I don't allow us to linger too much on my epiphany. I don't want to think about what being a Starborn means just yet. I don't want to think about any of it. Maddox doesn't question me further, but it is obvious he is biting his tongue a little too hard. I'm almost surprised that Juniper isn't bombarding me with questions about my magic, but then again, she is beyond exhausted. And so am I. The incessant pang in my ankle is a welcome distraction. It's hard to think too much about anything when I'm in constant pain. And I'd rather not think about the fact that my parents lied to me my whole life. For now, I just want to focus on finding Orion and Atlas.

Maddox insists on traveling with Juniper and me to find Orion. Despite my initial objections, he talks me into allowing his company. He is familiar with the forest and claims he knows where the mysterious blue tree is located. Part of me appreciates his consistent generosity, but another part of me knows that he is just eager for something else— his freedom. As a Starborn, I'm likely our only escape from this island. Maddox believes that I'm the key, but the problem is that I know very little about Star magic, which means I can't save anyone.

Maddox is the first to break our silence after about five minutes of trudging through the green overgrowth. "Callie, you really shouldn't be walking on that foot," he comments for the umpteenth time. He is walking ahead of Juniper and me, looking back at me over his shoulder with concerned eyes.

I roll my eyes. "I already told you— nothing is more important than finding my brother right now. He's probably more injured than I am, and we've wasted too much time already."

"Fine. We don't have to stop, but you could at least let me help you."

"How so?"

He turns away, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I could carry you. It would probably be quicker too," he suggests.

I narrow my eyes at the back of his blonde head of hair. "Definitely not," I object quickly. "I'm moving just as fast as you. I'm just letting you lead since you know the way apparently."

I hear him sigh, but he says nothing more. When I look down at my sister beside me, she is fighting hard to keep her eyes open. Her footsteps are clumsier than normal but because she's hanging onto the sleeve of my tunic, she can keep herself upright and moving. If I wasn't hurt, I'd offer to carry her. I know Maddox would do it if I asked, but I don't trust him enough to haul my sister around while I'm stuck limping. That, and he's already carrying my (his) backpack and sword for me. The safest place for Juniper is at my side. And I couldn't ask him for any more favors even if I wanted to. I already owe him too much.

I don't know how much time passes before one of us speaks again. Has it been an hour or just several minutes? I don't know anymore. Besides our footsteps and the constant rain battering against the green canopy above us, the forest is eerily quiet. I can't tell if it's getting dark outside or if the green leaves above are just blocking out the sun. All concepts of time feel lost within the trees. The pain from my injury makes each minute feel like hours of torture to me. And the smothering humidity in the air isn't helping.

"We're almost there. The tree is right up ahead," Maddox finally declares, giving little Juniper a start. Motivation surges through me as Juniper and I step through an azure patch of grass. Stray leaves matching the color of the grass are scattered haphazardly around us, proving Maddox's words to be true.

I look down at my sister's muddy face. Bright, blue eyes buried beneath the dirt peer up at me in wonder. "You said you can find Orion if we find the tree, right?"

She nods. "Yeah. I left stones on the ground to find my way back to him in case I got lost."

Before I can respond, I spot the enormous, cerulean-leaved tree to my left. It's taller and wider than the regular trees in the forest. And unlike the brown bark on the other trees, this tree has pale, almost white branches. The trunk of the tree has a whimsical bend to it, somehow complimenting the vividly blue leaves and curly branches. We've all stopped walking now, gawking at the tree in silence. Much like the clearing at Maddox's camp, what's left of the sunlight spills through an opening above the tree, causing the rain droplets that cling to its leaves to shimmer beautifully. Much like the sword I found myself attracted to earlier, this tree emanates magic. 

I turn to Maddox in astonishment, but his solemn expression makes me sink into myself. He's desensitized to the beauty of the tree in front of us. He's seen it before, but it isn't boredom I see behind his eyes. Something about this majestic tree is making him brood. "Besides its location, what else do you know about this tree?" I ask.

He crosses his arms, frowning at the marvel of nature before us. "That's the problem. I don't know much else. All I have are theories."

