There were tables covered in different edible items, some in baskets, others stacked up or hanging from awnings by metal wire. They passed strange bits of meat, and weird-looking fruits. One booth smelled like oranges and honeysuckle, another like rich spices and buttered mashed potatoes. Despite the fact that they’d only just eaten, Delaney’s mouth began to water.
Ruckus glanced back at her and then detoured off to the right, toward a booth that displayed tiny golden balls on glass shelves shaped like steps. He nodded to the beautiful Vakar woman who stood on the other side, then tapped Trystan’s personal number on the small screen that had been set on the edge of the table.
The woman smiled at him, tucked a strand of her mahogany hair behind one ear, and then seemed to notice he wasn’t alone. The look she gave Delaney lacked the flirtatious note in the one she’d set on the Ander, but it wasn’t unkind.
Ruckus plucked four of the small golden balls, gave another nod, and then turned Delaney back into the ever-moving crowd.
Delaney linked her arm through his so he could use both hands to unwrap the golden balls, exposing a smooth dark-blue globe no larger than a marble. When he brought it to her lips, she opened her mouth and let him place it on her tongue.
Guilt over the fact that Trystan had done something similar only a few weeks ago hit her, but it didn’t linger. The bitter taste, followed by a wash of sugary sweetness, distracted her, and her eyes widened.
“You like it?” he asked, then laughed when she nodded.
“Give me another.”
After what could have been a half hour or only ten minutes, they reached the center of the market. He told her just as they were about to turn the corner into it, watching her face as she searched for differences, a reason why this area warranted being pointed out.
She didn’t have to search long. A few steps in, it started.
Delaney pulled them to a stop, too stunned to go any farther, and tipped her head all the way back. Glitter was falling from the sky. It drifted down through the gap in the ceiling slowly, and so thinly that it’d been hard to see until she was directly in it. She held out a hand, watching as it drifted onto her palm. Within moments, she was coated in a fine sheen of burnt gold.
“Stardust.” Ruckus pointed upward, at one of the bright swirls of green. A galaxy much farther away than it appeared, and one impossible to see from Earth. “We’ve got a few comets that pass by and break apart in our atmosphere. The dust falls this time of year in a few places around Vakar, but this is the most popular location because it falls in a larger radius here. By the time we leave, it’ll be falling over the entire marketplace. That’s why some of the vendors, like those selling food, have tents over their tables, and others do not. The dust adds a special sparkle to certain items. When it falls on them, vendors sell more.”
“It smells like”—she sniffed the air, a little bit enthralled by it all—“grapefruit, Earl Grey tea, and…” She smiled, realizing why he’d brought her here. “Storm clouds.”
Back on Earth, Ruckus had developed an odd affinity for thunderstorms. Whenever one came, he’d stand outside in the rain and the wind with his head tipped back and his eyes closed. Eventually she’d drag him back in, worried he’d make himself sick, but even then he’d open one of the windows a crack and sit close enough so he could lean toward it and smell the air.
She’d asked him about it, but he’d merely shrugged and mumbled something about how it reminded him of home. She hadn’t understood, because as far as she knew, Vakar didn’t have thunderstorms, and she’d never smelled anything like one during her stay there.
Now she got it.
And why, even though he loved coffee so much, he always ordered a side of tea and let it sit untouched on the edge of their table.
“Come on.” He urged her forward, a knowing smirk on his face. “There’s something else.”
CHAPTER 10
At the very center of the marketplace, there was a station different from the others. It was circular and made out of stone. From a few feet away, it looked almost like a shallow fountain, only deep enough for the water to go up to a person’s waist. But upon closer inspection, it obviously served a different purpose.
There was no water within, only a dozen or so men and women dressed in all black. They must have been there for a while, because instead of the thin sheen of glitter that Delaney and Ruckus were covered in, they were caked in it.
The women let their hair hang loose, and it had a metallic sheen. Even the men’s. Their skin held the same glow, a slight sparkle whenever they turned at a certain angle. And every single one of them was busy talking to a customer outside the stone wall, which was about three feet thick, serving as a table between them.
The surface of it was smooth, a dark granite, and covered in piles of stardust. As they approached, Delaney watched two people take up a handful of the stuff, then hold it over a large bowl set before the vendor they were dealing with.
“It’s tradition,” Ruckus said as she watched them drop their handfuls of dust into the bowl, “for couples to come here to celebrate their relationship. There’s no set date, because this event happens around the same time every year, so it’s not like your various anniversaries back on Earth. More a general celebration, with a token.”
She glanced around, noticing for the first time that there were many couples in this section of the marketplace. They had the stone circle surrounded, in fact, most already doing the same as the ones she’d been watching. She glanced back at them, curious to find out what came next.
The vendor had done something, but Delaney had missed it, and she didn’t get to see what was pulled from the bowl, either, because Ruckus was already urging her away.
Her annoyance faded quickly, however, when she realized he was only moving them to an empty section of the circle. They stopped in front of a male vendor whose hair shone like milky moonlight. His eyes were the color of peaches, rimmed in a crystal blue, and when he smiled, his skin glowed like glittery porcelain.
