Stargazers

by Bella Forrest

  “And what do I do when I go to the one who created my visions?” I thought of Kaido, wondering what he could possibly do to stop the immortality. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure that he was still alive. An entire war had gone on since the last time we’d seen each other.

  “Once you are there, you only need to see Him, and He will see you.”

  I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You need only see Him, and He will see you.”

  “Who is ‘Him?’”

  “I cannot say,” Orfaio insisted, “for saying His name is one way of summoning Him. A Stargazer must never summon Him.”

  A tremor of fear shivered up my spine. “And it’ll be safer if I do it?”

  “I will not pretend there are no risks in your summoning Him. There are dangers in anyone summoning Him,” Orfaio replied. “In truth, the risks shall come once He is summoned. Once the wheels are put in motion, you must be prepared to pay an uncertain price, for you shall not know the cost of your actions until after the conclusion.”

  “Great… that’s nice and clear.”

  “I am sorry my words cannot be more precise, but we can only guide; we cannot instruct.”

  I smiled at the Stargazer. “Let me guess, ripples in a pool?”

  Orfaio dipped their head in a nod. “Indeed, ripples in a pool.”

  I stared out at the library below, trying to pick out the familiar figures of Navan and my friends. Wherever they were, they were nowhere close. Now, I had to try to guess what Orfaio was attempting to tell me. Clearly, the one who’d given me the visions was Kaido, which made me wonder if his serums were going to have a role to play in what was to come. Although, that in itself presented a multitude of problems. If Kaido was the one I had to go and see, then that meant I was going to have to find a way to return to Vysanthe, figure out which side of the planet Kaido was on, and reunite with him… if he was even still breathing. It felt like a ridiculously tall order, considering the conflict still raging there, but what choice did I have? If I had to find Kaido to destroy Ezra, then so be it.

  “What’s it like, living as long as you do?” I wondered, knowing our time was coming to a close. I figured it couldn’t be easy, having to stand by and watch, unable to actually step in. They must have seen some terrible things in their time, watching us all make the same mistakes over and over again. I realized I’d been a little unfair toward Orfaio, taking my frustrations out on them. It wasn’t their fault they couldn’t solve our problems for us; they were doing their best to help us, as much as they could. In giving me the vial of stardust, I wondered if Orfaio had already stepped beyond their bounds a little bit.

  “It is as I said—it can be a gift and a curse.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “You must understand, we are bound by universal law to refrain from involving ourselves in the problems of others. We may offer guidance and comfort, in times of need, but we cannot resolve anything with our own hands.”

  I smiled at the Stargazer. “I think I’m starting to understand.”

  “I hoped you would.”

  “Wait… can I tell the others that I need to find ‘the one who gave me visions,’ or is that forbidden?” I asked.

  “There are some aspects that may be imparted, as long as they do not affect the outcome.”

  “Just when I thought I was getting it,” I mumbled. I guessed I was going to have to tell the others about Kaido, and just keep the secret of why to myself. That way, nobody would be able to alter what might happen between me and him.

  I wondered what knowledge Orfaio might impart to the others, and whether they would come away from their conversations with the Stargazer feeling as calmed and understanding as I now did. The idea of not knowing what they might be told seemed strange, but there was definitely method in the Stargazers’ madness. As Orfaio had said, if we knew too much, we risked interfering with the path of success. Even so, I knew it was going to be endlessly frustrating.

  “Can I ask you something before I go?” I asked, a thought coming to me.

  “You may ask me anything.”

  I took a deep breath. “Can you tell me how to cure Nova of her sweetblood dependency? I can feel the addiction in myself fading every day, but she can’t live without it… I’m worried she’ll never be able to live without it.”

  “What you see as potential weakness shall reveal itself to be a strength,” Orfaio replied. “There is power in vulnerability, and your daughter shall use the fabric of her being to her own advantage. In time, your worries will come to ease, though a mother never truly ceases to fear for the welfare of her child.”

  “So… she will live? She’s going to grow up and be strong?” Tears pricked my eyes.

