There’s nowhere to hide, and all I want to do is sink into the ground. My face is hot with embarrassment. I know it must be flaming red. “Kasper told me not to stare at them directly in their eyes because they get mad. He told me they would attack.”
Miri stifles her laughter when she realizes I’m serious. “Don’t you think Kasper is just saying that to you so you won’t obnoxiously stare?” she asks quietly. “I don’t believe any being here wants to cause anyone harm. Just because someone may appear different than you, that doesn’t mean they want to attack you.”
Her confidence makes me feel better. If she isn’t nervous, then there’s no reason for me to be.
Out of the corner of my eye I see my father, or Mr. Riley, walking toward us. Part of me wants to run and hide, but I know I can’t leave. Instead, I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.
“How are you two doing?” he asks when he joins us, taking time to touch on each of us with his penetrating gaze.
“Um, I’m okay,” I answer.
“I’m good, Dad. How’s the tactical surveillance going?”
I blink at her. How can she so easily call him Dad, after everything we’ve been through? I avert my eyes, then study my surroundings, trying to seem uninterested in their father-daughter conversation. I pretend to be interested in the six windowless, cement towers that surround the center of Aurora, and vaguely wonder what they represent.
“Alexa, are you okay?”
My father decides this is the time to ask me if I’m okay? I mean, really—in front of all these people, he wants to have this conversation? “Sure. I’m fine. How are you, Dad?” I mumble.
“Alexa, I know you’re cross with me, but we need to work together. There’s a lot we need to talk about before we leave here.” His light-brown eyes are changing as he speaks to me, dark-blue and purple hues swirling around his irises. He’s changing right in front of me. That means I must be, too, and if I am, then all of the other gathering beings are, as well.
“Um, yeah, we will,” I answer quickly.
Miri senses my uneasiness and reaches for my hand. She gives it a tight squeeze, reassuring me that everything is going to be fine. I had forgotten while I was away from Pumalia that upon my return, some of my features might change; as Michael told me before, the camouflage wears off more or less when you’re around your true heritage.
Standing on tiptoe, Miri whispers in my ear, “Your eyes are gorgeous! They’re even more magical here than they were on Mapu. The purple has changed into a violet with blue accents—just beautiful.”
“Yours, too, Miri,” I respond, gazing into her eyes. “They’re now darker, like Dad’s.” His eyes went from a green on Earth to a deep, deep blue. This revelation makes her happy, and if she’s happy, then I am, too.
I smile and let that sink in. I guess it’s true—you can’t help where you’re from or what your appearance is. I need to embrace it and move on.
The light starts to dim and I can sense the changes happening in the crowd of beings. I’m not scared anymore; instead, I’m intrigued.
Before I can actively search for the more alien-looking creatures that I’ve always imagined living in outer space, Kasper saunters up onto a small wooden stage and calls for everyone’s attention. Wearing a black jacket to match his jet-black hair, and what seem to be jeans, Kasper stands confidently in front of the crowd. His lanky body is taller than I remember, and his pale skin is now a translucent mauve. This is his true form. I never even asked what planet he’s from. I just assumed he was from Pumalia.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” he begins. “I know this isn’t easy for anyone. But—the time is here. The time when we fight to win back our freedom. No longer will we cower from the Council or bow before the so-called queen.”
The crowd erupts with shouts and affirmations that he’s indeed on the right track. He waits for the noise to quiet before he continues. “We now have help with this matter. Not just any help, but the help that was prophesied to us thousands of years ago.”
I stand very still, bracing myself for what’s to come next. A tall, dark figure emerges from behind Kasper and approaches the front of the stage—Jax. The sight of him takes my breath away, and memories from the rock make my face blush. Good thing it’s dark out. His blue eyes are glowing—not in a creepy way; they’re mesmerizing. I can’t look away.
“Thank you for meeting with us this evening,” he says, his voice carrying over the crowd. “For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jax, and I have been the militia leader of Pumalia for the past seven years.” His voice weakens my knees.
