When Worlds Collide: Solarian Chronicles I

by Mallory Anderson

  Stars Bleed

  Just the very next day, they saw Selene glued to the news when they got home from school. Angel took one look at her mother’s face, the horror plain to see, and she set her bag down on the couch. She and Sathe stood behind where she was sitting. “Mom, what’s going on?”

  “Kane. He’s moved to attacking humans. He’s setting the Wabaku loose in city parks and other occupied areas,” she said, unable to take her eyes off the TV screen. “There’s two people dead and another three in the hospital, and they won’t make it until tomorrow.” Her fist slammed down on the couch. “I’ve had it!”

  Their next encounter with Kane was four days later, and by that time, ten people had died, and doctors from hospitals across the city had no idea what to do with the unknown venom. Damien, Diamonique, Neo, Angel, and Sathe had taken to exploring many of the parks at night, trying to get rid of the Wabaku before unsuspecting humans came across them. During their routine patrol, they found Kane with an enormous army of the creatures, more than they’d ever seen before, even on Solaris. Kane smirked. “Have fun!” he said, then waved before disappearing through the portal.

  “Son of a bi-!” Angel said, then cut herself off. “Well, I guess we’d better get started.”

  They began working their way through the massive horde of creatures, and all was going well until they had almost killed them all. Even the Dellings were getting in on the fighting, laying about them with teeth and hooves. Sathe’s head whipped around at a low groan. Angel’s blade whipped through a creature, but her white dress was quickly turning bright red, and there were three long gashes scored completely through her armor. Blood began running freely down her leg.

  Angel’s eyes were closed, her teeth bared in a grimace, and her sword fell from quickly numbing fingers. Her forehead was already shining with a cold sweat, and Damien, even from a foot away, could feel as the heat began radiating from her. “Angel?” he said hesitantly, then caught her as her eyes rolled back, and she crumbled to the ground. Damien looked up at Sathe, his eyes wide with fear, the Dellings on either side of them. “You’ve got to get her to Selene as fast as you can. It’s her only chance.”

  Sathe turned to Freya, but the black mare shook her head with a snort. You need every second, and Sepherino is stronger and faster than I am. He nodded, and the gold colt stood still as a rock as he mounted. Then Damien passed up Angel, who was floating in and out of consciousness. He cradled her to his chest, her blood quickly soaking through his own clothes, and she gave a low moan. As soon as they got settled, Damien slapped the Delling’s hindquarters, and both Dellings took off through the forest, running as if the Devil himself were chasing them.

  Seph, let Selene know we’re on our way, and what’s happened. Maybe there’s something she can do, Sathe said. Sepherino passed the message through to Donay, who immediately told Selene. A few minutes later, Sepherino told him the queen had begged them to hurry.

  * * *

  It took them almost twenty minutes to get back to the house, Sathe’s heart racing in his chest with each passing second. The Dellings burst out of the trees, easily jumping the fence at a full gallop. All he had to do was hold on to Angel, and they landed without even breaking stride. Michael and Selene were outside as they came to a stop, and Sathe gently handed Angel down to her mother, who ran inside with her. Sathe dismounted, but hesitated, torn between taking care of the Dellings, who were standing still, their sides heaving, sweat gleaming on their bodies, and wanting to be with Angel. Michael understood, then gave him a gentle shove toward the house. “Go on. I’ve got these guys.”

  “Thank you,” he said, then disappeared inside.

  Selene had already laid Angel on the couch, her armor thrown on the floor, and she was cutting away at the side of the dress to expose the wounds. They were still bleeding heavily, and the skin surrounding them already inflamed. Thin red tendrils crept away from the deep slashes. He knew it was the venom flowing through her veins. She had already put wash clothes to her forehead, desperate to keep the fever under control. Angel’s breathing was shallow, and her pulse was very light and fast. “Is she going to be okay?” Sathe asked quietly.

