Behind the Stars (22 page)

“I’m sorry about your grandfather.” I whispered. He nodded against my head, and I smoothed his soft hair. “Does this mean you’re leaving sooner?”

He straightened to look at me. “It means I’m a Guard now. I’ll have to take his place in the circle.”

“Is it like a monastery or something? Like monks?”

He reached inside his shirt and pulled out a leather cord from which a round, metal pendant about the size of a quarter hung. It was like shiny, iridescent copper, and on its face were markings of fire, a tree, and a figure holding a spear. At the top was a large black pearl.

“That’s the sign of the warriors.” He pointed at the figure. “Three Guard from each nation.”

“Where do they go?”

“It’s not a place. It’s a telekinetic bond, what I told you about earlier. I communicate with them, and we make decisions. Maintain the order.”

“How do you maintain the order if your uncle’s trying to destroy it?”

“That’s the problem. For now we’re scattered, hiding until we can bring him and his army under control.” He looked at the pendant then slid his thumb over its shiny surface. “Or kill him.”

“Do you have to do something special? Like a coronation event or something?”

He blinked up and smiled at me. “Back when our world was peaceful, I wouldn’t have moved up until grandfather died. That wouldn’t be for another two or three hundred years.”

“Three hundred years!”

“Shh!” Gallatin placed his hand over my mouth.

We waited a few moments not moving before he lowered his hand again and then stood, going to the door and turning the lock.

“We live a bit longer than you,” he said.

“A bit.” My eyes were wide, trying to comprehend such a thing.

“But your race used to live that long. Longer. It’s recorded in your history.”

I took a breath. “I think Methuselah was a thousand or something when he died.”

“So that’s not strange to you.” He came back and sat beside me again.

“Are you kidding? Methuselah lived about five thousand years ago. Or more.” I poked his arm. “It’s very strange to me.”

“But otherwise, you’re okay with it? I mean, you’re not afraid of me anymore?”

“That touch thing is freaky.”

“Only the Guard can do those kinds of things. I guess that’s freaky to everyone. Even Cato.”

“Can I see your pendant?”

“Sure,” he slipped it off his neck. Then he slipped the cord around mine. “It’s easier to see this way. Tilt it in your hand and you can see all three warriors.”

I moved it side to side and the coppery iridescence changed like a hologram. The one warrior was joined by two others in what looked like a circle.

“Do you know the other two?”

“Not yet. I’ll learn them as we communicate.” His expression turned to concern. “How’s your brother?”

“Don’t know. He’s still sleeping.”

“That’s probably best.” He took a deep breath and leaned back against his pillow watching me. “I wish you could’ve met my grandfather. He was really good with people. Building bridges, finding common ground. He’d taken the lead in negotiating the truce.”

His familiar smile drifted to the corners of his mouth, but it was tinged with sadness. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, placing my head against his chest. I listened to his heartbeat, steady just like mine. His hand went into my hair and for a moment we were quiet.

“Thank you,” he said. “For this. Coming here. Staying.”

I sat up and looked into his eyes, but it wasn’t enough. I placed my hand on his chest and leaned forward. My eyes closed, and his mouth quickly found mine. I only meant for it to be a small kiss, but when we touched again, I couldn’t stop myself from moving to him. His arms slid around my waist, pulling me closer. Our lips parted and his tongue found mine. It was desperate and hungry, full of everything we didn’t want to lose. Mouth moved together, and in that moment, there was no invasion, no aliens, no war. Only the two of us bathed in the warmth of speckled sunlight through leaves as we lay on a blanket beside the creek. Or us in the silver shimmer of moonlight on the water as we danced.

I lowered my chin and rested my forehead on his cheek. I felt his lips touch my brow, and with my eyes closed, I reached up for one more, just one more brief taste. With a sigh, I stood and went to the window, stepping through without looking back. Once I was back into my world, I ran all the way to the dorm to sleep, pain twisting my heart.

––––––––

I
forgot to check on Flora.

When I got back to the dorm that night everything was quiet and the only thing on my mind was his lips touching mine, his arms around my waist. Everything had changed, but I knew it would all change again. Soon.

