Star Mage (Book 5) (31 page)

They stared at the edge of the crystalline building and Mara took in a deep inhalation and spread her arms wide in wonderment. “Whatever it is made of, it’s truly amazing. And that magical shield that protects the rooms…how did it know who you were and allow you to enter my room? Really quite interesting. I’m dying to explore this place. The jungle is so fragrant and vibrant, and all the flowers everywhere. Look!” She pointed at a school of colorful fish swimming in the deep pool and giggled in excitement.

 
“We should be careful as well. Beauty is deceptive. If the Starwalkers think that we’re the equivalent to insects, then the things on their planet that are of no concern to them might be very harmful to us. Likely this forest is protected by even more shields. This is probably like a secluded palace garden.”

“Then let’s explore and find the way out. There didn’t seem to be a door inside the room, so maybe we follow a path?” She squeezed his hand and pulled him along, squealing at brilliant butterflies that bat their wings and danced from flower to flower. Little hordes of spider monkeys chased each other across the maze-like limbs and chattered and screamed as they approached. Mara sniffed so many strange varieties of orchids and colorful, sweet smelling flowers that she sneezed and flushed red as she wiped her nose from the outburst.

“I’m such a mess!” she said, and chuckled nervously at Talis. “This place is so huge and beautiful. Good thing you have your map, otherwise I doubt we could find our way back.”

“Let’s try over there.” He pointed off to where the path widened and the light seemed stronger than the soothing coolness of the jungle shade. They passed strange banana trees with small, red fruits, and around the corner, the path reached a river that stretched almost twenty feet across. Looking for a way over, Talis noticed that Mara had discovered an invisible bridge that spanned the width of the river, and she motioned for him to join her.

“Seems like they don’t want anything to upset the naturalness of the rainforest.” He stared down at the peaceful river and remembered the crystalline bridge in Vellia. “There’s definitely a connection between the aesthetic tastes of those of Vellia and the Starwalker’s world—if this is indeed the home planet of the Starwalkers.”

“I suspect it is.” Mara studied an orchid the size of an elephant’s head. “Jared mentioned that they would discuss this with their high council. Surely such a body of Starwalkers could only exist on their home planet?”

“But aren’t they travelers and transients by nature? Any home planet would likely just be a temporary place of rest and reflection and meditation—”

“And perhaps discourse and debate,” Mara said, interrupting him. “The high council is certainly not permanent, but reserved for those tired in their long journeys abroad and returning home to share what they’ve found.”

“Imagine what their archives must contain!” As Talis spoke, Mara’s face brightened and her eyes seemed to share in his excitement. “All those collections from their journeys across the vast universe, here on one planet? Their world must have the most amazing museum collection…”

Through the thinning foliage they could see a tall, expansive shield shimmering in a rippling silver light. This was definitely different than their rooms, and from the broad pathway that led up to the entrance, was likely well traveled. As they strode up to the building, the ground seemed to sense their arrival and the shield vanished and revealed a huge, cavernous chamber that looked out over the blackness of space splattered with the milky wash of millions of stars. Talis stumbled forward in wonderment and Mara gasped and exclaimed praises to the gods. What was this place?
Gods are we floating in the stars? Am I dreaming?

Talis glanced around and spied Jared staring down at something hidden from where Talis stood. The Starwalker’s amused eyes caught his and the man beckoned them over to where he stood. Mara squeezed Talis’s hand even tighter as they ambled over, still gawking at the stars shining brightly outside the glass. Was it glass or crystal or a diamond? He almost bumped into Jared because Talis stared up instead of watching where he was walking, and the Starwalker chuckled and told him he wanted to show him something.

At first he caught Jared’s beaming gaze, then glanced back to Mara, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted something round and blue covering the sky down below.

His chin fell down to his chest and he gaped at a view he’d only seen in visions and dreams.

A massive blue planet, an entire world filling up half the sky, the oceans and clouds far below, the continents and islands, the mountains and deserts and green swaths of teeming life.
 

This was same world that the Surineda Map had first shown him inside the Order of the Dawn.

His world. The Planet Yorek. They were floating in space over his world.

This was no dream, it was real.