Crystal: Starlatten Book One

by Darby Cupid

  We assemble in the living room and I find myself sitting cross-legged once more in the centre of the room with Jaik opposite me. Looking around at the plush furniture, I can’t believe it’s only been a couple of days since we last sat around this very room after the incident with Eddie. The black television on the wall looms over us in silence. No one is brave enough to switch it on.

  “Let’s do this!” Jaik rubs his hands together before reaching into his pocket and pulling out Cadicus’ amulet.

  As he dangles it in the space between us, I can’t hide the repulsion that rolls over me like a wave, forcing me to edge away from it.

  “It’s okay.” Jaik reaches out and places a hand on my knee. “He’s gone. He can’t hurt us anymore.”

  Despite Jaik’s words, I can’t tear my eyes away from the yellow stone. Spinning on its chain, it disperses the rays of sunlight coming in through the partially drawn curtains into rainbow streaks across the room. How can something so beautiful have caused such evil? Every now and again, I catch a glimpse of amber within the smooth teardrop shape of the stone. My heart jolts as I recall those vile soulless eyes. Eyes which shone with delight as they’d murdered Doctor Oakstone and almost killed Dylan.

  I force myself to look away. “Let’s just get this over with.”

  Jaik holds the amulet in his left hand and reaches out for my hands. I take a shaky breath and take hold of them, trying to touch as little of the yellow amulet as possible. Before I close my eyes, I can’t resist a final glance around the room.

  Sera sits sideways on Jordan’s lap in a large soft chair. Her head nestled on his shoulder, they’re engrossed in entwining and untwining their fingers. Eddie sits next to Linda on the sofa. He gives me an encouraging smile as our eyes meet. Linda, however, is absentmindedly chewing her nails, her eyes fixed on Jaik.

  I have to twist around to find Dylan. For a moment I think he’s left the room, but he’s still here, stood by the door, arms folded and a foot resting against the wall, his face unreadable. He blinks and looks away a millisecond after our eyes meet and my heart plummets to the carpet.

  Jaik coughs and tugs my hands, forcing me to turn back around. He raises an eyebrow at me. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes,” I reply with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.

  Closing my eyes, I slow my breathing and focus on the warm purple crystal on my chest. I’m pleasantly surprised by how quickly my body floods with the glistening violet energy. I smile, filled with confidence.

  After a moment, the now familiar rush of Jaik’s green energy mixing with mine seeps in through my fingers and pulses along my arms causing my skin to tingle. Why have I not noticed before how intimate this is?

  His energy is stronger this time, confidence glowing in every emerald curl as it entwines with mine. Stroking, searching, the green light moves as though it has a mind of its own.

  My cheeks grow warm and I consider stopping, but before the thought fully forms, a blast of bright yellow energy shoots down my right arm and through my chest, knocking the breath from my lungs.

  It takes everything I have not to open my eyes as I fight to hold onto Jaik’s hands. Multi-coloured energy swells between us like a storm and I’m almost certain I’m being lifted up off the ground. Jaik’s grip on my hands tightens. It’s a signal. We have to push this energy up and out as far and high as we can. This is it. This is our chance for rescue. Our chance to go home.

  The force of the upwards pour of energy seems to suck the air from the room. I screw my eyes tight and hold on to Jaik in fear of being pulled into the spiralling stream of colour.

  After only a few seconds, the last of the energy snaps away from me with such force that I roll backwards, my fall softened by the cushions preemptively scattered around us. I open my eyes, gasping in shock as my heart tries to hammer its way out of my chest.

  Around us, paintings are askew on the wall, the lamp has fallen to the floor and the carpet is littered with the many magazines and books which had previously adorned the low table near the sofa. Slowly my friends lower their arms from shielding themselves from what appears to have been an actual hurricane.

  “Well, that was different!” Eddie whistles.

  Linda fights to brush her windswept hair from her eyes. “Yeah… it didn’t do that last time. I mean, it was a bit windy, but nothing like that.”

  I nod. Cadicus’ amulet was so powerful, the sensation of yellow energy lingers inside me, and I shiver, repulsed by its presence.