“Like Kasper, I feel this is the time to reclaim our lives and stand up for what’s ours. No more living in fear of what the Council may do next. Pumalia is an independent sovereignty, but the decisions made are a direct result of what will make Mapu happy. I now realize that mentality will not work. Unfortunately, the people I serve don’t see it that way.” He sighs heavily. “That means we will be doing this ourselves.”
The crowd clearly doesn’t like that last statement, but Jax rebounds with, “Did I say by ourselves? I meant to say we will have to do this with the most decorated militia leader in the galaxy! Please welcome my hero and our savior, Kalus.”
The beings go crazy at the very mention of him, hollering and chanting his name. My heart pounds as I watch my father approach the stage. Why are they reacting like this? Why am I nervous for him? The emotions churn in my stomach, making me nauseous.
“Miri, how do all of these beings know who he is?” I ask, dumbfounded.
Miri proudly smiles and replies, “He’s a legend. He has fought many battles and his side always wins. They attribute much of those wins to one person, Kalus.
“Please, that’s enough.” He raises his arms in an effort to calm their excitement. “We have our work cut out for us, but I’m confident we will succeed. We will work together and take care of one another. Here in Aurora, this is our family and we will fight for one another until we’re all free to live how and where we want.”
Miri attentively listens and I watch as a single tear falls from her eye. She holds herself proud yet she wears an expression of fright. Sometimes I think this is too much for someone her age. But time and time again, she proves to be wise beyond her years.
“I want to introduce the being that you have all been buzzing about. This young woman is my daughter. I’m proud to call her that; she’s strong and kind. She’s the Princess of the Galaxy, and I know, not because I’m her father or because she’s honorable, but I know she’ll do everything in her power to restore its legacy.”
All eyes turn in my direction. I can’t believe this is happening to me. I’m going to kill him.
“Alexa, please join me up here.”
I stand there dumbstruck for a moment, unable to move. I picture myself walking up there, but my legs are firmly planted in the ground beneath me.
Thankfully, Miri grabs my arm and pulls me toward the stage. Jax reaches for my hand and helps me up. I stand up there next to my father while everyone before us kneels down on one knee.
I can’t believe what I see. There are beings of all colors and sizes. Some have more than one head, while others have tiny heads and no arms. The differences between the beings are immense, but they all kneel as one. They believe in me. They need me.
The gesture is inspirational; it gives me the strength I need to address them. “Please get up, I haven’t done anything worthy of you kneeling down in front of me yet. But please believe me when I say I’ll do whatever I can to right the wrongs of the queen and her followers.” I look over at my sister and she gives me the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. I can’t add anything else because the crowd is wildly cheering.
As Kasper and Jax try to restore order, my father ushers me off the stage, I assume for safety purposes. “Find your sister and get back to the house. I’m going to help them get everyone settled,” Kalus says quickly.
“Okay,” I say,
and he marches back toward the cheering crowd. Just like that, I’m doing what he tells me. Am I already conforming to the father-daughter relationship? I quickly find Miri on the edge of the mayhem. We’re able to sneak off before anyone can engage us in conversation, and head back to the house.
I tuck Miri into bed, which I assume will become a nightly duty that I not only enjoy, but also look forward to. Her sweet disposition is a welcomed distraction in this whole mess.
“Alexa, you’re the most beautiful princess I’ve ever seen,” she whispers as I pull the covers up to her chin.
“Aw, that’s so sweet of you to say, Miri, but I don’t feel much like a princess at the moment. There’s so much to do, and I don’t want to mess up,” I confess.
She looks up at me with her beautiful lilac eyes. “It will come naturally, just like using your powers, I promise.” She sounds so confident, it’s hard to doubt her.
“Enough about me. How are you doing with all of the changes? Meeting our father for the first time—I can’t be the only one having a hard time with it,” I admit.
“I’ve dreamt of meeting him so many times. For me it was never a matter of if I’d meet him, but when.” She briefly smiles at me, then flips onto her side. “I love you, Alexa. I’m so happy we found each other.” Her voice now a whisper, while she grows more and more tired with each passing second.
