himself.
A jolt of energy rushes through me. I then collide with his body in the valley below the mountain. The force of my energy slams us both to the ground. Pain surges through my bones and muscles.
Before he figures out what’s happening, I shove the barrel of the gun to his head with one hand and wrap my arm around his neck with the other.
“If you don’t stop attacking my people, I will kill you,” I growl. No way I want to actually kill him. But he can’t know that.
Javen’s nostrils flare. He attempts to buck me off, but before he does I release my Starfire energy into him, freezing his body in time. And in that moment of shock, I summon the rest of the attacking Alku.
I grit against the defensive walls in their minds. There’s no way for me to get completely through to them or purge the Starfire’s effect right now. But I can send a message, if I hurry.
Attack my people . . . and your future Luminary will die.
The connection snaps away, but I’m certain they’ve all heard and understood. I grip Javen tighter and propel us into the Intersection.
My eyes open to a blue-green world of full light—the night is gone. I release Javen and jump to my feet, backing away from him. Laying on the ground where we fell, he remains in stasis. I allow my gaze to caress his body. My heart thumps as if it might rip from my chest at any moment.
Panting, I cover my face and burst into a sob. Terror for my own life, paired with my threat to kill Javen, shudders through my body. My legs tremble so violently I collapse to the ground in a heap, my hands shaking against my drenched cheeks.
I can only hope I convinced the Alku army to stand down. The Starfire’s hold on them is too strong. But maybe losing their leader will stop their attacks until we can figure something out. I glance around, wondering how I’m going to move Javen into hiding. Is it even safe to move him?
As I cry, a warmth from the Starfire lights within me and a blue-green glow surrounds my body. From the ground around Javen, glowing crystals begin to grow from the earth. The illumination travels toward Javen and envelops him. At first, the glow covers his body. Then the light begins to fade into a grainy, gray hue as if forming stone. It is stone! My eyes widen and I jump back just as a structure begins to materialize around Javen. Stone walls climb the air in a slow dance. Walls tall enough for a person to stand under, even with a roof. I swallow thickly, afraid Javen will be beyond my reach. But the Starfire forms a door in an opening before me.
I gape for a few seconds longer before remembering how the Starfire knows our wishes. The crystals heard my need to protect Javen and provided a solution.
With a sigh of relief, I brush my hand along the wall. The rough material rubs against my fingertips. Crystal flecks in the stony material wink at me in the light. Just beyond the door is Javen, his body still in stasis and his face still pinched in anger. Right now, he’s not the same person I love. That Javen is gone, replaced by a shell of hatred and vengeance.
On shaking legs, I kneel before him and whisper, “You promised me once that you would always come back for me. I need you to do that now.”
But he doesn’t move. With a defeated sigh, I sit and pull my knees to my chin. Then I wrap my arms around my legs and squeeze.
“Cassi!” Dad shouts nearby. I crane my neck to peer out of the opening and watch as he jogs my way.
When Dad arrives inside the stone hut, he doesn’t mention the structure. Instead, his eyes widen as he scans Javen.
“Why did you bring him here?” Dad gapes at me. “He could have killed you!”
A brick sinks in my stomach as I second-guess my decision. “Um, well . . . it was the only way for me to stop the attack.” I pluck a piece of grass and pretend to study the thin blade. I can’t handle Dad’s frown or Javen’s frozen spite.
But then Dad drops beside me and grabs me into an embrace. The blade of grass falls from my fingers as I melt into the strong, familiar arms wrapping around me. “Cassi, I can’t lose you. You’re all I have left.”
I bury my head into his chest as tears sting my eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have time to think the plan through.” I pull away to take in Javen. “But my idea worked.”
Dad releases a long sigh. “After you vanished, I panicked and shut down the portal. Then we learned that the attack had stopped. Even though your idea worked, most of the people at the base decided against using the portal.”
“But the Senate still came, right?” I ask.
Dad nods. “They’re back at the lab with a few armed guards who came along. Max is with them.”
“So, it worked?” I ask in a breathy voice.
