Starfall: A Starstruck Novel (44 page)

It was like we’d made a pact
not
to talk about what we’d be doing later on, even silently. As we waved to the Homecoming crowd in the stands with our free hands, we kept our banter light and mostly about the game. Only once did Rigel hint, obliquely, at what loomed tonight.

“Coach has yelled at me twice now for being distracted. I’ll have to do better next half,” he commented as we finally finished our slow circuit of the stadium.

Swallowing, I made myself say, “Gee, maybe I shouldn’t have let Molly make me look so good after all.”
 

In answer, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and hugged me to him. “Maybe not. I’ll just have to do my best not to stare at you too much. See you after, M.” He gave me a quick kiss, then jumped off the float to go join the team, now gathering on the sidelines for the second half.

Even though Rigel wasn’t playing
quite
up to his usual standard, our team still beat Elwood 31-20. I was one of the first to congratulate Rigel, since I was practically sitting on the field, then I had to run and find Aunt Theresa and Uncle Louie before they left.
 

“You looked very pretty up on that float.” My aunt was all smiles, though I suspected some of that was for the benefit of her friends standing nearby. She was obviously enjoying the heck out of lording it over them with my status tonight. “I hope you didn’t let that quarterback smudge Molly’s dress.”

“Oh.” I glanced down at myself, partly to hide my temptation to laugh. “Um, I don’t think so. Anyway, I wanted to say goodbye to you and Uncle Louie before you went home.”
 

Seized by a sudden premonition that this might be the last time I’d ever see them, I pulled them both into a hug. They looked surprised but hugged me back.

“I’ll, uh, see you guys in the morning.” I awkwardly released them. “Don’t forget to unplug the computer before you go to bed tonight, plus all that other stuff they recommended in the paper.”
 

Turning away before my unexpectedly-threatening tears could escape, I hurried off to find the O’Garas.
 

“There you are!” Molly greeted me. “Where’s Rigel?”

I forced a smile. “Probably still changing. I wanted to say goodbye to my aunt and uncle. In case…you know.”

For a split-second, Molly’s fear showed on her face, then she hid it again. “It’s going to be fine. I just know it is. Won’t it?” She looked to her parents for confirmation.

But I could tell they were worried, too, despite their smiles. “I have great faith in our Scientists,” Mr. O’Gara said with more firmness than his emotions reflected. “And in the Sovereign and Rigel, as well. They’ve demonstrated repeatedly what a powerful force their bond can be.” The look he sent me held yet another apology for all he’d done to the two of us last spring.

Mutely, I accepted it. “Right. And we’ve beaten the odds before,” I reminded them all, as well as myself. “Like last year, against Faxon’s people.”
 

Mrs. O, at least, seemed to take comfort from that. “Indeed you have, dear, and I have confidence you’ll do so again. Now, where is Sean? We should be going.”

“Oh, he said he was getting a ride with Missy,” Molly volunteered. “Sorry, I should have told you. I think he might be just the tiniest bit smitten.” She giggled, then sent me an apologetic look. “Oops, sorry, M, I didn’t mean—”

“No, I think that’s great,” I said quickly—and meant it. Sean had clearly been serious Tuesday night about trying to move on, and that was all to the good. “But…do we really have to go to this party? I wouldn’t put it past Trina to poison my punch or something.”
 

After all her nasty looks, I was positive she’d do
something
to get back at me for taking “her” spot on the Court.

“It will look odd if you don’t at least put in an appearance,” Mrs. O said. “Or so Sean and Molly tell me. You needn’t stay long.”

Rigel came jogging up then, looking gorgeous—and slightly anxious. “Sorry. Had a hard time getting away from everybody.”

“Here’s the man of the hour.” Mr. O’s heartiness was only slightly forced. “Let’s go, then, shall we?”

“
No,
Gary, I don’t want to do a shot,” I insisted for the third time, looking around for Rigel. There he was, on the far side of Trina’s big, opulent living room, surrounded by cheerleaders—as usual.
 

Do you need me to punch him?
he thought to me.

No, it’s fine.
I turned my back on Gary. Thankfully, he didn’t persist.

This was the first time I’d ever been inside Trina’s house, and it was even more ritzy than I’d expected. Her parents obviously loved to flaunt their money. When envy momentarily threatened, I reminded myself that my Royal apartments in Nuath made this place look like a hovel by comparison.
 

