"Wait a second,” I said, cutting in. "If I didn't give Chrissy the info, that means Jason must have it."
"What?” Andrew asked, frowning. "That's ridiculous! Jason wouldn't risk it.”
I didn't really understand Jason and Andrew's relationship. I mean, clearly they knew each other to some extent, especially if Jason trusted Andrew to guard the star. But from what I'd seen of Jason, this scenario made the most sense—Jason seemed impulsive enough to take matters into his own hands. After all, he'd shown up at my doorstep uninvited, gotten me involved, and seemed to have his own motives surrounding the star. Perhaps the person he painted himself to be in Andrew's eyes was far from the person he truly was—perhaps Andrew was trusting a liar.
"It's like you said before: maybe he didn't handle the blackmail properly. Maybe he sold us out to stop Chrissy releasing the video.” I thought about all my encounters with him so far, and how sketchy they'd all been. This was starting to sound more and more plausible the more I thought about it.
"We don't have time for this,” Andrew grumbled, pulling out his phone. "Let's just call Jason now and settle this."
He dialled his number, put it on speakerphone, and waited. On the third ring, he answered.
"Hello?"
"Jason,” I greeted, a little surprised he'd answered so quickly… and so early. I didn’t feel like doing pleasantries, and decided to just get to the point. "Did you sell us out and tell Chrissy how to get into the observatory?"
It was silent on the other end.
"Jason?"
"Well… yeah, I did,” he said, sounding sincere. My heart plummeted. Andrew's eyes grew wide with horror.
"What have you done?” Andrew snapped. "Jason—the celestial lantern is gone!"
"I know,” he replied. "I took it."
Andrew spluttered. "You what?”
"It's with me,” Jason explained. "I had to tell her—it was the only way Chrissy was going to delete that video. But I knew she'd go after it, so I made sure to get there first."
My mind was reeling, and we asked him where he was.
"I'm at Sarzbrek Farm—it's out of town."
Sarzbrek Farm? How did he get all the way out there?
"Get in the car; we're meeting him there,” Andrew said, hanging up and gesturing for both of us to follow him.
"Why?” Valarie protested. Andrew's sharp gaze landed on both of us.
"The two of you know too much now for me to let you out of my sight until I get the celestial lantern secured. So unless you'd like to be targeted by our enemies and possibly tortured for information, I suggest you do as I say."
A shiver ran down my spine. That was all it took to convince me. Valarie, on the other hand, looked confused and weary, but I managed to coax her into the car with me. We clambered into the back seat, while Andrew took the driver's seat.
"You two have some serious explaining to do,” Valarie said faintly.
So I started from the beginning, telling her about the star hitting me and Jason finding me. I explained everything that Andrew had told me. By the end of it, Valarie looked like she'd just listened to me read a book written in Hebrew.
"This is crazy. You know that, right?” Valarie said.
"You're telling me,” I replied. She shook her head, still processing my words.
"So… what happens if they find this princess? If they get her to break the barrier?” Valarie asked. I didn't know the answer to that, so I glanced over at Andrew, who looked back in his rear-view mirror.
"If the barrier breaks, this world will become corrupted,” Andrew explained. "The Shadeows come from another universe entirely, called Urenphia, where dark magic is dominant and active in their lives. The barrier would allow travel between the two universes once more, though a portal called a void, and if that happens, Shadeows will become the least of our worries."
"Why do they want to take over this planet?” I asked.
"It's a long story,” Andrew replied. "To put it simply, someone over there wants to expand their territory, and our universe is the perfect target. They were already trying to claim it, before the barrier was formed. The Starlight Princess lived back in an ancient time, where the existence of magic was common knowledge and her kingdom thrived. There was a rebellion that brought about her downfall, made up of Shadeows and betrayers."
"But why are they still trying?” I asked. "Our planet alone has developed so much. We have so many countries and cultures—wouldn't it literally be them against the world?"