“I love you, too, little sister.” I bend over and kiss her cheek. “Good night, sweet girl.”
I step out of the room and find a comfortable place on the couch to sit and reflect on the strange evening.
My father is a well-known leader and honored by every being here. Maybe I was being too hard on him? I really need to spend some time with him and hear more about what happened to me when I was a young child.
I close my eyes and attempt to center myself. A breeze wafts in through the open window and ruffles my hair. Simultaneously my emotions swirl around in my head, leaving me confused. But as exhaustion begins to settle in, my state of confusion fades.
Jax’s face enters my thoughts and my whole body relaxes. His blue eyes and chiseled body make me blush even in my relaxed state. When he holds me, I know I’m safe. Maybe I do have feelings for him. Miri could be on to something.
“Alexa!”
I open my eyes to complete chaos. Jax is standing over me, yelling something, but I can’t hear anything he’s saying. A loud, piercing ring is obstructing his voice. Not again, I think. “What’s happening?” I scream. Warm liquid trickles from my ears. I don’t need to touch it with my hand to confirm it’s blood.
Clenching my hands to my ears, I watch the beings in the house shuffle about, screaming. I can’t tell what they’re saying. For a minute, I stand there staring at them like an idiot as they dash around me. What could they possibly be searching for? Why don’t they care about my ears? I’m bleeding!
I squint, hoping to clear the fuzziness hindering my vision, but it doesn’t work. Somehow, I’m able to make out who’s around me: Kasper, Tam, and another being whom I’ve never seen before.
I zone in on Miri’s room in time to see Jax and my father storm out. My heart begins to pound. Where is she? I wish I could hear what they’re saying! Tears sting my eyes. “Wait! What’s happening?” I shout.
No one hears me; no one even acknowledges me. I push past the beings and enter Miri’s room. She isn’t there. Her bedding is a mess of sheets wound with her blanket, not how I left them when I tucked her in. Where could she be? I’d just left her. I only fell asleep for a few moments.
I dash back into the other room, where everyone has gathered in front of the couch. Why are they standing there? I finally give in and peer at the couch and I see—me. How can this be?
My stomach drops and a warm sensation slides up the back of my throat. The ringing is subsiding, but I can’t breathe. I stumble to the door to get some air, feeling as if I’m being strangled by warm cotton batting stuffed into my airway.
Deep breaths, in and out, I admonish myself, breathing deeply and slowly. I close my eyes and imagine I’m home on Earth in my bed, and this is all a terrible dream. I must be dreaming—I have to believe that. Darkness engulfs me, along with a sense of overwhelming hopelessness. Where is she? I sink to the ground and lie curled up, letting everything fade around me.
Just as I shut my eyes, I’m opening them. I wake to the hum of low voices. The ringing is gone. I try to move my head to the right to see who’s there, but my head is too heavy to control. Groaning aloud, I move my arms to get some attention.
“She’s awake,” I hear Tam say.
“Get Jax, he’ll know how to tell her,” Kasper solemnly requests.
I blink repeatedly, trying to rid my eyes of the fog that still clouds my sight. I’m dreaming, that’s all; I probably slept too long. I’m sure Miri is up and making friends as I lie here in a stupor.
I can sense Jax before I see him. Just as I did in my dreams, when I always knew when he was in the field or on his way. He kneels down beside me and grabs my hand. “Are you okay?”
My mouth is so dry, my lips stick together. I can barely pry open my mouth to reply softly, “I think so. What happened? I had a terrible dream… Where’s Miri?”
Jax doesn’t have to say anything. I can tell by his expression that I wasn’t dreaming.
“No, no, no!” I screech. “Is it true, is she gone?” Tears fall from my face as I lift my head. “Not my sister, no!”
“I’m so sorry, Alexa,” Jax says. “When we came back after the gathering, you were under a spell. And…and she was gone.”
