Under Different Stars

by Amy A. Bartol

  “Never mind,” I reply under my breath, following Trey to the door. Wayra drives us in a skiff over to the stables, while I gaze out the window and try to ignore the fact that Trey is ignoring me, too.

  “Fay Kricket,” Manus says as I approach the stables. He’s already mounted on a very large spix. It has horns that rise several feet from its head and are as sharp as daggers. “I’m very gratified that you made it after what occurred last evening.”

  “Oh,” I give a casual shrug. “You’re referring to the dip I took in your fountain? It was…refreshing,” I add, watching his face for any sign of malice.

  Manus’s look of concern remains. “That you can see humor in what occurred last night says much about your character, Kricket, not to mention your upbringing. I apologize for our lack of security.”

  “I had security. I had Trey,” I reply softly, not looking at Trey.

  “Yes, excellent work, Kesek,” he says to Trey with admiration in his tone. “You both know Haut Kyon and Ateur Victus.” Manus gestures with a smile as we greet them, inclining our heads. “This is Ateur Braedan and Ateur Gustoff.”

  Ateur Braedan is startling in that he doesn’t have Rafeish violet eyes, but green ones like a Comantre. His dark hair is a little wavy, too. Ateur Gustoff is even more startling because he is the oldest looking Rafe I’ve seen so far. He looks like he could be in his fifties, which probably means he’s freakishly old. His hair is short, too, only just covering his neck, but still dark without a hint of grey in it.

  “Greetings Ateur Braedan, Ateur Gustoff,” I say while inclining my head. Then my eyes fall again on Kyon sitting upon his spix, watching me.

  “Have you ridden before, Kricket?” Kyon asks, looking me over.

  “No,” I reply with a grimace. “Where were you when I was ten, Manus, and I wanted a pony?” I ask, hearing them all laugh. But, then a spix the size of a Clydesdale is led in front of me and my heart starts pounding against my ribs.

  Manus grins indulgently. “A pony…that is a type of equine, is it not?”

  “Mmm,” I nod, trying to hide my fear, but I jump when Trey touches my arm. Leaning near my ear, his silky voice fills me with desire as he says, “I’ll lift you into the saddle. Put your foot in my hands.” I try to ignore the thrilling ache his nearness elicits. Resting my hand on his shoulder and lifting my foot to his hands, I resist the urge to let my fingertips linger on him as he lifts me into the saddle that has no pommel on it.

  “Here are your reigns, Kricket,” Trey says, and I try not to focus on his perfect mouth. “Hold them in one hand, like this.” He positions my hand on the reigns.

  “Okay,” I murmur, not looking at him, but feeling myself blush stupidly from his touch. I wait as he adjusts the stirrups on the saddle to accommodate my shorter legs. Then, Trey mounts the spix next to mine.

  “Are you ready, Kricket?” Manus asks, smiling.

  “Yes,” I reply, feeling sweaty.

  “Just use your legs to apply pressure to its flanks,” Trey instructs. Watching Trey, his legs squeeze the sides of his spix gently and the animal moves forward easily.

  “You mean I can’t just put a token in it?” I ask quietly, seeing his lips twitch in a grudging smile as he pulls his spix to a halt, waiting for me to try it. “Okay,” I breathe, squeezing the spix’s sides gently with my legs and immediately feeling the animal walk forward.

  Smiling broadly at Trey, I ask, “What’s this one’s name?”

  “What?” he asks with a crooked smile.

  “Does it have a name?”

  “A name?” Victus asks, grinning like I’ve asked a novel question.

  “You know…like Sugar or Daisy—Killer…Mister…Ed?” I trail off, looking around as they all begin to laugh again.

  “It’s a spix,” Ateur Braedan says, like I’m an adorable idiot.

  “How do you know which one is which then?” I ask curiously, not offended.

  “They’re numbered. That’s twenty-two,” Trey explains, pointing to the brand on the back of my spix.

  I wrinkle my nose when I see the brand. “Number twenty-two, huh. That’s lame.”

  “What would you name it, Kricket?” Trey asks me, trying to hide his smile.

  “Urr, I don’t know,” I say, patting the spixes neck softly. “She’s very beautiful…maybe Andromeda.”