I couldn’t stop my mind from going there as well. He would leave, and I would forget. My emotions wavered from relief that I wouldn’t remember what I’d lost to hatred that I’d forget him, us. I drifted to sleep trying to fit our two worlds together like puzzle pieces that looked similar but had mismatched edges.

Roxie was waving for me to come to her the next morning when I awoke. The breakfast tone had sounded, but Flora was motionless in her bed. I quickly stepped into my clothes and ran to the other side of the dorm as I pulled up the zipper, my stomach tight with fear.

“I can’t wake her,” Roxie whispered. “I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“It’s like she’s in a coma or something,” Yolanda said.

“Flora?” I shook her shoulder. Her body was warm, but she wasn’t waking up. “What happened?”

Roxie shrugged and Yolanda shook her head.

“She never got up again after you left last night.”

I remembered her complaining of cramps. Her face was pale and she hadn’t looked well.

“She thought it was PMS.” Panic gripped my shoulders.

I felt her head, but there was no fever. I pulled her eyelids apart, but her pupils remained dilated. She was nonresponsive.

“I’ll get help.” I ran to the screen doors. “Keep trying to wake her. See if you can get her to stand up, walk around. Get her some water.”

My heart beat out of my chest as I flew to the barn. The doors were unlocked and the tones had started, so I knew he was awake. But I didn’t know what he did in the morning or where he ate. Now that he was a Guard, he might have a different schedule. As I ran, I realized the pendant was still around my neck inside my coveralls. We’d forgotten in the heat of our kisses, but he needed it, I was sure.

No one was in the barn, and I ran to the narrow back stall. It was strangely empty except for Bully and the Jersey girl. A feeling of déjà vu crept over me as I ran through the side door again, down to his cabin. I scanned the area and saw a guard walking up the hill, but he didn’t notice me slipping around the corner to the little side window. When I got there, I dropped and caught my trembling breath. Gallatin wasn’t alone.

“I need you to try and make contact as soon as possible,” Cato said. “We’ve got to know what’s happening. It’s dangerous to have the ships in view for long.”

I eased myself up so I could peek through the crack in the window. Gallatin sat on the edge of his cot, shoulders rounded and hands clasped. His sister was tense, her pale face showed dark circles under her blue eyes, and her hair that was always smoothed back in a perfect twist was coming undone with tendrils hanging on her cheeks.

“I know it’s sudden, but you must move past your grief,” she continued. “We have to rise to meet this challenge.”

“I will,” he said, and I couldn’t help notice the change in his voice. It was like he’d matured overnight, and he sounded like a leader.

“Ovett’s tracking the renegade band in the woods. We’ll do our best to round them up and clear their minds. But if he’s unsuccessful, we’ll have to leave them to create their own stories. It’s happened before.”

Gallatin nodded.

“I’d hoped to do a better job covering our tracks, but your uncle leaves us little room for such courtesies.” Cato’s voice was bitter. “If he comes here, it’ll be far worse for them.”

I sat against the wall, and my panicked mind flooded with thoughts—terror at the idea of his uncle here, but also curiosity. Who was this renegade band in the woods? Could they have Jackson?

Either way, it was all coming to an end. We’d be free to go back to our lives and leave here. At the same time, he’d be gone. I eased up again in time to see Cato cross to her brother. He stood in front of her, keeping his head bowed. His hair hung over the right side of his face, over his scar, and I watched her study him a moment.

The affection that was so apparent the day he’d arrived was still there, but now she held herself apart. Her posture was more formal, as if their relationship had changed. She brought her hands to her chest and made a sign over her heart, her fist pressed flat against her palm, as she bowed slightly.

“I’m very proud to have you as my Guard, brother. May our grandfather’s strength live on in you.”

Gallatin brought his hands to his chest in the same salute and bowed to her, but their gaze never met. A sad smile crossed Cato’s slim face, and she went to the door and closed it. Gallatin went to his bed and lay heavily on his stomach. Then he turned to the side and clutched a pillow into his chest, wrapping his arms around it. I knew he was still grieving his grandfather, and I hated to disturb him. But the thought of Flora lying unresponsive in her bed drove me on. I tapped softly on the window.