After a long pause, I give his arm a gentle shove to regain his attention. "Such as?"

He turns to me, but his eyes stay glued to the tree. "All I know is that this isn't the kind of tree that grows by accident. I'm sure you already know this but when magic touches nature it can alter the color of things. Meaning this tree is full of magic."

He speaks as if this is common knowledge. It would appear that my parents not only hid who I really am from myself and everyone else, but they also withheld truths about our world. The grass that surrounds my family's home is the very same azure color before me, but I never knew it only existed because of magic. But why does Maddox make it sound like a bad thing?

"You didn't know," Maddox realizes aloud. When I look over at him, he's finally looking at me, studying my frustration. "Well, then I'll tell you that magic and nature don't combine by chance. If you ever see an unnatural color in nature it is because something containing magic has decomposed into it."

"You mean the blue means that someone died there?" Juniper asks in a shaky voice.

Maddox nods stiffly when she looks up at him expectantly. "The magic from the body is absorbed into the earth like a sponge... but the place of death is forever marked," he explains dismally, looking back at the tree with a sad look.

A cold chill shoots through my spine and shoulders, making me wriggle uncontrollably. The beauty and nostalgia I once felt while standing in the azure fields back home fade away swiftly. The tree that beguiled me just moments ago suddenly feels much taller and threatening. The crooked branches that loom over us make me want to curl into a ball of despair. It's one thing to see odd-colored grass, but an entire tree must mean that—

Maddox continues his explanation, finishing my thoughts. "Given the size of this tree and the fact that most people don't die in trees, I can only assume that this was done intentionally. My first theory was that the island can't fully take our magic away until we're dead, but then it would make more sense for the Starborns to just kill us, rather than imprison us." He pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. "Like I said, I don't actually know the truth behind the tree. All I know is that blue leaves have always symbolized sorrow for me. Whether this tree contains everyone's magic or just the magic of dead Celestials is a mystery to me."

"But why would Orion's and everyone else's magic go into a tree?" Juniper croaks softly from beside me. Her grip on my shirt tightens with her increased anxiety.

Maddox shakes his head and shrugs. "My second theory is that this tree is some kind of conduit for the Starborns."

I blink at him in confusion. "What? You mean like their power source?"

"Precisely."

If Maddox believes that this tree gives the Starborns more power, then why hasn't he done anything about it? A dumbfounded look crosses my face when he glances over at me. "So let's cut it down. No power for them is good for us, right?" I resist the urge to question his intelligence out loud as I scan the tree for weak spots.

"You're quite brilliant, aren't you, Darling?" His sarcastic tone makes me glower. He merely chuckles in response but stops short when my expression darkens. "I've tried destroying this tree many times. You're welcome to try, but I'm certain that someone has put a protection spell on it."

I turn my nose up at him. "It's a good thing I still have my magic then, right? Or did you already attempt to take down the tree with your nonexistent magic?"

The corners of his lips curve down into an awkward smile and he laughs. "I'm happy to hear that we're on the same page. I was trying to give you time to adjust to the reality of being Starborn, but I was planning to ask for your help with the tree. Perhaps you can have a go at it after we find your brother?" he suggests.

"This is where Cyrus found me. When he tried to hurt me," Juniper whispers, gaining our attention before I can respond. Maddox's face falls at the mention of Cyrus, but he stays silent, letting Juniper continue. "We're close to the shore. Where I found the rocks." She points a tiny finger to an oval-shaped stone in the blue grass. The rock is a bright orange, so it is very easy to spot the path that proceeds.

"Your turn to lead the way, Little one," Maddox urges, motioning for her to start moving.

She glances up at me for a moment, then back at the blonde beside me. After a brief hesitation, she lets go of my shirt and strides past the tree. I lean my weight into the spear and hobble as quickly as I can after her. I can practically feel Maddox's disapproval as he falls into step beside me. I avoid his gaze, keeping my eyes trained on Juniper and the ominous trees surrounding her. Being crippled is agonizing for more reasons than one. Cyrus might decide to come back to the place he originally found Juniper. Or there could be wild animals lurking around. Anything could happen, and I'm in no condition to protect her or myself.