Andrew laughed. "I don't expect you to understand. The kind of magic your people are up against is on a bigger scale entirely—bigger than weapons and politics. There is no one stronger than the rebellion except starlight people, and they were all destroyed in the war."
There was a moment of silence as those words settled upon us. No one stronger.
"That barrier is the only magic left that stands a chance against them,” Andrew added. "If it crumbles, we crumble with it."
* * *
By the time we reached Sarzbrek Farm, dawn was rising over the rolling hills and the fields of wheat meandering around us. Jason came out of a tiny farmhouse to meet us looking sleep deprived, with dark circles under his eyes. Valarie and I probably didn't look much better.
Andrew stormed over to Jason and shoved him square in the shoulders.
"What the hell were you thinking?” Andrew asked angrily. Jason rubbed his shoulders, his expression firm but without anger.
"Yeah, I guess I deserved that,” he said, wincing a little. "The lantern's inside. Safe,” he added, with a pointed glance at us all.
"And you're certain this Chrissy doesn't know it's here?” Andrew questioned, and Jason nodded.
"I made sure of it,” he replied. Andrew narrowed his eyes, but then nodded and stepped back a little, straightening his coat.
"Good,” he huffed. "Well, the question now is… how do we keep her from getting her hands on the celestial lantern?”
Andrew had a good point. It wasn't like we had starlight lying around to use as a defence. In fact, this was so over my head that I considered just leaving the two boys to deal with it, and going home. What could I do to help?
"Why did it fall in the first place?” Jason asked, folding his arms and leaning against the worn, weathered walls of the house. "Can we send it back up into the atmosphere somehow?"
"No,” Andrew replied. "It's part of the princess's magic—the celestial lantern was meant to fall when the princess finally reincarnated. The lantern cannot be broken, and it won't stay gone if we send it away. Its purpose is to seek out the princess and restore her memories and powers."
Memories and powers? He'd mentioned it before, but something sounded weird about it now. I felt almost detached, as a strange thought came over me.
"What kind of memories?” I asked slowly, cocking my head. My heart began to beat faster, and I held my breath, afraid of his answer.
"Memories of her life,” Andrew shrugged. "Important ones, that would explain her purpose to her."
"This life of hers… tell me about what happened,” I said, a feeling of dread developing in my stomach. A gut feeling. "What happened to her, precisely?"
"I wasn't there,” Andrew said, shaking his head. "I don't know all the details. All I know is that the rebels infiltrated the Starlight Palace, and the princess tried to escape. She was caught, and she formed the Starlight Barrier, resulting in her death with the promise of reincarnation. After that, the Shadeows couldn't return to their universe, and were trapped here. So they slaughtered everyone whose loyalties refused to change, and have been here ever since, waiting for the princess to be reborn."
My dreams flashed through my mind, and I began to put two and two together. Why was I having dreams like that? It couldn't mean… no, it couldn't possibly be true… But everything Andrew was telling me made sense. The celestial lantern fell to me, hit me, and the dreams had haunted me ever since.
I stumbled, and the others straightened a
little around me. The world started to spin, and nausea formed in my stomach. I tried to speak, but everything tilted off balance, my vision splitting in two before I blacked out.
Seven
In my dreams, everything swam. I caught glimpses of both familiar and unfamiliar faces. It was like they were haunting me.
I saw Jason—Julian—again, as the knight. But this time, I was the princess, and he was staring into my soul.
"Bring Adrina here,” Julian said, turning away. "It's time to finish this."
My heart was racing. I was living in this moment—reliving it. It was like déjà vu, as every emotion burst through my body the way it had the first time. The crippling fear for Adrina. What were they going to do to her?
The doors opened, and Adrina walked in. Except… she wasn't restrained. She walked with the guards, with a muted expression on her face. To my absolute shock and horror, I recognized her too. She looked just like Valarie.
How was this possible?
She came to a stop beside Julian, her gaze pleading.
"Please… Julian, stop,” she begged. "Forget this! It isn't right!"
Julian regarded her with a cold gaze. "I'm doing this for you, Adrina. Don't you want justice for what they did to you?"
