The Fallen Stars (A Star Child Novel) (36 page)

Within minutes, I’d inspected the entire space. The walls were too steep. “Somebody help me!” The cry escaped me before I could stop it, but I quickly got myself under control. A battle waged on that I had initiated. If I was too loud, I’d alert them to my presence and then I’d be caught. What would I do
then?

Sitting down on the frozen dirt, I put my head in my hands and tried not to think of my injured shoulder. The pain scared me; I hated admitting that even to myself. The vulnerability associated with my mortal state crashed down on me once again.

Movement above me diverted my attention and I looked up to see a large bird flying above. Though I couldn’t see its face, I didn’t need to. It cried out in soft tones, as though it too was conscious of the nearby battle. With what appeared to be the utmost care, it lowered itself into the pit with me. Though I would have been willing to wager that its eyesight allowed it to see more than I could, it was still pitch black in the pit. The bird probably found that unnerving in combination with the enclosed space. I cautiously took a step closer.

“Okay, I’ll admit that this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” I said, looking closely at the bird which now occupied the confined space in which I’d been trapped. Inching forward, I leaned toward the bird’s face. The bird regarded me with seemingly kind, patient eyes.

I realized that my decision was a simple one. I couldn’t possibly get out of the pit without the bird’s help. I needed him. Forcing back gasps of pain, I hopped on its back, awkwardly. My good arm went around the bird and my knees dug into its sides. As it shot out of the pit and into the air, my lungs expanded and I felt filled with relief. Part of me wanted to fly away with this bird, just take to the skies and be free, never look back. But I wouldn’t leave Kellen and I’d never stop looking for him.

Snuggling close to the bird, I let its warmth seep into me. “Can you take me to him? Can you take me to Kellen?”

The deep rumbling of the bird’s voice startled me, nearly unseating me in the air. “Kellen is on his own journey. You and I both know of the second part of the prophecy. We cannot interfere now. It has been set into motion.”

“But Kellen would never—”

“We have yet to see what path Kellen will choose.” The bird’s voice held a note of despair to it. Yet something was familiar about it that I couldn’t place, and I searched my memories for a match.

“Father?”

“You honor me, but no.” The bird’s chuckle calmed me.

Tears choked me as my frustration mounted. “Is there nothing we can do to save my love?”

The bird seemed to expel a large breath, almost the way a mortal would sigh. “For now, we wait. However, you must know that I will do all that I can to protect him. Your part is to open the portal for your family. We all have a job to do. You must do yours.”

After what seemed an eternity but truly only lasted a moment, the bird touched down on the top of what I guessed was Cadillac Mountain. Little could be seen from the rocky peak in the dark, but I only needed to see the portal. The wind whipped fiercely here; a storm brewed.

Gingerly I dismounted, careful of jarring my hurt shoulder. Looking up at the bird, I touched his neck. “Thank you for saving me.”

“You are most welcome, my lady.” The bird seemed to bow, its aristocratic head nearly touching the ground as it did so.

Letting my fingers drop from his neck, I wrapped my arms around myself, wincing as my shoulder was tugged in the process. “What is your name?”

“They call me many things, but most commonly
an cosantóir.”
The bird seemed to bow majestically again before it turned and shot once more into the sky.

Dillion’s restoration of my memory earlier hadn’t restored everything, but it certainly made it easier to recall things if I tried. My mind worked to translate the Gaelic term. Finally, my memory found the words:
The Protector
.

Looking to the sky again, I noticed that the bird had gone. Now to find the portal. The Protector was right. I had a job to do.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

KELLEN—
BETRAYAL

There was no way I could ever allow myself to wake up again. I’d had the most wonderful dream. It had been beyond anything that I could ever hope for. My mother lived, my parents were together, and they loved me. Not just my mother, but also
both
of my parents. They even seemed to love one another. And Roger had been nice to me.