“Hello.” The vendor nodded at them, his hands folded on an empty spot on the table. A similar bowl sat before him, and now she could see that it wasn’t completely empty. There was a small metal protrusion at the very bottom, with a charcoal-colored wick.
Ruckus leaned in and whispered, “I promise this is a ceremony that holds no unseen consequences.”
In too good a mood to let the reminder bother her, Delaney gave him a half smile and returned her attention to the counter. There were already small piles of dust made, a couple dozen in fact. Aside from size, some being larger or smaller than others, they all looked exactly the same. Like an hourglass had broken, and spilled golden sand everywhere.
“All right,” she said, because she knew he was waiting for a verbal response, and then she reached toward one of the piles. “Do we just…?”
“Yes.” Ruckus chose as well, letting go of her hand for the first time since they’d entered the market so he could use both of his hands to scoop up the dust.
It felt like snow when Delaney lifted it, even lighter than glitter, practically weightless. She tilted her hands and it flickered and spread, coating her palms and the bottoms of her fingers. She probably would have kept staring at it if Ruckus hadn’t motioned for her to drop it into the bowl, like she’d seen the couple do earlier.
The sides of their hands brushed when they turned them over, spilling the dust into the black bowl. It fluttered down, mixing, until there was a decent-sized heap at the bottom.
Ruckus eased her back a step as the vendor reached for a switch on his side of the table. A second later the wick at the bottom ignited, sending up a burst of purple flame that instantly consumed the dust.
It was so bright, it was hard to look at, and Delaney had to glance away. She turned her face into the crook of Ruckus’s arm and inhaled, smiling slightly when his personal scent briefly chased away the smell of the area. When he nudged her, she found him watching the vendor work, and forced hersel
f to turn back.
The light had dimmed and no longer hurt her eyes, and the vendor had slipped on a pair of inky gloves covered in some slick material that reminded her of oil. Without hesitation, he put his hands into the fire, and began working the melted-down dust material. He molded it with ease, compressing it and moving it around to get it from all sides.
“The usual, miss?” The vendor glanced up from his work to catch her gaze.
“Um…”
“Yes,” Ruckus answered for her, “thank you.”
With a nod, the vendor shifted the material between his palms one last time, then pulled it hastily out of the bowl. He dropped it into a smaller bucket at his feet that Delaney had to lean halfway across the counter to see.
“First time, miss?” the vendor gave her a friendly smile. “I assure you, I do some of the best work here at Zephra Viya.”
After a moment, the vendor stooped down and retrieved the item from whatever liquid it had been soaking in. His grin broadened when he got his first glimpse of it, and he turned that look on her with a wink.
“The best I’ve ever done, if you ask me.”
“Do you flirt with all of your female customers?” Ruckus asked, though there was a teasing note to his voice. He wasn’t the least bit upset by the other man’s comments.
“Oh, I don’t have a preference, sir.” The vendor’s eyes slipped suggestively down Ruckus’s body.
Delaney laughed, receiving another wink from the vendor, who then reached into a shelf on the inside of the stone circle. She caught a flash of gold.
Ruckus tapped a code into a touch screen that Delaney hadn’t noticed, and then curled his fingers at the vendor.
With a slight bow, the vendor placed the item he’d just created into Ruckus’s hand. “Lovely doing business with you. Please”—he looked to Delaney—“come again.”
Linking their fingers, Ruckus tugged her away from the stone station, though he didn’t lead them back the way they’d come. Instead they circled around and to the right, heading off into a darker section of the marketplace. True to what he’d said earlier, the dust had started falling over more of the area, so that even when the center was far enough behind them and she could no longer turn her head to see it, the golden stuff still fell.
“What is it?” she asked, a bit impatient to see what he was holding. That whole experience had been fascinating, and more than that, it’d been distracting. She hadn’t thought of their poor circumstances once since they’d entered the market, and she wanted to stave off those dire thoughts for as long as possible.
Her reality had been pretty bleak for a while now. What was wrong with wanting a little pretend? Right now they were just another couple enjoying the Dust Market, partaking in an old tradition their parents probably would have.
Ruckus pulled her into a tiny alcove between two unoccupied tents, out of the way of the crowd. Then he brought his hand up between them and slowly opened it to show her the small charm he’d been clutching.
It was a tiny square with flattened corners—an octagon, really—and such a dark shade of green it was practically black. Tiny bits of golden glitter sparkled within, just enough to make it look like a smattering of stars in an inky night sky. It was roughly the size of her thumbnail, and for a second she wondered how two handfuls of dust had only managed to make something that small.
There was a tiny golden loop set into the top of it, with a thin chain strung through. By the time she noticed, Ruckus was already urging her to turn around.
She felt his fingers at her neck, and a second later recalled what he’d find already hanging there. She blanched, making to pull back, but he stopped her with gentle hands on her shoulders. The guilt felt like a living thing swimming in her gut, and already an explanation was forming on the tip of her tongue, even though she knew it wouldn’t be good enough.
There was really no good way to explain why she hadn’t taken off the necklace from the Zane. Especially since, if she was being honest, she didn’t even really understand why she hadn’t.