He sat up fast, light flickering in his eyes, and before I could speak, he was helping me through the window.

“Prentiss,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms. “I was just thinking about you, wishing you were here.”

I held him a moment, wanting to comfort him. Our arms were tight, our bodies warm against each other. “I’m sorry to keep disturbing you.”

“You make me feel better.” His head moved, and I felt him kiss the side of my hair.

“But I need you—”

“I need you, too.”

I stopped speaking at his words. Painful emotions ached in my stomach, but I couldn’t acknowledge that I needed him back. It hurt too much knowing what was coming. His hand was on the side of my cheek where he’d been smoothing my skin. My arms were around his waist, where I’d been holding him. His gaze lingered on my mouth, and I wanted to lean into him, to share another kiss. He seemed to want the same thing, but we didn’t have time.

“Something’s wrong,” I said, breaking the spell. “I need your help.”

“What is it?” The smile that had touched his lips vanished.

“I don’t know. Flora’s sick or she’s having an episode. She won’t move,” I hadn’t realized how frightened I was until I started to shake.

He pulled me to him but I caught my breath and pushed back again.

“We’ve got to go
now
.” I stood and went to the window.

“This way,” he said, catching my hand and leading me through the door. “We need Shubuta.”

“Shubuta?” I stepped back and pulled my hand out of his.

“She knows the most about human biology. She took all the blood samples and catalogued the records.”

“Blood samples? Records? What do you mean?”

“When they took everyone, a little bit of blood was drawn to be sure no one had conditions that needed to be monitored. Or allergies. Anything that could cause emergency situations.”

“Oh my god!” I collapsed against the wall. “Where did they take the blood?”

“Probably from your arm? Isn’t that the usual place?”

“A bandage on our arms.” In a flash, I remembered it clearly—me on a cot in the sterile exam room. The woman behind the mask was Shubuta.

“What’s wrong?” Gallatin stopped and came back, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“There are no chips.”

“I don’t understand.” His dark brows furrowed. “You’re hungry?”

I shook my head. “No. Just—not now. We can talk about it later. We’ve got to help Flora now. She’s anemic.”

“Shubuta will know. Come on.”

Gallatin raced with me to the long buildings a few yards ahead of us. As we approached, I realized they were mostly empty. Only four female soldiers seemed to be in the first one, while three males were in the other. They were all gone.

“Where is everyone?” I whispered as I watched him tapping on the wooden door to the female barracks.

“Some are with the ship. Ovett took another small group to try and round up some kids in the woods who’ve been causing trouble.”

“Round them up?”

“We can’t let them damage the ship, and their memories have to be... Shubuta?” he called, but no one answered. “It’s possible she’s in the yard with the other women.”

We took off running toward the barn and the rows. I spotted the small group of my friends following their alien leader.

“Wait here,” he said, running up to Shubuta.

I watched as Gallatin spoke quickly. The Team One leader studied the ground, and I could see she was thinking, making mental notes as he spoke. I made mental notes of what all I knew now. No chips, kids in the woods, rounding them up.

Everything in me said it was time to run, and yet watching him talk to her, doing all he could to help me, I couldn’t put him in danger. I wanted to let him leave, but at the same time, I wanted him to stay.

The two quickly moved in my direction, picking up speed as we approached the dorm. Yolanda was still with Flora when we approached the bed, but Flora hadn’t moved. My throat ached it was so tight, and the alien doctor pulled her lids apart as I’d done.

Then she turned to us. “How long has she been this way?”

Yolanda and I shook our heads. “She complained last night that her stomach hurt, and she was very pale,” I said.

Shubuta pressed her lips together then she put her head on Flora’s chest and listened.

“Heart rate’s very slow, but no fever. I don’t understand...”

“She’s anemic,” I whispered. “She’d been saying she felt tired every day. I tried to help her.”

Gallatin placed his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. Shubuta can take care of it.”

“I’m not sure I can,” she said. “I need to get her meal records.”

“She was eating her meat!” I added quickly. “I even gave her all of mine to help.”