  “We see the paths of various futures, Riley; we do not witness only one outcome. In one possibility, she is alive and well. But there is more than one future she may endure.”

  “Let me guess, you can’t tell me how to achieve that future—the one I want her to have?” I wasn’t angry with the Stargazer, just sad.

  Orfaio smiled. “Actually, on this particular occasion, these fates are entwined. While I cannot guarantee that future for your daughter, the chances of it coming to pass are greatly increased by your success in the task before you. You must put an end to the immortal coldbloods if you are to secure Nova’s best future, bringing it from possibility to reality.”

  Well, that settled it. If stopping the coldbloods meant my daughter got a chance to live a long and happy life, then Ezra’s days were numbered. I’d go to the ends of the universe to make my part in the task happen, even if that meant dragging Kaido out of some secret hideaway he’d fashioned for himself.

  Yes, I was ready to take one last trip back to Vysanthe, where it all began.

  Chapter Seventeen

  With a snap of the Stargazer’s fingers, I was returned to the library floor, where the others were sitting in a circle, awaiting their turns. They looked up at me in fear and surprise, curiosity lingering in their gazes. It was going to be really tough not to tell them what I knew, with the vial of stardust safely stowed away in my pocket, beside the chunk of opaleine that Cambien had given me. Not that I actually knew much. I had the vial, and a few vague words racing through my mind, but that was about it. The pieces would need to be put together along the way, though I hoped this “summoning” wouldn’t be too dangerous. That bit had me the most freaked out.

  One by one, Orfaio took the rest of the group up to the study in the sky, the two of them disappearing and reappearing within several minutes. I knew time had passed more slowly in that strange room that overlooked the library, but it seemed as though barely any time had gone by for us. Each time one of our group came back, their expressions were set in a shell-shocked look of confusion and awe, a reflection of the way I must have looked after my turn.

  See Him and He will see you. The words kept churning over in my head, growing more frightening with each repetition. Who was He? Why couldn’t the Stargazers summon him? Surely, they were better equipped to summon some unknown being than I was? I forced myself to believe they couldn’t summon Him because it would be breaking their universal law, but I couldn’t shake the shiver of scared uncertainty that snaked through my veins.

  Everyone had been to their meeting except Navan. Stooping to kiss me, he placed Nova in my arms and disappeared with Orfaio. Ronad was sitting beside us, reaching for Nova’s foot and jiggling it casually as he lay back on the ground, staring up at the shifting sky. Ever since he’d come back from his conversation with the Stargazer, he’d seemed different—more serene, more like his usual, happy self. A welcome departure from the sad, silent person who’d returned from Earth, questioning everything about himself.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked, remembering my vow to speak to him. Bashrik and Angie were cuddled up together across the way, while Lauren and Stone were deep in conversation, and Xiphio had gone off to search through the nearby tomes. The merevin was the only one
who’d come back looking stressed, but of course he couldn’t tell us what was on his mind. So, we’d left him to walk around and let off steam in his own way.

  Ronad smiled up at me. “Good. Really good.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, absolutely. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  I shrugged. “Ever since you came back from the nudus shield mission, you haven’t been yourself,” I explained. “I’ve been really worried about you. You’ve never been so quiet before… but you seem a lot better after speaking to Orfaio.”

  “You were worried about me?”

  I nodded.

  “No need to be worried. I’m okay now. Things are looking up.” He folded his arms under his head and stared upward with a smile.

  “What did the Stargazer say to you, to change your feelings so fast?” I had to ask, even though I knew he couldn’t tell me. Something had changed in Ronad, bringing him this newfound peace that seemed to radiate from within him. “I mean, obviously you can’t say, but I want to understand. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to see you happier than you’ve been, but the change is so sudden. Orfaio didn’t slip you anything, did they?”

  Ronad laughed. “No, they didn’t slip me anything… not that I know of, anyway. Hey, all of this might be some hallucinogenic dream for all we know. We might be drifting around in the center of that dying star, and this is us heading toward death.”