"Not too fast," I demand.

Juniper immediately slows her pace. Her purple dress drags behind her as she stoops down to pick up the colorful rocks. Hopefully, Orion's injuries aren't too bad. I'm not sure I'll be able to do much if he needs more than a bandage and some stitches. Not that I even have any supplies for him. At this point, I'm just crossing my fingers that he can recover through rest.

"I'm having a look at that ankle after we find Orion," Maddox declares, giving me a stern look. I can tell by his expression that it is no longer up for debate in his eyes. 

I cock an eyebrow at him, but don't let my eyes stray from Juniper for more than a millisecond. "What's the point? It's not like there's anything that can help me out here. You won't be able to do anything," I say numbly.

"I'm more resourceful than you might think."

"Look, unless you have a doctor and hospital at the ready, then I'm pretty much screwed, alright? Just leave it," I order testily, causing him to sigh once again. I don't mean to be so snippy with him, but my lack of hydration is magnifying my irritation. And the throbbing in my foot isn't exactly boosting my spirits either. I have half a mind to apologize, but he beats me to it.

"I'm sorry for my persistence, but I'm only trying to help. And I am a doctor," he argues gently. I almost laugh at his words, but Cyrus's comment from yesterday pops into my head.

Always the diplomatic doctor, aren't you, Maddox?

I inhale in both surprise and relief. "Wait, really?" I press hopefully. There's hope for Orion after all if what he says is true. When he doesn't say anything right away, I finally spare him a glance, and he offers me an affirmative look. Several questions begin swirling around in my head, but the first one I ask is, "How old are you?"

"I've been twenty-one since last Autumn. Why?" he asks offhandedly, but the look in his eyes tells me that this is a rhetorical question.

I shrug. "That's just really young for a—"

"Doctor," he cuts in, finishing my sentence. A small smile creeps onto his lips when our eyes meet again. "It's a long story but to sum it up for you, I grew up in a village that lost its only healer while I was young. Because I came from a family of healers, I was the closest thing to a doctor at the time."

"So they trusted a child to mend their sick and wounded?" I ask doubtfully.

He clears his throat, uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Trust? Not necessarily, but I was all we had. It was either die or allow the amateur to try and save you. I did know a thing or two, but I definitely learned even more with the hands-on experience."

"Were you successful, then? You saved people?" I ask warily.

His demeanor darkens with melancholy. He's reluctant for a moment but finally answers me. "Mostly, yes. But some wounds were just too deep. Diseases too harsh. Knowing what I know now, a lot of them couldn't be saved no matter what I'd done," he murmurs, swallowing hard. "But there were a few I could've saved if I had just done things differently or knew just a bit more at the time. I soon realized the differences I could've made after I left my home to learn from more experienced healers."

The back of my mind can't help but wonder if he's been so generous to me and the others on the island because of the guilt that he carries. The prospect of this tugs at my heartstrings, but I don't know what to say. Comforting people isn't a skill that I possess. But the silence that falls between us is the kind that you know you should be filling with some kind of acknowledgment or condolence. 

"How old were you the first time you treated somebody on your own?" I ask quietly. I am genuinely curious, but I mostly ask for the sake of saying something.

"I was thirteen."

My chest constricts. Anyone in his shoes, regardless of age, would be more than overwhelmed, but to take on the responsibility of a doctor as a child must have been traumatizing. Seeing so much death and sickness. Knowing that someone's life is in your hands and your hands alone. I couldn't imagine carrying that heavy of a burden so young. I wonder if that's how Eros feels when he's left to tend to our mother while the rest of us hide from her pain?

"My apologies. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable—"

"No, no. You have no reason to apologize. I just..." I trail off, unsure of what I want to say. Telling him that he's likely saved more lives than he lost feels like a careless thing to say. Even if he has, it's hard for people to forgive themselves when the guilt outweighs the good. There's nothing I really can say. When my sharp eyes meet his soft ones again, my mask of indifference finally drops. "I'm just sorry that you had to go through that," I say. His brow furrows in response, but he says nothing.