Surely, it ranked up there as the most wonderful dream of my life, one of the very best moments. I wanted to soak up every bit of it for all it was worth. But then I remembered where I’d been before the dream.
Trying to get back to Cali.

“Kellen? Sweetie, wake up.” My mother’s voice broke my concentration.

My eyes shot open and I found both of my parents standing above me, concern evident on their faces. Scooting back against the headboard, I fought the wave of emotions that overwhelmed me. This couldn’t be a dream, this was really happening. Arawn had tricked me and some part of me had known it all along.

I scrambled over to the side, away from them, my bed a barrier between us. “Who are you and which one of you is playing Arawn today? Because I’m not up for this.”

My parents looked at one another and Stephen backed toward the door. “Addison, I’m going to call the doctor.”

My mother nodded her consent to him before turning back to me. “Sweetie, you’re just not feeling very well right now. We’re going to call the doctor.” Placing a hand on either side of my face, she spoke softly. “We love you, Kellen. We’ll find a way to make you feel better.”

All the tension that had wracked my body melted away. My mother, the woman who’d once been my best friend in the world…My family around me…Everything that I ever wanted…

Swallowing hard, I tried to remember the urgency, the tension from a moment ago, tried to recall why I’d felt so panicked, but I just couldn’t. Then it moved to the forefront of my mind. “Mom, can you help me with my resume later? Now that I’ve graduated, I need to start applying for jobs,” I said.

“Sweetie, you haven’t graduated yet. You still have another term to go, but we’re so proud of you. We have those appointments next month to go and visit medical schools, too,” she said. “You’re going to be a wonderful doctor, Kellen.”

A smile transformed my face as I reached up and hugged her. Her praise was the greatest gift. “Yes, Mom. Yes, I will.”

“Come on, you. Let’s go downstairs and have breakfast before Roger finishes it all.” She laughed, extending her hand to me. I took it.

I followed her downstairs to the kitchen. The sound of our footsteps evaporated on the rich, gold plush carpeting. “Mom, did you have the carpet changed in here?” I asked.

She turned and looked at me, a surprised smile on her face. “Of course, when we first moved in. The place was so depressing, so intimidating. It’s much homier with these lighter colors, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.” Something was nagging at my brain again, forgotten thoughts knocking at the door, but I pushed them aside. Jogging, I reached up and caught my mother’s hand. “So what’s for breakfast?”

We walked into the kitchen and as I looked out through the windows, I couldn’t help but stop and stare at the glorious fall day outside. As I sat down at the table, Roger walked in, a towel around his neck, his wet swim trunks dripping on the floor.

My mother’s voice sounded stern as she spoke. “Go up and change, right now. You’re getting water all over the floor.”

Roger shrugged. “Sorry, Mom.” With a small smile for me, he turned and walked back in the direction he’d come.

Sitting at the table, my stomach growled as Jane brought over an enormous stack of pancakes, a plate of fruit, and a pot of coffee. I poured coffee into a cup, and then took a huge calming drink.

Stephen walked in then. “Just got off the phone with Dr. Evans. He’ll be here in a few minutes.” He looked at me, concern etched onto his face. Patting my shoulder, Stephen walked over and grabbed a glass of water. “Thanks, Jane. Breakfast looks delicious.” He gave her a polite smile as he passed by.

“Of course, Master Stephen,” Jane said.

Again something nagged at the back of my mind. But what was it? Something about my resume?

We ate breakfast companionably, as a family. Stephen talked about his latest class and Addison shared news about a new company that she’d just started. She painted murals for corporations and her waiting list was twelve months deep. At the mention of murals, something again pricked at my memory.

Toward the end of breakfast, the back door opened and a man walked into the room, carrying a black bag. “Stephen, Addison.” He nodded as he said each name.

“We’re so glad you came, Dr. Evans,” Stephen said, rising to shake his hand.

The doctor nodded before walking into the room and sitting down in the chair next to me. My head throbbed from the effort of trying to recognize him. Straining my eyes, I stared hard at the doctor.