  That gets more laughter before Trey can say, “She’s a he.”

  “Oh,” I smile at my faux pas, “then definitely Adonis.” Walking my spix beside Trey’s, the conversation gradually turns to other topics. I listen while they discuss growth rates of pixelaries in the class five district.

  “What’s a pixelary?” I whisper to Trey.

  Pulling his spix nearer to mine, Kyon answers me, “It’s a plant that produces fiber to create material.”

  “Like cotton?” I ask, trying to show him that I’m not afraid of him.

  “Yes,” he smiles at me, “but it is more versatile than cotton. It does not leach the soil like a cotton plant does.”

  “Are you a farmer?” I ask Kyon, wondering just what he does in Alameeda.

  “Not in the traditional sense. I own an interest in several agricultural ventures,” he says, his blue eyes gazing ahead of us as we approach a wooded area. The path through the trees only allows for two spixes to walk side by side. Kyon maneuvers his spix to squeeze out Trey’s, forcing Trey to fall back behind us with Victus.

  “I’m sure the Brotherhood keeps you very busy,” I say, not knowing anything about what I just said and realizing I’m his prisoner until the path widens again.

  “It does,” he agrees. “But, I do spend most of my time on my estate near the Loch of Cerulean.”

  “What do you do there?”

  “It’s on the sea, so I sail…fish, walk on the shore…it’s peaceful,” he says, and I can’t keep from giggling. “Why are you laughing?”

  “Sorry,” I reply, lifting my hand to cover my mouth. “I was just trying to imagine you walking on the beach, collecting seashells and the visual was…out of character.”

  “I underestimated you, Kricket,” Kyon says softly. “You’re so much more than I could have imagined.”

  “What?” I ask, startled by his compliment.

  “Having to fight all your life for survival hasn’t made you less…it has made you more.” His blue eyes meet mine. “But, wouldn’t it be nice to no longer have to struggle for survival?” he asks, and my heart twists because he does see me.

  “It would, Kyon,” I agree softly, lifting an eyebrow. “But, that’s not going to happen any time soon.”

  “Not here. In Alameeda, things could be different,” he replies, allowing his spix to come closer to mine. I glance behind me to see Trey frowning, but I doubt he can hear what Kyon is saying.

  “Oh…right,” I reply softly, “I should just agree to be your consort and you’ll take care of me. What did you call it? A symbiotic relationship?”

  “I’m sorry I said that. I propose a partnership between you and me. You need someone to advise you, Kricket.”

  “And that’s you?”

  “Who else will give you straight answers?” he counters, looking serious. “I know more about your gifts than anyone here. Though I have many questions…because there’s no one like you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You can just…do it, can’t you? No preparation or trances you just…see.”

  “Pretty much,” I admit. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Yes.”

  “Precognition…is it possible to learn?”

  “For you, yes. I am quite sure you will develop it.”

  “Really?”

  “It was a gift your mother could do quite well—better than most,” he replies. “I have a question. The day I found you, what did you do to bring me there?”

  “What?” I ask, feeling a burst of adrenaline course through me, and my spix prances forward in response to my knees tightening on its sides.

 
Kyon catches up to me easily, helping me slow my spix. “I didn’t know where you were in Chicago, and then…I was walking by the nightclub and I had an urge to enter. Trey found you at almost the same time. That was too big a coincidence to be random. Did you do something…special?” he asks, intrigued.

  “No…I…” I trail off as my heartbeat increases. “I wished.”

  “You wished…what did you wish for?”

  “Home,” I reply, and Kyon’s smile becomes almost radiant.

  “You wished for us to find you,” he says. “That’s extraordinary.”

  “You’re saying that I brought you there?”

  “I am. Be careful what you wish for, Kricket.”

  “That’s silly, Kyon,” I murmur with a laugh.

  “You’re so naïve, Kricket,” Kyon counters. “You probably don’t even see what’s happening here right now.”

  “What do you mean?” I have to lean nearer to him as I avoid a tree limb in the path.