  I grinned. “Okay, maybe you’re not so cheery.”

  “You know I can’t tell you what the Stargazer said. All I will say is, it was good news. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m not worried anymore, and you don’t need to be, either. Well, you don’t need to worry about me anymore, anyway.” He paused thoughtfully. “Orfaio might’ve told you that the universe is going to explode in a giant ball of flames, sucking us all in with it. But, from my side of things, it’s all peachy.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  “Now, hand over the little one,” he demanded, sitting up. Nova reached out her tiny arms to him as I gave him to her. I smiled at the adorable sight of him cuddling her close. I loved how affectionate Nova was with everyone, her love equally divided. I’d thought I might be jealous, but all I felt was admiration. It was nice that she was going to grow up with such a unique family around her, though I still wondered how Jean and Roger were going to react when they finally got the chance to meet her… if they got the chance to meet her. It was all the more reason to put an end to the immortal coldbloods and survive this.

  “Do you think you’ll ever have any children?” I asked. Navan was taking a long time to come back with Orfaio.

  Ronad smiled sadly. “I thought I might have some, once upon a time, but I just can’t see me ever having any children that aren’t Naya’s, you know? I’ve never so much as looked at another girl since she died, and I don’t think that’ll ever change. Everyone says that she’d want me to be happy, and would want me to find love again—even Navan said that, a long time ago, but Naya was the only thing that ever made me truly happy. I doubt I could ever find that again, and it isn’t fair to another woman, constantly competing with a ghost. That’s the kind of pedestal nobody can reach.”

  “I wish I could have met her.”

  “She’d have loved you,” he said with a grin. “You two would’ve been thick as thieves, I just know it. And she would have gone crazy for this little one. She always loved babies, and I think she would’ve loved a little girl like Nova more than anything. After a lifetime being surrounded by boys, she would have loved to have had a daughter.”

  “You would’ve had cute kids.”

  “You’re damn right we would’ve.” He laughed softly, a wistful look in his eyes. “I miss that girl so much, Riley. Honestly, even now, I wake up each morning expecting her to be beside me, or expecting her to walk in and tell me I’m a mess. It’s impossible to think of her as gone… I don’t think I’ll ever come to terms with it, not properly. Maybe I’m not supposed to.”

  I frowned at him, wondering what he meant by that. It was weird, but not knowing what Orfaio had said to everyone had turned things into a guessing game. Every word, every sentence, every sentiment felt more weighted, as though there was some hint behind it. Was Ronad trying to tell me something, or was I imagining it?

  Before I could ask anything else, Navan reappeared with Orfaio at his side. He looked just as bemused as the rest of us had, a faraway gleam in his slate eyes. He made a beeline for me, helping me to my feet before taking Nova from Ronad’s arms. Dusting themselves off, the rest of our group stood, all of us gathering together while the Stargazer stepped off to one side, allowing us a moment to ourselves.

  “Does everyone have an idea of what they’re doing?” Navan asked.

  “I never know what I’m doing,” Angie replied, an anxious smile turning up the corners of her lips. “But I’ve got some sense of the mission that glowworm put in my mind.”

  Lauren nodded. “I know we can’t say what Orfaio told us, but presumably we can decide on a location? Otherwise, we’re never going to get anywhere—we might as well stay here until the whole thing blows over.”

  “I say we make our first port of call Vysanthe,” Ronad suggested. “If anyone needs to go anywhere else, now would be a good time to speak up.”

  A rumble of agreement rippled around the circle.

  “Then it would appear we are headed for Vysanthe,” Xiphio said, returning to the fold. There was a strange smile on his face, but he seemed more relaxed than he had when he’d come back from Orfaio’s study. The books had clearly calmed his nerves.

  “Aye, Vysanthe sounds about right,” Stone conceded. “Not me favorite place, to be honest with yer, but needs must.”