  Michael came in, Neo, Damian, and Diamonique came in behind him, and the fear and worry were plain on all their faces. “I hope so,” she replied softly, her eyes never leaving her daughter’s face. “I just don’t know.” She closed her eyes, her hands over Angel’s still form, and her own star appeared. Light poured out from the marking, encircling them both. Selene began chanting in Solarian, the musical language flowing from her lips as naturally as breathing. Her voice grew more and more powerful, raising the hair on the back of their necks and arms, and the light grew brighter and brighter until they all had to look away.

  It all faded suddenly, and Selene’s head dropped, all her energy gone. She took several deep breaths. “I’ve put blocks on the venom so it won’t spread, but there’s nothing I can do about the damage that’s already done.”

  She moved the towel from her side, but they were still bleeding, and she swore. “Michael, can you get my sewing kit from the office, please?” He ran to get it, and she opened it. “One thing about having marrying a doctor, I learned how to do these myself. The venom has an anti-clotting agent, and if I can’t close these wounds, then the blocks won’t matter.”

  * * *

  Selene went to work, and it took her almost three hours to finish closing up the three long gashes across Angel’s side. She leaned back with a low groan, a large knot of fiery pain in the small of her back. She held a thermometer to Angel’s forehead, and she was careful to keep control over her face as she looked at the readout. 107. Sathe’s eyes were on her face as she turned to them. “It isn’t as bad as I feared,” she lied, but Sathe could see the truth in her frightened eyes. They met his for only a moment before looking away.

  “What do you think her chances are?” Damien asked.

  “I don’t know,” she replied quietly. “They were deadly on Solaris and Elagon, and it’s becoming even more obvious by the day that they’re just as dangerous here. The fact she’s even still alive, however, gives me a faint glimmer of hope.” Finally, she turned to Sathe and looked at him. “Thank the gods and goddesses of all three worlds you got her here when you did.” She shook her head. “If it had even been a few more minutes….” she trailed off, unable to continue, and they all understood.

  Damian and Diamonique left a little while later, and it was almost three in the morning before Michael finally stood. “I know you’re worried, Selene, but you really should try to get some rest.” Sathe looked up at him quickly from he’d been sitting on the floor at Angel’s side, and Michael gave a weary smile. “If Selene doesn’t mind you staying, I certainly don’t.”

  “Of course not,” she replied. “You’ve got your bookbag and car, right?” He nodded. “I don’t have a problem with it.”

  “Thank you,” he said, then stood and gave his father a rough embrace. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, then Michael and Neo left quietly. Sathe looked up at Selene as she sat down in the chair beside him. “You lied,” he said.

  It wasn’t a question, and she saw no use in denying it. She nodded, and he asked why. “Because, I didn’t want to scare them anymore than they already are.”

  “How bad is it, really?”

  “It’s 107, but I’m praying it doesn’t go any higher,” she said in a quiet admission, and he swore, his voice cracking as his eyes closed. Selene touched his shoulder gently. “I meant what I said, though. If she’s still alive, then she has a chance to beat it.”

  “How much of a chance?” he asked.

  “The survival rate on Solaris was around five percent,” she said. “Just keep praying to whatever Gods you wish.”

  Sathe nodded, his eyes on her barely rising and falling chest. Finally, he tore his eyes away and attempted a smile. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. You and my father, you knew this whole time, didn’t you?.”

  She
gave a half smile. “Yes. And yes, I’m the reason you moved so suddenly from England. I did everything in my power for you to live your lives as normally as possible, and so while Michael and I were in constant contact with each other, I didn’t have a need for you here. When Kane remembered, however, I wanted to have you close on hand. Malik hadn’t tried anything, but I knew I wouldn’t be so lucky with Kane. I just didn’t want to torture either of you needlessly.”

  “I’m lost,” he said with a shrug. “What do you mean, torture?”

  She managed a laugh. “How did you feel when you first laid eyes on Angel, and the entire time until your shield fell?”