  “You don’t find it strange that there are no other females here?” he inquires. I shrug, raising my brow in question. “It’s because we’re all potential suitors for you. Ateur Victus and Ateur Braedan are both unattached, powerful males. Ateur Gustoff has two unattached sons with a title from him and a title from their mother. You’ll go into your first swank already sought after by several elite in Rafe society.”

  “What? You’re wrong. Victus is—”

  “Intrigued and the one with the title, Kricket,” Kyon looks angry. “His brother is lesser royalty and already intended for someone else and he will step aside.”

  “You don’t know Trey,” I say defensively.

  “Ah, but I do know him,” Kyon counters in a quiet tone. “He always follows the rules. He is kind and generous to his family…he’ll make them proud of him. He may even encourage his brother to commit to you so that he can be near you…continue to protect you, but never touch you…never have you for himself.”

  “That’s cynical, Kyon” I say, knowing he believes what he’s telling me.

  “And you won’t commit to Trey,” he says, “for one simple reason.”

  “Which is?” I counter, feeling cold.

  “Because whomever you commit to here will be marked for death,” Kyon replies. “No Rafe can be allowed to produce offspring with you as far as the Brotherhood is concerned.”

  “Do you have any friends at all, Kyon?”

  “I hope that we can be friends. I don’t control the Brotherhood. I’m trying to help you,” he says, searching my face for understanding. “I’m not your enemy, Kricket. You’re one of us. You’re Alameeda.”

  “I’m both Alameeda and Rafe,” I reply, looking straight ahead. “And right now, I wish I were human.”

  Seeing that the path ahead will widen to accommodate another spix, Kyon says quickly, “You should come to me with any questions that you have about your gifts…or the prophecy. If I can help you, I will.”

  “Why?” I ask, seeing that he’s being honest.

  Smiling a real smile, he doesn’t look like such a knob knocker when he replies, “Because I like picturing you in the Loch of Cerulean…on the seashore collecting shells…with me.”

  CHAPTER 17

  NO FUTURE

  I remain silent while riding alongside Kyon for much of the tour around the grounds. As my spix wanders nearer to Manus’s mount, I’m finding it difficult to listen to him speak to Ateur Gustoff about the Tectonic Peninsula. Trey is trying to make eye contact with me now. He has maneuvered his spix next to mine again, but I can’t look at him. If I do, I might tell him that I think he’s a total knob knocker for not warning me about what’s really going on here. Hearing from Kyon that I’m being “courted” is like getting slapped in the face.

  Squeezing my knees lightly, my spix steps ahead and nearer to Ateur Gustoff on his mount. “I have spoken to several members of the House of Lords who believe that any bid for the Tectonic Peninsula will be seen as aggression toward Peney. This is a delicate matter,” he lies to Manus.

  “Who is expressing these reservations?” I ask innocently. Trey’s spix nears mine again, but I ignore him.

  Ateur Gustoff’s eyebrows shoot up at my question. “It would be indelicate to say, Fay Kricket,” he replies. “I was telling Haut Manus that I could use my sway in the House of Lords to smooth things over on this issue.” His hollow cheeks have no smile lines, nothing to indicate that he finds anything amusing.

  “That shouldn’t be too hard for you,” I smile, knowing he’s fabricating the opposition. “How will you do that?”

  “My son, Reven, could act as an ambassador to Peney, while I sway the Lords on our position.”

  “How good of you,” I reply, wanting to roll my eyes but resisting the urge.

  “I would like you to meet my eldest son, Reven,” Ateur Gustoff says. Watching Manus smile, I resist the urge to grind my teeth.

  “Fay Kricket, would you like to join us for a race along the riverbank?” Manus asks, gesturing to the stretch of land to our west.

  “Nooo,” I reply, shaking my head like he’s insane. “I don’t like the taste of dirt. This is a really good pace for me.” I continue to plod along slowly on number twenty-two.

  Manus tries not to smile as he says, “Well then, we will see you tonight at dinner, Kricket.” I incline my head, relieved that I’m being dismissed from the frat party.

  “I’ll ride back with Kricket. I have some things I need to attend to,” Kyon says to Manus. Manus’s eyes go to Trey’s. Seeing Trey incline his head to his Regent, I know he’s staying with me, too.