  “So, we’re agreed—we’re going to Vysanthe?” I pressed, feeling my anxiety rise. If everyone was in agreement, then that meant everyone’s personal missions had something to do with the coldblood planet. It sucked, not being able to discuss what Orfaio had told us all—not knowing how we might be able to help. What if one of us had an even more dangerous task ahead of them? What if they were shouldering that burden alone, terrified for their lives?

  “Looks like it,” Bashrik replied, putting his arm around Angie. I saw Stone’s arm spasm strangely, and realized he’d been about to do the same thing with Lauren. Clearly, he’d thought better of it at the last minute, no doubt catching Xiphio’s mournful gaze and stopping himself. I wondered if that was what the two of them had been talking about when they were so deep in discussion—the progress of their relationship.

  “Have you all come to a conclusion as to where the roads may lead you?” Orfaio’s mystical voice cut through the bristling tension of the group. “Are your paths set in your minds?”

  “We’d like to be returned to our ship… wherever you’ve put it,” Navan said. “We’ve decided to head for Vysanthe.”

  Orfaio nodded. “Remember my warning in everything that you do. The temptation to share the weight of your responsibility may indeed grow too vast to bear, but you must refrain. You must seek an inner strength and retain your focus. You must stay on your own path, never straying. If you do, you risk it all.”

  “We won’t forget,” I said, leaning into Navan, letting Nova grip my finger. I knew how important the bigger picture was, but Nova’s life was also at stake, intrinsically linked to the destruction of the immortal coldbloods. That, combined with everything else, was enough to keep me on the straight and narrow course that Orfaio had set me on.

  “Then I would ask that you follow me.” The Stargazer snapped their fingers, with all of us reappearing on the same crystalline shores where we’d arrived. The black lakes glinted on the horizon, while the crushed diamonds beneath our feet shifted like sand. The Fed ship sat on the strange terrain, the gangway reaching to the ground, the hatch open to welcome us. Orfaio gestured toward it, the glowing lights beneath their skin burning brighter.

  “Thank you for everything,” I said, stepping up to the Stargazer.

&nb
sp; Orfaio bowed their head. “I wish you every success in your endeavors.”

  “Me too.”

  Casting a glance back at my husband and daughter, trailed by my dearest friends, I turned and stepped toward the waiting ship, leading the way. Vysanthe was calling us all, and there was no telling how much time might have passed since we were pulled into the dying star. All I did know was that we had no more time to waste.

  I was halfway up the gangway when a rush of air whipped past me, a wall of blinding light sending me sprawling backward. Staggering away, I landed with a heavy thud against the metal of the ramp. The light pressed down on me, forcing me to crawl all the way back down the gangway until my hands touched the unusual grains of crushed diamond. As the light dimmed, a creature emerged—similar to Orfaio in appearance, though colored pale blue instead of purple. The jewels and markings on their head were different, too, their stature slightly slimmer and taller.

  “Lirifal, what is the meaning of this?” Orfaio barked. It was the first time I’d heard the Stargazer raise their voice above a lyrical murmur.

  “They cannot be permitted to depart Aeon,” Lirifal replied.

  “They must.”

  “They cannot.”

  “Lirifal, you are blinded by fear. You must permit them to leave, for their mission is vital. We cannot stand in their way,” Orfaio insisted.

  “They are aware of too many things, Orfaio. Their minds are too open, and their thoughts are too full of danger. They must remain, or they will threaten all we have sought to protect and defend. If they falter, you know that we cannot intervene, no matter how chaotic the universe becomes. You would stand by and allow that to happen?”

  “I understand that if we cannot intervene in this primary event, then we must allow them to intervene on our behalf.”

  The blue Stargazer sighed. “Then we may allow these creatures to return, so that they may continue with what you have imparted upon them, but we must retain this one.” Long fingers stretched toward me, sending a shiver of fear up my spine. “She cannot be permitted to leave Aeon. Her actions will lead to dire consequences—I have seen it. You have seen it. We have all seen it. The terror you felt in peering into her mind was no coincidence; it was a sign of her danger, a sign that she is not to be trusted.”