Glancing again at the clock above the seventy-inch flat-screen TV, I was disappointed to see only five minutes had passed since I’d last checked. Mr. Stuart wouldn’t be here to pick us up for at least another fifteen minutes. The noise was starting to get to me, and seeing so many kids from school drinking made me feel a little squicky. I wondered where Trina’s parents were.
 

I needed to escape…and maybe center myself a little.
I’m going out front for a minute,
I sent to Rigel.
 

You okay?
 

Yeah. Just need some fresh air.

This was his first time at one of the after-parties and he was clearly enjoying himself. I didn’t want to be a wet blanket—especially considering what we’d be attempting less than an hour from now. Grabbing my wrap, I let myself out the front door and went to the edge of the porch. Maybe I’d just wait out here till Rigel’s dad arrived.

Looking up at the stars, breathing in the cool night air, I started to feel better. Calmer. Everything would be fine. Rigel was right. Together, we could handle anything.
 

Taking slow, measured breaths, I’d nearly managed to empty worry from my mind when I heard the front door open behind me. I turned with a smile, expecting Rigel, but it was Trina.

“You know, Marsha, you’ve got some nerve coming here, to my
house,
after everything you’ve done to me. Breaking my nose last spring wasn’t enough, huh? You had to ruin Homecoming for me, too?”

I let out a disgusted breath, my hard-won calm evaporating. “Seriously, Trina? If we totaled up all the mean stuff you’ve done to me over the years compared to those two things—neither of which were my fault—you’d come out way, way ahead. Why can’t you just let it go?”

“Obviously
you
haven’t, or you wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to keep me off the Court.”
 

“What, like it’s your
birthright
to be one of the princesses?” I couldn’t help laughing, since I was the one with the birthright…and it had been nothing but trouble. “Trust me, being a princess isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.”
 

“Then step down and let me be Junior Princess.”
 

I laughed again, even though it was obvious she wasn’t kidding. “If I
was
going to step aside, it would be for Rosa, not you. At least she’s nice to me. I can’t remember you ever doing anything nice for anybody without expecting something in return. You know, I almost feel sorry for you.”

“Sorry? For me? Are you kidding? When I live in this—” she gestured at the house behind her— “and have all these friends? You—what do you live in? And if it weren’t for Rigel, you wouldn’t have any friends at all except those two losers you always hung with.”

“And yet here you are, out here with me instead of inside with all your so-called friends. Maybe you—” I broke off as Mr. Stuart’s SUV pulled up in front of the house. A spike of adrenaline went through me. It was time.

Your dad’s here,
I thought to Rigel.
 

“Never mind.” I’d lost track of whatever I’d been about to say to Trina. Nothing important. “My ride’s here.” I turned toward the porch steps, knowing Rigel would catch up in a minute.

“No. What were you about to say?” she demanded, grabbing my arm and yanking me backward so hard I almost fell. “You weren’t actually trying to imply I consider you
important
, were you?”
 

I pushed her away from me and this time she was the one who stumbled. “I couldn’t care less what you think of me, Trina.” Which was absolutely true. Right now, her pettiness was the least of my worries.

“Yeah? Well maybe you should. Where’d you get that dress, anyway? Shoplift it? Maybe I’ll just—” She made a grab for the fabric at my shoulder but I sidestepped her.

“Stop it, Trina. I’d have thought you’d learned your lesson by now.”

“
My
lesson? You’re the one who needs to be taught a lesson, Marsha. This is for what you did to my nose!” Her eyes were mean little slits as she launched herself at me with the obvious intent of pushing me over the porch railing.

Before I could react, Rigel was suddenly right there on the porch with us, pinning Trina’s arms behind her. “Leave M alone, Trina.” I’d never heard his voice sound so…hard. “We’re leaving anyway.”

“What—? How—?” He released her, and she swung around to glare at him. “You’re not going anywhere after assaulting me like that,” she spat.
 

“Assaulting you?” Rigel let out a laugh. “Stopping you from shoving M counts as an assault?”

Mr. Stuart stepped onto the porch just then. “Is there a problem?”

