The Star Dwellers

“You’ll be wonderful, I just know it!” Elsey says excitedly, clutching my arm. I flash her a smile, which doubles the size of her own smile. There are so many of Adele’s features in her face, and yet her temperament is so different. Elsey is bright, cheery, formal—a miniature woman. Adele is sarcastic, tough-minded, slightly solemn at times. I close my eyes and whisper a silent prayer for her safety.

Roc is staring at me, the edges of his lips curled slightly in his classic I-know-what-you’re-thinking-and-I-think-you’re-a-dork smirk. His naturally brown skin makes him blend in with the brown rock of the cave wall behind him. I ignore him. “So where are we headed?” I ask.

“The place where it all started,” Ben says, his eyes serious. “Subchapter 1 of the Moon Realm.”

I’ve been there, of course, but I don’t really remember it. I’ve been everywhere as part of my duties as son of the President.

“That’s the subchapter with that big fire parade, isn’t it?” Roc asks. Roc is better at geography and culture than I am.

“Correct,” Ben says. “And the home to Theresa Morgan.”

I lean my head back and close my eyes, trying to remember why that name sounds so familiar. Ahh, yes. Middle-aged woman, sharp as a tack, short red hair. “I remember her. Vice President Morgan. One of the few VPs who wasn’t a complete puppet. She negotiated hard—finally got my father to lower the taxes by a few percent. We even threw in some free boxes of medicine. I liked her.”

“She’s a close friend of mine,” Ben says.

I want to ask how he knows her, but I don’t think he’ll tell me. Behind his sparkling green eyes I sense there are fathomless mysteries.

“I’m growing tired of this place, Father. It’s cold and dank in this cave. When shall we depart for subchapter 1?” Elsey’s head is cocked to the side and her nose is all scrunched up. I can’t help but smile.

Roc mimics her facial expression and tone of voice. “Yes, Father. It’s cold…and dank. We must leave before all bounce has been removed from our step.”

Elsey giggles and jumps up, trying to grab Roc, but he leaps out of the way, besting her with his agility and speed. He gets behind her, picks her up, and tickles her around the sides of her stomach. She giggles louder, desperately trying to pry Roc’s hands from her. Ben is chuckling heartily, his dark stubble throbbing up and down with each chortle.

I laugh, too, but stop when Adele’s face flashes into my mind. She’s not laughing, not even smiling. Her face is serious, grim, straight-lipped, and heavy-eyed. Even in this form, her face makes my breath catch in my throat. I wonder whether I am seeing a memory, or whether my mind has invented the image of its own volition—or whether I am somehow seeing her across the miles, through rock and stone. If so, I feel bad. We are laughing and she is not.

“What’s wrong?” Ben asks, looking at me suddenly. His smile is gone too. I can still hear Elsey’s unfettered laughter, but it feels distant.

I shake my head. “It’s nothing.”

“I felt it, too,” he says.

I nod. I’m not sure why I’ve been chosen to have such a powerful co

“Me, too,” Ben says. “But she’s strong, like her mother. She’ll be okay.”

I find it odd that he compares Adele to her mom, particularly when referring to her strength. He seems so strong, and from what she’s told me, it was he who trained her to fight. There must be something I’m missing.

I realize it’s quiet again in the cave we’ve been hiding out in. Roc and Elsey are once more sitting on the rock floor close to each other, panting from the exertion of their tickle fight, listening to my conversation with Ben.

“Adele is okay, right, Father?” she asks.

Since Adele left to start her journey to the Star Realm with Tawni, a full forty-eight hours have passed. We’ve spent it hiding out in a cave on the edge of subchapter 26, but Adele has likely spent the time marching through a tu

“She’s fine,” he says, and I take as much comfort from the confidence in his words as Elsey does. “And we can leave this cave right now—I think we’ve taken more than enough time to recover.”

“Let’s leave this dreadful cave right now,” Roc says, once more imitating Elsey, which brings another scream and peal of laughter from her. She has really taken to him and I am glad. Although Roc gets on my nerves sometimes, he has such a good heart and has always made me laugh. I feel moisture in my eyes and I blink it away quickly, but not before he notices.

“Aww, is Tristy getting emotional on us? Wah wah!” he says.

Now it’s my turn to attack and although Roc’s fast, he’s not fast enough. I spring to my feet and close the gap in seconds, knocking him flat on his back as he tries to twist away. Using my knees for leverage, I pin his hands over his head. “Who’s your master?” I say.

“Umm, Elsey,” he says, which makes Elsey giggle again.

Pushing one of my knees into his midsection, I say, “Wrong! Who’s your master?”

“Uhhh!” he groans. “Okay, okay, your dad, President Nailin, is my master!” he yells.

“Wrong again!” I shout, releasing his arms and dragging my knuckles across his scalp.

Roc yelps and tries to grab me but I’m already back on the other side of the cave. Elsey is giggling uncontrollably and even Ben is chuckling. I can tell Roc is mad, but one look at Elsey’s mirthful grin and his face softens and he joins in the laughter. I feel happy for another moment, but once again, I feel bad about it. Adele can’t be a part of it.

After gathering our few measly possessions—Roc’s pack and our swords—I start to stretch out my body, preparing for the long trek we have ahead of us.

“What’s that for?” Ben says, motioning at me as I touch my toes.

“I don’t want to cramp up after only ten miles,” I say, feeling sheepish all of a sudden. I really am bad at geography, and I wonder if perhaps subchapter 1 is closer to 26 than I think.

“I would agree with you if we were going to walk.”

“We can’t take the trains; they’ll be looking for us.”

“Not on our train,” Ben says cryptically. Evidently he’s not going to tell me any more than that, so I just let it go. Darkness is surrounding the cave mouth, casting eerie shadows across the opening. In this case, darkness is our friend, our co-conspirator. It’s time to go. We snuff out the dual torches we’ve been using to light our cubby hole and move out, Ben first, then Elsey, then Roc. I bring up the rear. It’s the most dangerous position and I want it.

Outside, the underworld is a mystical place. The thin day/night panels on the roof of the expansive subchapter 26 cavern are slowly dimming, veiling the city in the murky haze of u

There’s not much that scares me these days.

Ben noiselessly slips into the water, leaving barely a ripple as evidence of his entrance into the man-made stream. He turns and extends his arms, wordlessly beckoning to Elsey.

“I jumped from much higher than this before,” she whispers. He is being an overprotective father. And she is being a young girl coming into her own. Elsey easily drops the three feet to the water, which churns silently and steadily clockwise, ceaselessly patrolling the city it provides sustenance to.

Roc is next and is less confident. He has never liked the water. After casting a furtive backward glance at me, he lines up to perform an awkward jump. I shouldn’t do it, but I can’t help myself.