  “I guess that means it must have worked!” Jaik pushes himself up from where he’s fallen and grins, his eyes shining with joy.

  His excitement is contagious as a smile spreads across my lips. “So, we did it?”

  “We did it!” Jaik reaches out and pulls me into a celebratory embrace.

  It catches me completely off guard and I topple forward, tipping us both to the ground. The energy in the room is one of success and celebration and I allow myself to be swept up by it.

  Jaik kisses me on the forehead and as he bursts out in booming laughter, I find myself joining in. We lie there in a heap of tangled limbs, my curls wrapped around my face as I laugh like I haven’t since I left Starlatten. The stress and trauma of the past few days momentarily melts away as I lie in a pile of cushions laughing with people who mean everything to me. Dylan. I sit up and swipe the hair from my face, but the space by the door is empty.

  “So, what now?” Eddie asks as he heaves himself off the chair and begins picking up the debris. “How will you know if someone gets your message?”

  “Yeah.” Sera slips off Jordan’s lap to pick up the fallen lamp. “How do they know what the message is? Did you guys mentally shout ‘help’ as you sent the signal?”

  Jordan cocks his head thoughtfully. “What if another alien race picks up the signal? Is that possible? And how would they get a ship into our atmosphere undetected?”

  “What if it takes years?” Linda muses, eyes wide.

  My confidence falters and I turn to Jaik for reassurance.

  “It’s not really something that’s done very often,” he tries to explain. “It’s sort of an SOS. I’m assuming only people from Starlatten will be able to detect or read the signal as it would be transmitted or translated through their amulets. As for how long it might take? I have no idea.”

  Jordan pauses in his straightening of pictures on the wall. “Well if you consider the speed of light, your energy must be as fast, if not faster. What we also need to consider is whether someone is closer than Starlatten.”

  I frown. “What do you mean?”

  “He means search parties,” Jaik snaps his fingers and Jordan nods in agreement. “You’re the Queen, Crystal. They must have people out looking for you.”

  He reaches out and squeezes my shoulder, but I shrug it off. “They most likely think I died on the ship.”

  “No,” Jaik shakes his head. “They’ll know. I remember when there was an accident back home in Galeania. There was a bad storm and a building collapsed. Several people were killed, but the rescue teams knew people were still alive because they could sense the power from their amulets.”

  “It’s still rather unlikely though.” I stare at the cushion I don’t remember picking up and start fingering the red fringe around its edges. “Earth is a long way from Starlatten.”

  “I’m beginning to think you don’t want to be rescued.”

  My head snaps up at Jaik’s accusation. I open my mouth to protest but find I’m not sure what to say. He’s right. Part of me doesn’t want to be rescued.

  “Right. This has been the longest day in history,” Sera sighs as she picks up the last fallen magazine. “I think we need some rest and some space. Boys? It’s time to go home.”

  There’s a reluctant murmur of agreement as people begin to gather their things.

  “Erm, Sera?” Jaik scratches his head. “Have you got a sleeping bag or something similar I could borrow? I’ll find somewhere to kip.”

  Se
ra palms her face. “Sorry, Jaik. I completely forgot.”

  “It’s okay,” Jordan smiles. “Come crash at mine. My folks are so used to Eddie and Dylan practically living at mine, they won’t notice a different guest.”

  “Thanks, mate.” Jaik slaps him on the back as they start towards the door followed by Eddie.

  “Are you coming, Linda?” Eddie calls as he scrolls through his phone. “That’s weird,” he frowns.

  “What?” I ask, my eyes focused on the glow of his display.

  “Dylan’s messaged me. He’s already gone home. Says he’ll ring me tomorrow.”

  I try to keep my face neutral, even though every atom is trembling.

  “I didn’t even see him leave.” Jordan pulls his phone from his pocket and stares at it. “I guess a near death experience deserves a bit of alone time.”

  “Fair point,” Eddie nods.

  “I’ll catch you up, Ed,” Linda calls as the boys make their way out the door and into the hallway.

  Eddie rolls his eyes and shuts the door behind him. “Don’t be too long.”