When I look back at Juniper, she is standing still, her hands balled into tiny fists alongside her scraggly dress. I'm about to ask her why she stopped when she says, "He was right here. He was sleeping right here!" she shouts.

I'm at her side now, dropping down to my knees to meet her downcast eyes. I lay the spear on the ground beside me and lift her face up with my hands. "Hey, don't panic yet, June. Just think. Was there anywhere else he could've gone?" I ask.

Tears stream down her cheeks again, blending into the previous streaks left behind on her muddy face. "Callie, there's no way he got up by himself. Someone took him," she whines hopelessly, choking on her sobs. "I should've stayed with him."

"You don't know that, June," I urge in a positive tone, but my mind is full of its own doubts. My heart lurches when I see marks on the ground that indicate someone may have been dragged through the mud. Did Starborns take him or did Cyrus somehow beat us here? Either way, both scenarios are the opposite of comforting.

"Callie," Maddox says in a low voice. When I look up at him, he's looking at the drag marks in alarm. I hug Juniper against my shoulder before she can look. "I know," I mutter, giving him a look that tells him to shut up.

After she cries into my shoulder for a good minute, I finally pull away from her. "You said there was a shore nearby. Do you think he could be there?" I inquire. Obviously, someone else was here, but the drag marks stretch out into the trees behind us. It's too dark to see anything too far out, but I can faintly hear the sound of waves splashing just beyond the trees. It has to be the shore Juniper gathered her rocks at.

"Maybe. He caught some fish for us over there before."

"See? Let's go look, then," I say persistently. If the marks lead to the shore, then I want to investigate. And even if our brother's not there, it's best that we move away from here instead of lingering where he last was.

She gives me an ambivalent pout. "But Callie, he—"

"Maddox, I thought you knew better than to cross over to our side."

I whirl around in alarm at the familiar voice. He doesn't share the same accent as Maddox, so I know that it isn't Cyrus. I put myself between a stranger and Juniper once again, but my ankle is nearly at its limit. I'm not able to hide my injury anymore. Anyone looking would know that I'm struggling to hold myself up. I'm fishing around in my brain for some kind of spell to protect us, but stop when I realize who the sudden voice belongs to.

"It was an emergency. We'll be out of your hair soon," Maddox says scornfully. This is the first time I've seen genuine distaste on Maddox's face.

"Dolion?" I question out loud, gaining his attention. Gray eyes drift from Maddox to me. His dark brows shoot up in surprise. He lowers the hatchet in his hand, taking a step back. "Dolian Locke?" I continue, taking a hesitant step forward to get a better look at him.

"You," he muses. He glances at Maddox again, then back to me with a smirk. "You're Van—" He stops short when he notices the visible panic on my face. Without saying anything, I'm screaming at him to not give away my identity to Maddox. Moonborn or not, I don't know how he'd react if he knew I was the Van Blake's daughter. Maddox has been kind, but he still chooses to side with mortals who hate my family. Dolion shows me that he understands when he smoothly sidesteps his own words. "Vanessa? Have I got it right?" he asks, raising a thick eyebrow at me.

"No, I'm Callie, remember?" I press eagerly, playing along. Maddox is looking between the two of us in confusion and irritation. Since Maddox is a Moonborn, I can at least be honest about how I know Dolion. "I saw you last year at the Moon Gathering with your family."

Dolion and I are acquaintances at best, but seeing a familiar face is still a welcome sight. He doesn't live in Selene City, so we're not familiar, but he did visit my hometown for his Moon Gathering. He had one older sister who had just turned twenty-two and two younger brothers. Dolion was nineteen when he and his siblings attended the ceremony— the same age I am and will still be when I participate in the Moon Gathering this year. I typically avoid spectating the Moon Gathering, but since my father knew Atlas's birthday would be approaching the year after, he made me watch the Locke family's ceremony last year.