  He thought back. “God, it seems like ages ago, but I remember feeling like I had found my best friend, like we had,” he gave his own laugh, “like we must have known each other in another life. My heart would start racing every time I looked at her, and every time she laughed, it almost hurt. It didn’t get any better as time went by, then when the dreams and visions started, I felt like I was losing my mind. And the headaches. I think I lived off Tylenol and Excedrin those first few weeks.”

  She nodded. “That was because your mind couldn’t remember what your heart recognized right away. I promise you, however, it’s less painful than if Angel had to break through your shields herself, before you were ready. Damian had to do it the day you met her, and the pain isn’t something I would wish on anyone but Ciera and Kane.”

  “And Ari…he knows, too, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes. A few of us were born onto Earth with our memories intact, and your brother was one of them. Michael said you’re close here as well?”

  “Closer, actually. We rarely send each other to the hospital.” They both laughed. “I guess Ari knowing about our past helped with that?”

  Selene nodded. “I know from Damian and the others, he was right by your side when you fell to Kane.” She had been looking up at Angel, and she turned to ask him another question, but he was already asleep. She chuckled, then stood and got a blanket to cover him with. “I’m so glad to have you back, Sathe,” she said in a whisper, then sighed. She checked Angel’s temperature again, and it was holding steady at 107. She thanked God for their naturally higher body temperatures, knowing a fever that high on a normal human would’ve killed them before too long. Eventually, she attempted to go to bed, but the sun was lightning the horizon before she could finally close her eyes and sleep.

  Dragon’s Blood

  Sathe jerked awake out of a nightmare and looked around wildly. He felt lost for a moment, having forgotten where he was, then zeroed in on Angel. Whispering her name, feeling her forehead, and it seemed as if her fever had broken during the night. Gently touching the collar of her shirt, it was damp from sweat. He breathed a quiet sigh, but he remembered all the relapses he’d witnessed during the Wabaku’s reign of terror on Solaris and Elagon. He knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet, and he went into the bathroom and washed his face, running damp fingers through his hair. Seeing it was almost 7:30, he knew he needed to hurry and get to school.

  He got into the parking lot, and he saw Adea waiting by herself, and he could see the nervousness in her eyes. Of course, she already knows, he thought. They’re connected at the hip, if not closer. She came running up and hugged him as he got out of the car, then asked him what had happened, and if she was going to be okay.

  “A Wabaku got her,” he said, and her face paled. “I don’t really know how she’s doing. Selene put blocks on the venom, but it’s like she said. We don’t really know how much damage had already been done.”

  Adea sighed. “And there’s the threat of a relapse. They killed more than the outright attack, and the same’s holding true for here. Four people died just yesterday from relapses after being released from the hospital.”

  They grew silent, and she laid a hand on his arm. “Come on. We’ve got to get to class.”

  “Gods, I don’t know if I’ll ever really get used to this,” he said with a faint laugh, and she raised an eyebrow. “Fighting for our lives against an army of alien creatures at night, then going to school as if nothing’s changed.”

  “It’s almost like one of those animes,” she said with a tight grin.

  Sathe gave a tired chuckle, and she looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. “I just have one question, then. Where’s the sexy little sailor uniforms?” Adea just rolled her eyes, but she was laughing as they went to their lockers and then their classroom. Sathe explained to their teachers that Angel had gotten sick, and their gym coach looked at him a little oddly, but he didn’t think about it too hard.

  Ciera used Angel’s absence to renew her attempts at throwing herself at him, and he couldn’t help but feel a certain sad amusement. He saw Malik once, out of the corner of his eye, but he disappeared before Sathe could say anything. The expression he had on his face seemed almost sad, but he didn’t think too much about it.

  * * *

  Angel’s eyes opened, then closed tightly against the ferocious pounding in her head. She tried to raise her arm, but she was incredibly weak, and when she tried to sit up, she felt a sharp pull in her side. She cried out softly in pain, and Selene’s voice came in from the kitchen. “Be careful, Angel. I had to put some stitches in the wounds.”