  As we stand alone in the middle of the room, I’m struck by how much bigger it seems without the boys. I look from Sera to Linda as the silence seems to take on an air of awkwardness, although I’m not entirely sure why.

  Sera begins to back away towards the door that leads to the kitchen. “I’ll give you two a minute.”

  I frown in confusion, turning to ask Linda what’s going on, but she beats me to it.

  “What’s going on between you and Jaik?” she demands.

  I stare at her, my eyes wide in surprise. I was not expecting this. “What do you mean?”

  “I saw you,” she says, lifting her chin as if readying herself for a fight. “On the stairs, earlier.”

  “Nothing is going on, Linda,” I say, flinching at the memory of the awkward encounter. “We were just talking. He saw I was upset and was trying to comfort me.”

  Even as the words leave my lips, I know there’s more to it. I’ve been trying to ignore it, but there’s something in his eyes when he looks at me. Something, more. I suppose I’ve been ignoring it because of Dylan.

  I sigh and close my eyes. “I know Jaik’s a bit overfamiliar sometimes, but I think it’s just because we’re from the same place. We have a shared history. I think he feels safe with me.”

  Linda looks down at the floor, kicking at the carpet with her toes. “Yeah, I know. Anyway, it’s not like we’re together or anything.”

  I smile. “You like him, don’t you?”

  Linda shrugs. “Doesn’t really matter. You guys will be back up in the stars soon.”

  My stomach somersaults and my face drains of colour.

  “I’m sorry,” Linda gasps, clapping her hands over her mouth. “I got so caught up in watching you and Jaik, I forgot about Dylan. Have you guys talked about it? What are you going to do?”

  I take a breath, unsure of whether to confide in her about what happened upstairs, but the words fall from my mouth before I can make the decision. “He asked me to stay.”

  “He what?”

  I turn with Linda to see Sera standing in the doorway, aghast.

  Linda rolls her eyes. “So much for giving us a minute.”

  “This is huge!” Sera waves a hand at her in dismissal. “What did you say?”

  I flop down on the sofa, pulling a green velvet cushion to my chest. “I told him it was unfair to ask me, and we haven’t really spoken since.”

  “Ah.” Linda sits down beside me. “That’s why he was being all moody before he disappeared.”

  “I thought he was in a huff because he was sick of watching Jaik fawning all over you,” Sera muses before looking sideways at Linda. “Sorry.”

  “Do you think Dylan’s noticed Jaik’s behaviour?” I ask, although I already know the answer.

  Linda laughs. “I’d say so.”

  Burying my face in the plushness of the cushion, the swirling hurricane of thoughts in my mind turns into a thudding headache. Sera places her hand on my back.

  “What are you going to do?” she asks.

  Wearily, I lift my head from the cushion and meet her sapphire blue gaze. “There’s nothing I can do. We just need to wait and see what happens with the signal. Whether I stay or go isn’t even really my choice at the moment.”

  “What are we going to do about Jaik?” Linda asks.

  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Sera grins, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I already text Jordan and told him he has to ask Jaik what’s going on between him and Crystal.”

  As the chatter swims around me, I sink back into the sofa. Guilt swashes around my gut and my fingers dig into the cushion. I’m so tired of feeling guilty. Guilty for what happened to my family. Guilty for Doctor Oakstone. Guilty for not knowing what happened to Jaik. Guilty for pushing Dylan away. Guilty for obsessing over an Earth boy when my entire planet might be a mass of empty cold debris floating through the solar system.

  As my eyes prick with tears, I bite my lip, hard. I’m sick of crying. I inhale slowly through my nose, trying to quell the shouting in my head. What do I want? What do I truly want? Dylan. The answer floats to the surface before I can organise my thoughts and I shake my head at the uncertainty of it all.

  We could have a day together, a week, a lifetime. How long do humans live? I force my brain back on track. Would it be better to stop now? To prevent the ache already in my heart from worsening when the time comes to leave? Or would it be better to savour every moment, enjoying each second we’re given, but risking a devastated heart? What if I never left? I picture Dylan’s face. My heart shatters into a galaxy of stars every time those thick lashed, light brown eyes meet mine.