“What worked?”
“Threatening to kill Javen made them stop.”
“That’s what you did?”
I examine Javen again. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to pull off the lie and they would see right through it. But maybe the Alku are so blinded with rage right now that my threat was believable.”
“Before we exited through the portal, the entire war party disappeared—transported away. So, apparently your threat convinced them.” Dad peers at Javen and softly asks, “Are you safe here with him?”
“I have no idea.” Javen could unfreeze at any moment, just like he did at the mine.
Dad taps on his Connect. “I’m sending for a guard to watch over him. Moving Javen might be risky.”
My Connect vibrates.
“I also sent you the updates the Senate have received on Hammond in the last day or so,” Dad says. “You’re not going to like the news, but you should see it.” He gives my hand a squeeze and then stands. “I need to head back. The Senate wants a meeting on testing the portal to Earth with Kate Morris, Tucker, and the other refugees. We can’t waste time.”
“You need to sleep, Dad.”
He grunts in agreement. Still, he says, “There's no time for sleep. I took some caffeine supplements. That should tide me over for a while.”
I should be exhausted, and emotionally I am. But my body and mind are not. The Starfire, I guess.
I slowly stand and we exit the hut. In the distance, a tall man with a massive laser gun jogs our way. He must be the guard Dad sent for.
“Are you coming?” Dad asks.
“In a few minutes. I want to go over the updates you sent. Then I’ll come to the lab.” The truth, though? I can’t bear to leave Javen. My heart grows heavier just thinking about it.
Dad hugs me. “You know where I’ll be.” He turns and walks toward the lab.
The guard reaches the hut, and I sit outside the opening and activate my Connect, scrolling to the news feed Dad sent. Before I tap the link, I glance at Javen and the guard now standing next to him, weapon ready. My breath shakes, and I select the first video feed.
Hammond’s image pops up on the small hologram playing above my wrist. I shudder at the sight but force myself to watch.
The video shows what I suspected she was doing with the footage of the Alku all along—clips of them appearing like rabid animals and attacking everything in sight. I even see a glimpse of Wirrin and Beda. This is most likely footage from the first failed attack at the mine. I’m not sure there was feed from the second. Everything happened too fast,
and I don’t recall seeing camerabots.
I close the link and sigh, peering at Javen again. How are we going to convince the Senate members that we can save the Alku when this is what they’ve been seeing? And after Javen’s group just attacked us?
I bury my head in my hands again. This situation is hopeless.
And then a thought comes to me. Not all the Alku are aggressive right now. There are those who are staying out of the chaos.
I need to take the Senate members to Vihann on Paxon. We need to work together to bring peace back to this planet.
Chapter 7
The wind streams through my long hair as my eyes study the glowing Starfire field. Even in the daylight, the pulsing luminescence is visible. My chest thrums with the faint melodic vibrations.
Since this is the largest Starfire power source near Dad’s lab, I figure it can’t hurt trying to summon Vihann from here, as the crystals might amplify the energy.
I close my eyelids and attempt to settle my mind. But relaxing is no easy feat when so many lives are at stake. Since I have no idea how to find Vihann, he needs to connect with me and share where he is. I cast aside any negative thoughts that this won’t work and focus on what I do know about Javen’s father.
In my mind, I picture his face, much like Javen’s, with dark skin and hair. Vihann saved my father from the explosion on the Pathfinder, so I imagine his heart must be good. He’s willing to serve others as a leader, just like Javen. But he also makes mistakes—just like Javen. Vihann didn’t tell me that he had lost Dad when they transported from the ship, but maybe he thought the pain would be too much. He didn’t know Dad was alive. I also thought he was wrong not to join with Wirrin in standing up to Hammond, but then his worst fears came true. Just as the Alku had been in the past, Wirrin’s followers were influenced by the Starfire’s power, and they became aggressive like their ancestors.
The weight of all this information presses on my chest. Even so, I extend my thoughts to Vihann.
We need your help. Please guide me to you.
The Starfire Wars- The Complete series Box Set Page 38