  I follow Trey and am relieved when the stables come into sight. Number twenty-two must be feeling the same because he increases his pace toward his home. We stop at a paddock fence and I look down, trying to figure out how I’m supposed to get off my spix.

  “Here, let me assist you, Kricket,” Kyon says, having already dismounted. He reaches up and plucks me off the saddle, holding me in his arms. “You’re so little.” Kyon grins while hoisting me up and catching me in his arms again like I don’t weigh anything.

  Startled, my arms go around his neck. “Kyon!” I gasp, scared he’ll drop me.

  “Put her down,” Trey orders, invading Kyon’s space and eyeballing him like he’ll take Kyon’s head off the moment he puts me on my feet. Wayra is right next to him, looking like he could pounce at any moment, too.

  “Why, Trey?” Kyon asks in a low tone, holding me closer to him. “I’m the answer to all your prayers. I’ll take her far away from here where you’ll never have to see her again, never have to wonder if she’ll be at the dinner party you have to attend or the swank you’re required to be at.”

  “Kyon, put me down please,” I say softly, dropping my arms from his neck and seeing the deadly look on Trey’s face. Kyon lowers me slowly to my feet, but now I’m sandwiched between them. “Trey…Trey…” I say with both my hands on his chest. Trey’s eyes meet mine, but I’m not sure he actually sees me.

  In an instant, Trey has me safely behind him and Wayra takes it from there, leading me away from them. “Wait,” I say, trying to see what’s happening, but Wayra doesn’t listen, ushering me to the waiting skiff. Wayra stuffs me in the backseat, shutting the door and climbing into the driver’s seat. We wait for several minutes before Trey gets in.

  When I glance at Trey’s face, he looks like he could chew steel. “What did he say to you?” Trey asks stiffly as the skiff moves forward.

  “When?” I ask, not liking his tone because it sounds more like an accusation than a question.

  “Before you speak again, know that I’m not playing games. You’re entirely too brilliant not to know what I’m asking you, so don’t evade my questions with your own.” Trey’s hostility simmers just below the surface.

  “Kyon said a lot of interesting things. He let me know what was really happening on our ride today,” I reply with my own hostility. “Maybe you should’ve told me that I was being paraded around like a p
iece of meat. I like to know what I’m facing when I go into battle and you didn’t have my back.”

  “I had your back! I thought that if you knew, you’d feel awkward and say something off color to make a bad impression.”

  “SO! You did know!” I retort with my eyes narrowing at him.

  “It’s PR, Kricket! The goal is to help you fit into society. Being sought after by the elite means that doors will open for you.”

  “Do I look like I care about any of that, Trey?” I ask, seething. “I have a job—one that will pay me more money than I could ever have expected to make. I’m an advisor to the Regent. I can save my money, maybe buy an apartment in the city and have my own life.”

  “Kricket,” Trey says, rubbing his eyes. “You know that’s not an option for you.”

  “So you agree with Kyon—that I either have to commit to some powerful Rafe jerkwad who can try to protect me from the Alameeda or accept the ultimate, blond jerkwad and whatever the Brotherhood has in store for me?”

  “You will be protected from the Brotherhood! There’s no way you’re going to commit to Kyon, no matter how cozy you get with him!” he retorts, like he has the ultimate say in this.

  “Cozy? Did you just say cozy?” I sputter, glaring at him.

  “You had your arms around him!” Trey says, like I threw myself at Kyon.

  “I was afraid he was going to drop me!”

  After we pull up in front of the hunting lodge and Wayra stops the vehicle, I open my own door and storm into the manor. Jax rises from his seat with the other Cavars in the room near the fireplace. He drops his cards when he sees my face and asks, “Kricket?”

  I hold up my hand, blowing by him and heading to the staircase. I just make it to the first step when Trey’s hand wraps around my upper arm, ushering me with him to the second floor. Trey enters my bedroom with me and slams the door shut.

  Trey points his finger at me angrily. “No matter what Kyon says to you, he’s not your friend. He is smart and manipulative and he knows exactly what to say to get you to…”

  “To get me to what?”

  “To get you to trust him.”

  “Trey, you don’t understand anything,” I mutter. “He has information that I need…that I crave. He knew my mother—he knows about precognition—”