Completely ignoring Trina, Rigel said, “Hey, Dad. Ready to go?” I could feel his tension spiking now, too.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Trina declared hotly. “You’re not going anywhere. Your son just attacked me, Mr. Stuart, and I intend to press charges. You all wait right here while I go call the cops.” She turned back toward the house.

“Charges?” Mr. Stuart was clearly startled—and alarmed. “I’m afraid we don’t have time—”
 

Trina had her hand on the doorknob when I said, “You really want the cops here, with all the underage drinking going on in your house?”

She froze, then whirled to glance nervously from me to Mr. Stuart. “You can’t prove that! Besides—”

Just then, Cormac appeared behind Mr. Stuart. “Is there a problem, Miss Squires? Perhaps we should go inside so you can tell me what happened.”

Trina’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times, as her brain finally re-engaged. “Um, no, Mr. Cormac, no problem,” she said sweetly. “There’s no need for you to come in at all. But thank you.”

Without another word, she scuttled back into the house and shut the door.

“Let’s go.” Mr. Stuart was giving off high levels of stress, too. “We’re cutting things a little bit closer now than I’d hoped.”

*
   
*
   
*

Arthur and Kyna were waiting for us in the school parking lot when we arrived.
 

“I’d rather hoped to go over everything with you one last time,” Arthur said anxiously, “but I’m not sure… I thought you’d be here a bit sooner.”

“We had a slight delay.” Mr. Stuart was doing a much better job than Arthur of hiding his nervousness. “Is everything in place?”

Kyna nodded. “We’ve anchored the positron emitter’s base to the rock in the clearing, as it needs to be perfectly stationary while emitting. It has already been activated, though of course its range is too limited to affect the satellites on its own. This chronometer is calibrated for the exact moment you two need to release the burst of energy that will amplify the emitter. It will beep ten seconds beforehand, then count down. Try to sustain your burst for a full second, if possible. Longer would be even better.”
 

She handed the tiny chronometer to Rigel, who pocketed it.

“The rest of us should move as far away as possible before that happens,” Arthur cautioned. “Even if all goes well, there will almost certainly be an explosion when the feedback hits the emitter. And if the burst is mistimed, or if my calculations were off by the merest fraction—”

“They were checked multiple times by multiple people,” Kyna reminded him, her voice impressively calm. “And I have every confidence you will do exactly as you were coached,” she said to us. “Good luck.”

She shook Rigel’s hand, then bowed to me, but I extended my hand as well. “Thank you, Kyna. For…for everything.”
 

Clearly startled by the gesture, she gingerly took my hand, then gripped it firmly. “In your short time as Sovereign, you have proven yourself an exceptional leader, Excellency. I wish I could adequately express the respect and admiration I have for you.”

I was too touched for words. From Kyna, that was high praise indeed.
 

Mr. Stuart wrapped Rigel in a fierce hug. “Good luck, son.”

“Thanks, Dad. Tell mom…tell her I love her, okay?”

His father nodded, blinking rapidly. “All right, everyone, let’s go.”

Kyna and Arthur got into their car but when Mr. Stuart headed to his, Cormac didn’t follow. “I prefer to remain here, sir.”

“But the risk—”

“Is irrelevant, except as it pertains to the Sovereign.” There was no compromise in Cormac’s tone. “My place is here, as near her as I can be without interfering. Once the moment is past, if I am able, I will find her and notify you of her status.”

Since there was clearly no time to argue, Mr. Stuart gave a quick nod and shook Cormac’s hand. “Very well. I hope to hear from you shortly.” With that, he got into his car and followed Kyna and Arthur out of the parking lot.

“Cormac, are you sure…?”

“Yes, Sovereign. Go. You have barely fifteen minutes now.”

He was right. Hands linked, Rigel and I plunged into the cornfield.

We’d never been in here at night before, and once we were out of range of the parking lot lights, it was incredibly dark. “What if we can’t find it?” I asked in a worried whisper—not that there was anyone to hear.

“We will. Look. They left us a trail.”

Sure enough, a phosphorescent glimmer wove through the corn stalks ahead of us. My confidence restored, I didn’t protest when Rigel picked up the pace. My eyes quickly adjusted and I realized that between the myriad stars and the setting crescent moon, there was easily enough light to keep us from stumbling over fallen stalks or ruts in the ground. Sooner than I expected, we burst into the clearing.