I tremble at the memory. His older sister, Haris, wasn't eager to fight for her own life. She didn't want to harm her younger siblings, so she ultimately lost. Dolion killed her with a dark spell I'd never heard of, but greatly fear now because of the sight. She took her last breath after convulsing in her own pool of blood, but what bothered me even more was the fact that her veins turned jet black. Like my mother's. His younger brothers, Mateo and Finn, were fifteen-year-old twins. Dolion bested them easily as well, but I remember seeing the tears spilling down his flushed face as they died. He killed them with an illusion spell. He made one of the twins see the other as an enemy, and as a result, the one under the spell stabbed the other until he died. But the damage inflicted upon one twin happens to the other, so both of their lives ended simultaneously. At the time, I thought it was a binding spell that had caused the other to suffer the same fate, but my father explained to me that day that all twins are born with the power of one Moonborn split between the two of them. Magically speaking, twins are considered one person, so when death comes, they both go.

"Ah, that's right!" Dolion exclaims. "I remember seeing you there... with your father."

He's amused now, but all I can see behind his smirk is the man who fell to his knees in anguish after he won the Moon Gathering last year. He was weeping for his siblings, while my father whispered to me that his crying was dishonorable. "Yeah, I was," I choke out. Guilt is eating away at me for some reason, but I try to ignore it.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Maddox asks, watching me cautiously.

I nod, finally tearing my eyes away from Dolion's mischievous, gray ones. "Obviously, but I want to know how you two know each other," I say forcefully.

"He considers himself the leader of those savages he calls mortals, and I look out for the Moonborns on the island. We kinda don't like each other, so we had a whole 'caveman war' thing going on for a while," Dolian explains nonchalantly, examining the hatchet in his hands. He feigns a yawn as he looks back up at me. "Honestly, the whole thing was really dramatic and barbaric."

"You murdered people!" Maddox hisses. "Innocent people!"

"Like I said! It got really dramatic! Geez!" Dolion replies, holding his hands out in a defensive, but exaggerated manner. He grins when Maddox's anger intensifies at his callousness. "Anywho, that's all water under the bridge! Long story short, we made a treaty that Maddox is currently violating like a moron. So, you can see why I feel totally justified in doing this!" Before any of us can react, Dolion sends a hatchet flying in Maddox's direction.

Maddox pivots on his feet quickly, causing the hatchet to bounce off of the overstuffed backpack attached to him. He attempts to unhook the Starborn sword from the bag, but Dolion is already in front of Maddox, pushing him to the ground. Juniper hugs my leg tightly, causing my ankle to protest. Unable to keep myself up, I fall to the ground with a gasp. Juniper hugs my arm frantically and, shielding her eyes. She cries loudly into my sleeve as Dolion picks up his hatchet and slams it directly into Maddox's gut.

"Dolion, stop!" I shriek, pushing Juniper away so that I can stand up.

His gray eyes don't leave my blue ones as he yanks the hatchet out of the blonde's abdomen. A sound of pain escapes Maddox in response. I somehow keep myself upright for a few seconds while running over to the two men. But due to the continued pressure I've put on my leg, running doesn't last long. I fall beside Maddox and discover that blood is spurting from his wound. His eyes are wide and his breathing is shallow. He tries to place his hands over the wound, but they won't stop shaking. I reach into the backpack that tumbled off of him before Dolion stabbed him and pull out a piece of fabric that was once part of a blanket. I quickly press it onto his wound. He winces when I use both of my hands to apply pressure to the wound.

"Sorry, Callie. I just don't think Maddox and I will ever be able to bury the hatchet, so to speak," he says with a chuckle. He's peering down at me in amusement, twirling the blood-soaked weapon around in his hand. "But don't worry. I don't have any reason to hurt you."

I look over at Juniper to see her crying uncontrollably into her knees. Maddox's trembling hands fold over mine, but I don't look down at him yet. I have to make sure Dolion stays far away from Juniper. For some reason, he covered for me instead of giving away my true identity but that doesn't mean I can trust him at all. I scowl up at the dark-haired man when he starts to whistle cheerfully. He grins playfully at me when our eyes meet.

"What is wrong with you?" I growl.

A long sigh escapes him. "I know, I know. I totally look like a psycho right now, but I swear he had it coming."