“It’s okay,” Ruckus reassured her quietly, comfortingly. “Really, Delaney. I’ve known this whole time you were wearing it. It’s okay.”
She frowned, turning to stare at him questioningly over her shoulder. “I didn’t—”
“I don’t need an explanation. This isn’t about him. It’s about you and me.” He held up the tiny stone. “May I?”
She nodded and then faced forward once more, inhaling when the cool tips of his fingers brushed against her skin.
He lifted the new necklace, deftly latched the clasp, and then adjusted the pendant. As soon as he was done, he stepped back, giving her a chance to look down at the small stone resting higher than the circle pendant that was still tucked safely beneath her Kint uniform.
Delaney ran her thumb over the smooth surface of the stone and turned to meet his gaze.
In the darkened section of the marketplace, he looked fierce, like a real Ander, the one she’d first met in that alley months ago. His relaxed features were the only difference.
The sounds of footsteps and hundreds of conversations happening at once drifted to the background. For a moment it was as he’d said, just the two of them, in a sea of strangers on a world that neither of them really belonged on.
“We’ve touched stars together,” he murmured then.
“What?” She tipped her head back when he came forward, his fingers trailing across her forehead to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“The star-stone”—he motioned to it—“that’s what it means. ‘We’ve touched stars together.’ It’s a reminder to hold on to the good moments, no matter what happens or changes in the future. Couples who come here don’t always last, sometimes they’ve only even been together a few days, or weeks, or they’re young and experimenting, not really looking for a bondmate. But this experience”—his eyes swept over the bustling market—“this is something they’ll always have, together.”
“Remember the good,” she said, catching on, “even if there’s eventually bad.”
His brow furrowed. “There’s always going to be a little bad, Delaney. Someone’s always going to make a mistake, be it a big one or small one. I think the important thing is to hold on to moments like this, where everything feels right, even if it’s only for a minute or an hour. Hold on to these moments and figure out if having another is worth the risk of forgiving some of the bad.”
“Ruckus.” She got the feeling that this was about more than just showing her the Dust Market. That, really, this was an extension of the conversation she hadn’t wanted to have at the salon.
He shook his head before she could say as much, however, denying it. “That’s just what the stone stands for. But, no matter what happens”—he tried to cover up the fact that his gaze dipped down to the hidden silver circle still around her neck, but failed—“I’ll always remember this. I’ll always remember us.”
* * *
TRYSTAN HAD THE ship ready and waiting by the time they made it back through the forest. Since they’d already spent most of the night in the city, they boarded the Kint craft and took off for the palace almost as soon as they spotted it.
Sanzie disappeared down a side hall after letting them know the opposite direction led to the front of the ship. Delaney and Ruckus weaved their way to the cockpit, where the Zane was waiting for them in the pilot seat.
“Has the Basilissa been notified of our upcoming arrival?” Ruckus asked, moving toward the front of the room to skim over the computer readings.
“She is aware,” Trystan confirmed. “Though she doesn’t know what for yet, just that I have something important to show her. Until I can convince her to board, preferably alone, it’s best you stay inside. We don’t want to risk anyone recognizing you. Even with the new hair.”
“You really hate the hair.” Delaney dropped down into the passenger seat.
“There are quite a few things I’m currently not very fond of—”
/> “I’m going to check to make sure everything is secure,” Ruckus said, interrupting their banter. Without glancing their way, he turned on his heel and left.
Delaney watched him go and then sighed. “He’s going to see Pettus.”
“I’d imagine so,” Trystan agreed, flicking at a few switches on the console before turning in his chair to face her. At her pointed look toward the controls, he shrugged. “Autopilot. I want to know if you’re all right.”
She frowned. “Don’t I look all right?”
“Just answer the question, Delaney,” he drawled, but the corner of his mouth tipped up despite his obvious efforts to keep it from doing so.
“I’m fine.” She was struggling to hold back her own grin now. “How are you?”
His eyes narrowed. “I feel like you’re mocking me.”
“Trystan…” Absently, she rested a hand on his arm. “It’s barely been two hours since you left us at the restaurant.”
“A lot can happen in two hours.”
“Sure, but we’re both here now, aren’t we?”
“What did you two do without me?”
Delaney shook her head. “Let’s not pretend I didn’t already catch you noticing the necklace. If you’ve got a question, just ask it so we can move on to the important stuff.”
She almost regretted being so forward, but the palace wasn’t too far off, and once they reached it, who knew how the rest of their night would go? Truth be told, she was relieved to find him unscathed as well.
His gaze dropped down to the charm, not bothering to pretend to not be looking any longer. “Did you enjoy Zephra Viya? I hear it’s quite a sight, especially this time of year. Were there many couples present?”
“There were, and it was amazing. We don’t have anything like that back on Earth; I could probably spend an entire day there, just looking. You’ve never…?”
“No,” he replied. “I’ve never had a reason to.”
He’d never been in a relationship before that warranted it, he meant.
“They have a lot of other stuff,” she said, only partially noting that her voice had dropped. “You’d enjoy the food. I didn’t get the chance to try much of it, but I liked what I did.”
Within Ash and Stardust Page 11