  I also want to go home.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Dylan

  It’s strange to be home. Lying on my bed, my fingers keep sliding under my shirt to touch the silky, smooth scar on my chest. Mum tore pieces off me when I walked through the door. I just stood there and took it, too tired to try and give excuses.

  Eventually, her onslaught slowed and fear that something was wrong crept into her eyes. Finding the energy to assure her everything was fine and avoid the fact that I almost died this morning was exhausting. Somehow, I even made it through a family meal of spaghetti bolognese. As soon as I’d eaten enough to satisfy, I excused myself to my room where I finally collapsed.

  I have very little memory after the force of the knife knocked me to the floor. Drifting in and out of a haze, I remember sensing light and voices as I felt the life draining from me, blood gushing from me with every breath.

  My mind fills with the image of Oakstone crumbling to the ground like a pile of Jenga bricks beside me. The whole gruesome scene is there every time I close my eyes like a desktop wallpaper I didn’t ask for. We never had the opportunity to chat to the guy and I never felt like Oakstone wanted to discuss his personal life, but he didn’t wear a wedding ring and he seemed too young to have a family. Certainly, no one else was living at the house Cadicus blew up. He was a brilliantly clever man with his whole life ahead of him. What a waste.

  Which is exactly why I don’t want to waste any time. Why bite your tongue or play it safe when your life could end tomorrow? I know it seems like a cliché, but everything seems so much clearer now. Every day is precious and I’m not going to waste time doing things that make me miserable.

  I try to push the conversation I need to have with Mum about the bakery out of my head. Determination tickles in my bloodstream despite my exhaustion. I want to live. To do.

  Crystal had certainly not appreciated my carpe diem attitude. I rake my hands over my face as I replay the image of Jaik pulling Crystal on top of him. Of him kissing her on her forehead. His hands always finding a way to touch her.

  Maybe I should shave my head. Maybe that’s what Crystal prefers. As soon as the thought pops into my head, a snort of laughter bursts from my nose. I know Crystal likes me, not Jaik. My heart swells, my
breath hitching in my throat as I recall the way she kissed me at Sera’s house. Then I opened my big mouth and ruined it all. I know it’s me she wants. In my heart, I know. Knowing is useless, however, because I’ve blown it.

  The second she walked out the door, I’d cringed at the selfishness of my words. She’d just confided to me her fear of going home and I’d thrown my own stupid feelings into the mix. She’s the queen of another bloody planet! My cheeks redden as I replay the scene in my head. I asked the queen of an entire planet to give it all up, for me.

  Rolling over I bury my face in my pillow with a groan. How could she possibly stay? Where would she stay? I mean, we’ve known each other less than a week. I just… I just don’t want it to end. The thought of never seeing her again hurts more than the knife that almost ended me.

  What’s worse is I understand how conflicted she is. I’m struggling with the choices I need to make for my own future and her choices have been taken away. Obviously, it’s on a much smaller scale, but I understand the battle between desire and duty. Responsibility for my Mum and sister is what’s stopping me from doing what I really want. Meeting Crystal has confirmed the whispers I’ve been ignoring in the back of my brain. I want to see the world. I want to travel. I send another groan into the pillow.

  So now what? Do we all get together tomorrow? Is this whole thing over? Does life resume as normal? Questions swill around my brain until I’m dizzy. Does she even want to see me again? What if the signal takes months to work? What if it doesn’t work? What if it works tonight? Tomorrow?

  My heart begins to pound with a newfound urgency. I have to fix this. I can’t waste another second with her angry or disappointed in me. If she doesn’t want to see me, at least I’ll know, but I need to know.

  Grabbing my phone, I creep out of my bedroom, carefully navigating the creaky steps on the stairs and slip out the back door.

  Waiting in the darkness of Sera’s garden, my phone warm in my hand, I’m not sure if this is more Romeo or stalker. Sera replied to my text to say she’d speak to Crystal, but it was ages ago and my neck is starting to ache from staring up at her window. Are the curtains twitching? My eyes have adjusted to the dark, but I’m not sure.