Black spots flash in front of my eyes. The last thing I remember hearing is my own bloodcurdling screams before darkness takes over.
Disorder
Book Two of the Stellar Series
There are no words. How could this have happened, right in front of me? “Could she still be here, in Aurora?” I scream loud enough for the whole room to hear me. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know the answer. She’s gone. Undoubtedly, this has something to do with my mother. Why did I ever think she wasn’t culpable of such terror? It must have been the spell that prevented me from seeing her true colors.
“Possibly, but I doubt it.” Jax wearily searches the room looking for someone. Before I can follow his glance, Michael appears next to me, refusing to look me in the eyes, which is fine. The mere sight of him makes my skin crawl. Obviously, he has something to do with taking my sister.
“I can’t believe after everything that’s happened, you have the gall to show up here,” I angrily growl. “Did you take her? Was this your plan?” My fists clench so tightly that I’m sure I’ve cut myself. As I glare into his once-appealing brown eyes, I’m acutely aware that this isn’t the same boy. The one I was developing feelings for.
“No, I could never hurt Miri. I love her like a little sister. I’m here because I want to help. I need to help. Things are too messed up now. I could never go back.” Michael clears his throat as if he’s about to add more, but doesn’t.
“Really?” Jax looks over at me, waiting for a sign. I suspect he’s waiting for my head to explode. I know my face is a dark shade of red, but I can’t help the emotions that rapidly flow through my body. The only true light in my life, my younger sister, taken, literally right in front of my eyes. No one could lessen the feeling of guilt and anger, even if they tried.
Michael looks down at his clenched hands hanging past his waist. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m here to help.” Slowly, Michael releases his fists, revealing a beautiful opalescent stone in his left hand.
“What’s this?”
Before he could reply to my question, Kalus springs forward to retrieve the stone.
“This is the culprit! I had a feeling that this powerful stone is the reason for the absence of Alexa’s powers.” Kalus bellows, “Where did you find this?”
Slowly, Michael answers, “I took it from the queen’s room while she was preoccupied with searching for Al
exa and Miri. I’m not sure how it works; the only thing I know is that whoever has this in their possession seems to wield Alexa’s powers. This is my peace offering. I can help you get Miri back if you can help me get my family back.”
Jax quickly shot up and spat back, “Why do you think we would help you when you have been deceiving Alexa since day one?”
Before Michael can answer, I respond, “We will help you, Michael. But from here on out, you need to be nothing but honest and forthcoming with whatever we ask of you. If I find you’re not, then there will be consequences.” My voice trembles with fury, something I’ve never experienced before. I scare myself with thoughts of what I would do to the person that took Miri. My threatening stance takes the room by surprise. I feel all eyes on me.
Michael blinks and a look of shock displays across his face. “Certainly, Alexa, anything to make this right. I know it will be hard for you to believe me, but I hope someday you realize that I had no other option but to lie to you.”
“I disagree with that. You could have come to me. I saw you everyday at school and you said nothing. This could have been avoided!” My eyes begin to fill, and before anyone can attempt to comfort me, I dash out of the room.
Nothing angers me more than feeling like I’m being lied to or taken advantage of. I’ve been living my first seventeen years as someone I’m not and I refuse to continue living with blinders on.
The air whips my hair around as I step outside Kasper’s house. I need to find Miri and I need to gain back my powers so I can punish whoever took her. Makin’s face flashes before me. Then my mind drifts to my mother’s face…would she hurt her? Could she possibly be so wretched as everyone says she is?
“Wait up, Alexa!” I hear Kalus coming after me. Can’t he take a hint? I want to be alone. Let me guess. He’s going to try and be the hero to save Miri and be father of the year…
“I want to be alone,” I rudely insist.
“We need to talk, and waiting won’t help anyone now. Not with Miri’s kidnapping and the fact that we will be facing the queen soon. This can’t be put off any longer. I tried to give you space. I tried to leave you alone, but I can’t. You’re my daughter and the very reason why I live everyday.”
Deceit (The Stellar Series Book 1) Page 16
