Chapter Eighteen

 

 

Star

 

 

Gideon and I were glued to one another until he received new orders from the general of the rebellion. I hated the fact he had to leave but he promised he would return the moment he was able. Knowing separations were a sore subject for me, he asked for me to show him the totem he’d given me at Farlan’s mansion. I produced it for him only to have him press it back into my hands.

“Keep my totem with you. As long as you have it, I am with you, always. I will always come back for you, Star-girl.”

He kissed me and left our oasis in the cliffs, high above the Glass Sky City. I sat quietly for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes. Clutching the totem to my chest, I closed my eyes. I wasn’t going to cry. I was done with tears. Instead, I slipped it over my head and let it dangle on my neck. It tapped against the red crystal Megan had given me the first day we’d met. It was cold comfort to have just the pendants to represent my best friend and the one who now owned my heart, but somehow, for that moment, it was enough.

The lead mechanic put me immediately to work the moment I returned. Everyone kept their respectful distances, averting their eyes as they passed me by in the halls. I guess I radiated antisocial energy because I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Besides Gideon, I didn’t have any friends in the city now that Fran and Gigi were gone. My imprisonment had changed me in so many ways. Avoiding people was easy for me.

“Star!” Janis jogged up to me, red in the face but smiling. Her shiny blonde hair was styled in an over-teased bun sitting atop of her head. “I made you some lemon and raspberry bars! I grew the fruit in the garden myself. Thank you so much for fixing my grow lights. The power supply was so unreliable until you fixed it.”

Her presence was hard to ignore, especially when she blocked my path with her entire body. She was wearing a set of pink dyed worker clothes. It was the same outfit I wore, but she’d somehow colored it, probably with some flower or berry from the garden. I stopped, throwing her a forced smile.

“Hello, Janis,” I muttered. “No offense, but I’ve got to run. Lots of work to do today.”

She shoved a covered, foil-lined tray into my hands. “No problem at all. You need to try these though. Heavenly!”

My fingers curled around the tray, afraid to reject it. “Um… thank you.”

“Oh, you’re so welcome, dear. Everyone has been enjoying the garden. The fruits of our labor have been blossoming abundantly. All thanks to you. Thank you so much for fixing the power source for the grow lights.” Janis’s chuckles were hard to ignore. In fact, it was hard to not join in her joyful demeanor.

“I’m glad to hear that,” I managed to choke out.

“Listen, dear. I was wondering if you wanted to join us in the third corridor. We’re like family down there, and there’s an extra private room sitting empty if you want it.”

“Oh, no. That’s okay. I’m pretty well set up already.”

“There in that cave way up high? Oh, no, no, no, my dear. It’s so dangerous and lonely! I worry about you, all by yourself.”

“I’m not by myself. Gideon’s there with me now.”

“Ah, yes. Gideon is a good boy. So dedicated to his work. All right, but the offer stands if you ever want to take it. It’s a single room with a nice queen bed, its own private shower, and a closet. You just say the word, and it’s all yours, dear. You’re welcome any time.” Janis winked. Her blue eyes sparkled, and her blonde hair bounced with fluffy curls falling out of the bun. She shoved them away from her face, flustered but poised at the same time. Unlike myself, she radiated positivity. I envied her.

“Thank you, Janis. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You take care of yourself now.” She bounced down the hall, humming to herself as though she’d accomplished the biggest mission ever. I couldn’t help but chuckle. She didn’t even know me and said she was concerned about me. It was something, right? So why did I still feel hollow inside?

My distrust of people crept into my thoughts. My parents’ betrayal was at the heart of it. I couldn’t forget how they’d traded me to Farlan, no matter how hard I tried. Knowing my father had set Gideon on a path to be able to save me if something happened to me dampened those past hurts. I loved my parents and knew they had their reasons. In time, I knew the pain would diminish.

I kept my head down and hurried past the other workers, all heading to different parts of the underground city. Clutching the tray, I wondered if I even wanted a taste of the fruit bars. Everything seemed flavorless lately. Nothing had gone very well. Fighting with Gigi, feeling more and more isolated the longer I stayed, and now with Gideon leaving… I felt like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It wasn’t just those things making my appetite dwindle and my mood sour. It was the fact that Clyde was returning to the Glass Sky City for a debriefing that very day.

Did I want to see him? I didn’t know. I hadn’t seen him since he’d stabbed me with a needle full of sedative. My stomach twisted into knots at the thought that he could be in the city already. Was it too much to hope we wouldn’t run across each other?

I pondered hiding in my cavern until Clyde’s party was sure to leave, but I didn’t think he’d be gone in just one day. Gideon had said the meetings, debriefings, and reassignments usually took longer than they should due to soldiers wanting to catch up with their friends, who they rarely saw while on different posts. I didn’t want to catch up with anyone. There was nothing I had to say, especially to Clyde. He’d betrayed me. That was all I needed to know. Nothing he could say could change the way I felt.

I rushed to one of the smaller machinist shops where I laid the plate down on the nearest table before grabbing my jumpsuit to change into and my tool bag. This particular space was assigned to me and one other mechanic. It was nice to have my own place to work.

“What’d you bring?”

Tannen, the other mechanic sharing the space, jumped up from his workbench and eyed the foil tray with interest. He hovered over me, several inches taller and eager to see what I had brought. His gray-brown eyes widened as I peeled back the aluminum. I almost laughed as he licked his lips, drooling at the desserts. He rubbed his hands together, his poor skin dry and chapped from the abuse of working with tools. His face was far more taken care of. Cleanly shaven, it showed off his smooth, mocha skin. He kept his hair short and tidy. His white teeth flashed as he grinned sheepishly at me. His radar for food was pretty impressive.

“Fruit bars. Courtesy of Janis. Go ahead, dig in. I’m not hungry.”

As Tannen eagerly reached for the tray, I walked toward the restroom reserved for me since I was the only female mechanic. The others used the other bathroom designated for the men, which defaulted to being Tannen’s. Dropping my bag at my feet, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked different than I had at the coupling ball. Thinner… paler from the lack of sun… but I also looked far more homely, lacking makeup and fancy dresses. It didn’t help that my appetite hadn’t returned since my imprisonment, except when I was with Gideon. I liked working a lot too. It kept my headspace busy and occupied.

I shook off the gloom and changed into my work jumpsuit. It was welding day. Welding was always mind-numbing work, which suited me at that moment, but it was also pretty dirty work too. As I finished slipping on my work boots, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes?” I answered.

“There’s someone here to see you.” Tannen’s voice came through muffled, as though he had a mouthful of food. He’d hit up the fruit bars with gusto. At least someone was getting some enjoyment out of Janis’s treats.

I straightened, pinching my eyebrows together. “Do you know who it is?”

“No, but he says he needs to speak with you urgently.”

Of course, he didn’t ask who it was.

“All right, I’ll be right there.” I cursed under my breath. I was hoping to get right to work, but it didn’t look like it was going to happen. Hooking the last lace on my boot, I grabbed my tool bag and headed out. I turned to shut the door behind me and almost ran into no one other than Clyde.