"I did,” she insisted. "But that was before I got to know her! If you do this, I won't be your ruler. I refuse to be."
Julian narrowed his eyes.
"Then I will rule for you."
Adrina's eyes widened.
"What?"
Julian turned back to me with greed and hunger in his eyes. He drew his sword and raised it. It gleamed under the glittering lights, the razor-sharp edge making my blood run cold.
That thing was headed for my neck.
"Julian, no!” Adrina screamed. Then, all at once, everything changed.
Fire, bright and alive, burst from Adrina's palms. Everyone yelped, jumping back from the flames.
I watched in shock, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Something deep inside was telling me that this wasn't possible. It wasn't logical. But I couldn't explain why.
Julian stumbled out of the way, then threw an angry glare Adrina's way.
"What are you doing?” he cried. Adrina rushed to my side, and I felt heat scorching my hands. She was burning away the ropes.
I yelped, ripping my hands away and rubbing at the burns. But there was no time for apologies. No time for explanations. We were surrounded, and we were about to die.
By this point, I knew enough to know I only had one choice. The castle was overrun by rebels, and I didn't know who was dead and who was alive. But it was my duty to protect the people, and I couldn't let the rebels win.
My magic was not a weapon. It was a shield—a means to protect.
I clasped Adrina's hand in mine. She'd risked her life to protect me, and if I failed at protecting everyone else, I at least wanted to ensure she'd be safe. I squeezed her hand and closed my eyes.
"I call upon the angels,” I began, my voice carrying a heavy weight. The floor trembled beneath my power as I summoned it from my very soul. "Guardians of Titania's Realm, I call upon thee. Light my soul, the lanterns, golden lights in the black sea. Light them with your magic, see that they never fade. And unbreakable will be my protective barricade."
Adrina continued to fend off the rebels with her impossible fire magic. My heart twisted. There were still so many questions, and I feared I'd never come to know the answers.
"With this I give my power, my memories, and my life. With my final breath, I set the barrier alight."
A burst of energy exploded from within me, knocking the air out of my lungs. Thousands of tiny, glowing lights began to form around me, and I could feel all my energy ebbing away. My mind became hazy, my senses dull. Everything clouded over, and I felt Adrina's grasp slip from my hands.
By the time I'd hit the floor, I was dead.
* * *
"Lucy?"
Someone was shaking me awake. I slowly came to, blinking in the bright sunlight. Sitting beside me was Valarie, her expression creased with worry.
"Adrina?” I groaned, my mind still hazy. I was struggling to remember which reality was my reality.
"Take it easy,” Valarie said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You hit your head before."
I slowly pushed myself upright.
"Where am I?” I rasped, looking around. I was lying on a couch with a blanket tucked over me.
"Oh, is she awake?” came an unfamiliar voice. A woman with bright orange hair appeared at the end of the bed. "Hello, Lucy,” she greeted. "I'm Ophelia—this is my house. Can I get you anything?"
I winced, noticing how dry my throat felt.
"Some water, please,” I said. Ophelia disappeared again, leaving me alone with Valarie.
Adrina.
I couldn't stop staring at her. Her face was so familiar, yet so alien. She looked like two different people. How was she here? How was Julian here? Did I bring them here? Into this lifetime?
My mind was reeling as it began to sink in.
These weren't dreams. They were memories. And these people… they were from my past.
As my thoughts shifted to Julian—to Jason—my heart rate sped up. He had tried to kill me. He'd tried to behead me!
At that moment, Ophelia returned with a glass of water. I took it gingerly from her, staring at her as I sipped it.
How could she stand there, completely unaware that a cold-blooded killer was around? How could she smile so happily? How could she act so normally?
"Where's Jason?” I asked firmly. Every hair on my neck stood up at the thought of him being out of sight. Where was he? Was he going to pop up and try again? Bring a knife down in my chest?
"Lucy, relax,” Valarie said, seeing my tense expression. "Andrew and Jason are burying the lantern outside. They figured that hiding it was the best option, and who would think to dig up a wheat field looking for it?"