Maddox's hands squeeze mine with urgency, but I don't dare tear my eyes away from Dolion. I'm not sure if the Moon Gathering made him this way or if he's always been like this, but he is completely unhinged. The way he's behaving makes me wonder if he's the one who took Orion. Panic swells up in my chest and travels to my throat. My brother could be dead right now. Maddox is halfway there, and Juniper and I could very well be next. Should I tell her to run or would he just chase her down? 

Think. Think!

"Maybe you should take a deep breath, Callie-bear," Dolion suggests, crouching down to my level. "I'm seriously not going to hurt you. If you knew more about Maddox, you'd understand why I had to kill him. You'd probably even thank me."

"I want you to leave," I demand.

A short bark of laughter escapes him. "See, I would, but I'm kinda getting the sense that you're trying to save him. And, uh, I can't let you do that." He rises to his feet, holding the hatchet above his head. "You should probably move now."

"No," I respond through gritted teeth.

Maddox squeezes my hand again, but it's weaker this time. I finally peer down at him to see what he wants. He mouths something at me, but I don't know what he's trying to say. He inhales deeply at my confusion and when he breathes out he manages to wheeze out one word. "Magic."

I could teleport us someplace else, but I would need Juniper to be touching me to travel with us. And telling her to come closer to me isn't wise since there's a crazy man holding a hatchet over my head right now. But if I can get Dolion to move away, then I can call Juniper over and transport us to safety. There's got to be something I can do to put distance between him and us.

"Last chance. Who knows where the hatchet will go if you don't move," Dolion warns teasingly.

His eyes drift over to my little sister, making my pulse quicken. Every nerve in my body is telling me to run to her, but I know that Maddox's chances of survival will lower significantly if I take my hands off of his wound. Dolion tsks when he notices me eyeing the Starborn sword lying a few inches away from Maddox and me. Even if I get the sword, what will I do with it? Dolion doesn't seem like the type to back off just because someone points a blade at him.

"J-Juniper's magic," Maddox huffs out from below me. I look down at him in confusion. Did I hear that right? What can Juniper do that I can't?

"Alright, I'm bored," Dolion announces. He lowers the hatchet and leans down to grab the front of my shirt. 

Think!

He pulls me up from the ground forcefully. Just as my hands leave Maddox's abdomen, I remember a spell Atlas has used many times against my father during their spars. I never had an interest in using magic to fight, so I've never attempted the spell myself, but it's worth a shot. I hold a hand out to Dolion, forcing all of my magic to gather into my right hand. "Spróxte," I say firmly. The center of my palm burns from the chill, but a large, translucent force immediately bursts out of my hand and into Dolion. The spell knocks him off of his feet and into a cluster of trees.

I fall to the ground with a thud just as I hear him rolling against the dirt. I reapply pressure to Maddox's wound with my hands, but his eyelids are already drooping. Dolion chuckles darkly as he struggles to sit up. "Juniper, get over here! Now!" I shout.

I hear her shuffling recklessly, then she drops down next to me with a thud. She grips one of my forearms frantically, shaking me. "Callie, he's getting up!"

When I look over at him, Dolion is scooping up his hatchet. He starts to sprint at us when he sees what I'm about to do. The only place I can think to take us within the distance of my capabilities is Maddox's camp. The camp that is full of mortals who may or may not try to kill me on sight simply for possessing magic... and stealing from them. Better there than here. "Atmó—"

"Spróxte!" Juniper screams, holding out her hand just as I did moments ago. 

A smaller, less forceful blast pushes Dolion back once more, but it doesn't knock him off of his feet. He catches himself before he stumbles back too much. Juniper cries out again, but this time she is in pain. Before I can ask her what's wrong, an icy pang jumps from the little hand attached to me and dances up my arm. It's cold but burns at the same time.

I double over in pain when the ache takes over my whole body, making me shiver violently. Maddox must feel it too because his eyes pop open in surprise. Juniper wraps her arms around me, and I hold onto Maddox. He places one of his hands on my back but throws his free hand over to the side, clutching the mysterious Starborn sword tightly. Every nerve in my body is on fire in an instant. The pain is so overbearing that I scream, but it's soundless like it was before when Atlas's compass delivered me here by sea. The last thing I see when I look up is Dolion waving at me in amusement. After that, I'm pulled into an infinite darkness.