  She came in and sat in the chair by the couch, her fingers on her forehead. “Your fever seems to have broken. How do you feel?”

  Angel cut her eyes at her mother. “Do you really want to know the answer to that question?”

  Selene laughed. “I guess not.”

  She helped Angel sit up, and she sighed, closing her eyes as the room spun sickeningly. “Of course, I’m alive, so I don’t guess I can complain too much.” She looked up at Selene. “Am I going to be okay?”

  “Honestly? I’m not sure,” she said with a sigh. “You’re still alive, but I don’t want to get overconfident.”

  “When can I go back to school?”

  Selene raised her eyebrows. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met a teenager who actually wanted to go to school.”

  Angel gave a wry smile. “I’m not exactly normal, am I? And two, I really don’t want to have to take any exams.” Selene admitted she had a point, then asked where she was going when Angel struggled to get to her feet. “To the bathroom,” she said. She only took two steps before a wave of dizziness hit her, and she felt lightheaded. She put her hand on the wall to steady herself, and Selene was instantly by her side, asking what was wrong. “I’m really, really dizzy,” she said in a low whisper. Her stomach suddenly heaved, and she ran, stumbling, for the bathroom, her hand on the wall to keep her on her feet. She fell to her knees in front of the toilet, throwing up violently, her side searing with pain.

  Angel threw up several times, Selene holding her hair back and stroking her back. She saw the tears in Angel’s eyes from the pain. “Your body’s trying to rid itself of the venom,” she said, keeping her tone soft.

  Her stomach was completely empty, but she continued dry heaving. By the time she finished, she was so weak, she couldn’t even stand. Selene picked her up gently and took her to her room, but she was already asleep again. She checked her stitches, but they were holding, and her forehead was still cool.

  Sathe and Adea came by as soon as school was out to check on her, and Selene met them at the door. She hugged Adea, who immediately asked about her friend. “The fever broke during the night, and she threw up everything she could earlier.” She jerked her fingers through her hair with a shaky sigh. “I just don’t know anything for sure right now, and we probably won’t for a few days.”

  “Is she asleep now?” Sathe asked, and she nodded. Selene and Adea were talking, and he went down to the field to check on the Dellings, and all three of them came trotting up to the fence.

  He rubbed Freya’s neck absently, unable to keep his mind off Angel. She shoved her midnight head into his chest, then looked over at Sepherino. He’s blaming himself, she said.

  Sathe hugged the golden colt’s neck. Hey, bi
g guy. It’s not your fault.

  He heard Donay’s voice in his mind give a soft sigh. I keep trying to tell him, but he won’t listen.

  I understand how he feels, Sathe said, scratching underneath the colt’s forelock. I should’ve paid more attention, and I failed to protect her. We just have to keep believe she’s going to be okay. She’s so strong, and she’s strong enough to beat the Wabaku’s poison.

  The gold Delling’s sides heaved out with a huge sigh. I keep telling myself that, but I can’t help it, your Highness. I’m supposed to be there for her, to protect her. This never should’ve happened.

  Sathe went back in a few minutes later. “Seph’s blaming himself,” he said.

  Selene sighed. “I’m not surprised. Donay told me he was down this morning.”

  * * *

  A little while later, Damian and Diamonique came in, then about thirty minutes later, Angel herself came in. Her face was pale as a sheet, but she was on her own two feet. They all jumped up, but she held up her hands. “Easy, guys. I’ve got a migraine to end all migraines.”

  Selene brought her some Excedrin and a glass of water. She took four of them, then sat down, and about half an hour later, she began perking up. Sathe knew she could probably use a good laugh, and he told her about Ciera. “She literally threw herself at me. It was completely mental. She landed on the floor, and I kind of accidently on purpose stepped on her head.”

  Angel laughed, but she grimaced at the pain in her side. “I would killed to have seen that.” She looked at her mom. “What about school tomorrow?”

  Selene sighed. “We’ll see how you feel in the morning, okay? If you think you feel okay, then you can go.”