I shook my head. "We can't stay here,” I said, swinging my legs over the couch. "Valarie, we have to leave. Now."
"What? No, you need to rest!” Valarie insisted, stopping me. "Lucy, you're acting crazy. Why are you so worked up?"
"Can I speak to you alone?” I asked, my gaze flicking to Ophelia momentarily. I felt bad, but I really didn't want Ophelia to overhear this conversation. She smiled politely.
"I'll be in the next room if you girls need me,” she said gently, before leaving. I looked Valarie in the eye.
"It's me,” I told her, and saying it aloud felt so surreal… but I knew it was true. "The Starlight Princess? It's me—I've been having these dreams. But they're not dreams, they're memories. And I remember everything that happened. Jason was leading the rebellion. He tried to kill me!"
Valarie shook her head. "I think your mind is just playing tricks on you—"
"No!” I insisted, a growl in my tone. "You have to believe me! You were there too!"
She gave me a pointed look. "Lucy,” she said, putting some space between us. "You've had a crazy couple of days, okay? It's no wonder your head is having trouble processing it. But Jason is not our enemy. He's helping us."
I was silent. How was I supposed to get her to believe me?
"Now just relax, okay?” she said soothingly. "Drink your water, lie down, and rest. I already called your mum—she thinks you're studying at the library. Everything's under control."
Grudgingly, I did as she said, pressing my back into the couch once more. But I wasn't relaxed; I was ready to get the heck out of here. Clearly, Valarie wasn't going to listen to me. So I waited until she'd left the room, then pushed myself back up and headed out the front door, blinking in the bright sunlight.
I took in my surroundings properly. There was a dirt road, and rows and rows of golden wheat as far as the eye could see. I'd never felt so desolate and isolated in my entire life.
How was I meant to get back to town? I couldn't exactly take a car—not only was I unlicensed, but the others would b
e stuck here.
Wait—my parents! I could call someone, maybe my dad, to come and get us. I'd drag Valarie back with me if I had to. I didn't care how much trouble I got in for lying—I cared more about staying alive than getting grounded.
My phone was still in my back pocket, so I grabbed it. But before I could dial anyone, I spotted two figures approaching from the fields on my right.
Andrew waved at me, and Jason nodded. They were covered in dirt. Just the sight of them approaching made my stomach sink. If I called someone now, they'd know something was up.
"You're up,” Jason noted when they reached me, in that flat tone of his. He leaned his shovel against the house. "How are you feeling?"
I wanted to vomit. He had the nerve to ask me something like that, after what I'd just witnessed in my dreams?
"Fine,” I replied evenly, showing no emotion. Then, I added as casually as possible, "When are we going back into town?"
I was speaking more directly to Andrew. He may have been friends with Jason, but at least he hadn't tried to kill me yet. In fact, why had Jason tried to kill me?
"Not until much later,” Andrew replied. "Keeping the star buried should throw the Shadeows off for a while, but they won't stop harassing all of us until we hand it over. They'll start claiming victims to try and sway us, so we need to come up with some kind of plan."
"Victims?” I repeated numbly. How long was this going to go on for? "There has to be another way to stop them."
Andrew grimaced. "Well, it's like I said—only the starlight people were strong enough to stand up to them."
I frowned, then had a thought. "What about the Starlight Princess?” I asked slowly. "Can't she do something?"
Andrew scowled. "The Starlight Princess can't do anything without her powers, and if she regains them, the Shadeows can manipulate her into breaking the barrier. It's too risky."
But if that was our only other option… I mean, I had to end this somehow, and the sooner, the better. I was the Starlight Princess—I knew that now for sure. What happened next should be my call.
Jason was watching me, his expression plain and unsuspecting. A feeling of hatred unfolded from within me. This wasn't fair. He was the reason all of this was happening! He was the reason I'd had to sacrifice everything I'd ever cared about. He was the reason I was still in this mess!
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