“Kellen.” He inclined his head in my direction. It all came back to me, a memory repressed.

Cali.

Arawn.

The second part of the prophecy.

I leaned forward in my seat. As I did so, my mother’s pendant spilled over my collar to rest on the front of my shirt.

The benign expression that I’d beheld on my father’s face only a moment ago disappeared. Now Stephen’s face was a picture of greed, of longing. His eyes never left the pendant, and neither did my mother’s.

“That’s an interesting piece of jewelry. Where did you get it, honey?” She tugged at her ponytail, her previous fresh-faced appearance faded to frazzled.

Staring at her, I spoke, my words cutting. “I got it from you, in a letter that I received from you after you died by Stephen’s hand.”

She didn’t react, but instead stared at me. “Died? But honey, I’m fine. Are you sure you didn’t pick it up for a girlfriend or something? Maybe a girl at school, huh?” She smiled, chiding me.

I stared at her. “All of this,” I said, gesturing around, “is an illusion, isn’t it? You’ve been trying to keep me away from the battle, to make me forget how I came to be here. You’ve been toying with me.”

Then I turned to the man posing as Dr. Evans. “Hello, Willock,” I said. Willock laughed out loud.

As I’d said the words, the perfect scene before me melted away like a watercolor painting struck by a spray of water. In moments, what appeared before me quickly went from being a scene in my most wonderful dream to what
would become one of my greatest nightmares.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

CALI—
DEATH

I gazed around the mountaintop. Where was the portal? Was that it there? I took a few steps forward and the man in the white robe from the battle appeared directly in front of me.

I tried to make my voice sound threatening. “Who are you?”

“I am no friend to you, princess.” His eyes glowed an unusual violet color. I’d never seen anything like it before.

“And I am no princess. Who are you?” I took a step forward, hoping to pass by him.

He only had to raise a hand and I found myself unable to move. Who was this creature that he had so much power and I’d never heard of him?

My head throbbed. I knew he toyed with me. “I don’t know what you are talking about. What have you done with my husband?” The word felt foreign on my tongue, yet more concrete than
fiancée
.

“The young St. James is not yours yet, as we both know,” he said evenly, brushing his hand off on the side of his clothing.

“He’s as good as my husband,” I said.
Kellen will be mine.

The man’s brows rose as I moved, but his face otherwise did not change. “He is as good as dead.”

His counter disarmed me and I swallowed forcefully, the taste of bile in my mouth. “You’re wasting my time. Who are you and what do you want?”

“Who I am is not important. What I
want
is to stop you from opening the portal.”

“Then I am afraid you will be disappointed,” I said, letting the flames loose from my hands to surround my adversary. But inside the ball of fire, I could see that he’d created a bubble, a form of protection for himself. He had a talent for shielding, but how to get my only weapon past that shield?

Backing up toward the center of the mountaintop, I looked at what I thought might be the portal and cried out “Open!”

One of the worse possible things that could happen did: nothing. Not only did the portal not open, but no help came.
Oh no
. What could I do? How could I stop this man as a mortal?

In the distance, the sounds of fighting still rang out. The earlier battle appeared to rage on, continuing up the mountain from the lower level. My legs were unstable, shaking as I fought back, knowing that I would have no choice but to give up the offensive very soon.

“Open!” My cry came louder this time, but still nothing happened. “
Open!
” This time I screamed the word, piercing the night. As I cried the word, the fire within me petered out, weakening. My mortal state, which had never been designed to wield Fire, probably could not sustain it.

And still no response. It seemed obvious that Dillion had been mistaken.
A portal did not exist.

The man in white threw off the fire and it burst back on me, passing over me but not before it singed my hair, burned my skin. “Ahh!” My cry echoed weakly across the rocky mountaintop as my gift bounded back on me, throwing me to the ground.

He walked toward me, laughing. “You thought you could destroy us, could fight us off. But you were wrong.”