"It is the stars. The stars above us govern our conditions."
~William Shakespeare
________________________________

Lilly

A couple days passed, and except for training sessions, I hadn't left my room since Shane had brought me to be healed. All my frustration over the recent fight, all my anger over Chad, all my grief over my argument with Vivienne, I took it out on everything Killian, Iris, and my other trainers threw at me. I even beat my own record of running eight miles and pushed myself to ten. I wouldn't be doing that again any time soon, but it's hard to focus on your problems when you're trying to concentrate on your breathing because it feels like you're dying.

We had to cut the training short most days because the temperature in the room kept skyrocketing, and no one could figure out why. I'd happily leave each time, though, and head to my room. There I'd stay, reading books and hanging out with my cats, content to ignore the chaos of the world around me.

Well, I tried to.

Shane continued to check on me morning, noon, and night, always bringing food with him after he realized I'd gone nearly a whole day without eating. He'd also learned I'd be more likely to eat if he handed me food while we talked because I'd mindlessly eat it. To say I was grateful for my sociopathic bodyguard was an understatement. Sometimes, I had to remind myself that this man had murdered his family, to not let myself get too close to him, that he could easily turn on me as he had them.

Finally, on the third day, I forced myself out of my room, realizing it wasn't healthy to sit on my ass for such long periods of time. I threw on some jogging pants and a workout shirt that said "Back and Body Hurts," put in my headphones, then headed downstairs for a jog. I couldn't remember the last time I'd willingly gone for a jog, telling me just how troubled I was over everything going on. I took it slow and let my feet lead me to an unknown destination. Halfway down the street, shadows slithered around my feet, but I recognized the presence and, with a slight smile, allowed Shane to accompany me on my run.

People moved out of my way, some with fear in their eyes at the shadows at my feet, others with happy greetings, but I ached to be away from people, away from prying eyes. I hated attention being on me, hated having people snoop into my business.

Two hours into the run, I finally slowed down to a walk and let myself catch my breath. I'd gone only about six miles, but I was already far enough out of Alexandria that I seemed to be the only soul around. Except for Shane.

He materialized beside me. "I hope you don't mind I joined."

"If I did, I would've frozen you in place miles back," I responded, taking out my earbuds and draping the cord around my neck. "How'd you know I'd left?"

"Caleb caught you on his cameras walking past his lab while I was there. We wanted to give you something, but since I could catch up to you faster-" Shane pulled out a small box and handed it to me- "Here."

"We?" I queried.

He nodded. "We. I'll allow Caleb to explain it since it was his idea, but don't take it off once you put it on."

"How come?"

"Because it could protect you when you least expect it."

I tilted my head, simultaneously confused and concerned, but I trusted his word on this. Opening the box, I found a gemstone as black as obsidian with faint hues of burgundy and midnight blue swirling around, set inside a delicate silver ring. I blinked at the stunning beauty of it. "Thank you!"

"Caleb and I have matching ones, albeit slightly more masculine," Shane said, holding up his left hand to reveal a thick ring band made of the same gem as my ring on his middle finger.

"We must be under a dangerous threat if Caleb thinks he needs to protect you from it."

Shane flashed a cheeky grin. "I must be winning him over."

I slid the ring on my finger and admired how it shone in the sunlight, how it looked like fire and ice battling in the night sky. "Thank you for this. I'll have to thank Caleb when we get back."

I started walking alongside the cliffs, keeping a safe distance from the edge. Shane fell into step beside me. Neither of us said a word, and I fiddled with my ring as I debated whether or not I should bring up what had been eating at me, something outside of the brawl the other day.

"What's on your mind, Stargazer?" Shane asked quietly.

"I'm not... entirely sure. Ever since the Malkans attacked, I thought the whole situation strange. I don't want to be paranoid, but I can't help but wonder how the Malkans showed up without anyone realizing in a ship that big. I understand they're more technologically advanced than us and have great cloaking abilities on their ships, but that thing was massive. I swear it was as big as a small planet. How-"

"That, Lilly Snow-" Shane's eyes twinkled with delight- "is what I've been waiting for you to ask. How do you think a ship that big could have gotten past our defenses?"

I hesitated, not wanting to admit the guess to myself, let alone aloud. The implications of it... but I had to know. "It was an inside job."

Shane confirmed it with a nod. "Inside job. Someone knew you were going to be up there. Someone let that Malkan ship get close to you. What they weren't expecting was not only for us to get on the ship and rescue hostages but to make it back alive. Who do you think has the kind of power to get a Malkan warship past our defenses?"

One answer. There could only be one answer, and it made my blood run cold. "The queen."

"Ding, ding, ding! Our lovely queen wants your head because she doesn't have anyone who can get inside it and twist it into her favor like she's done with so many other people."

"What do you mean? Why does she- what threat am I to her?"

"You're powerful, not only with her cryokinesis but mentally," Shane said matter-of-factly. "You didn't fall for her sweet old lady act, and she knew that. She hasn't been able to get inside your head to see what you know, what you don't, and she can't control your mind either. Therefore, you're a threat."

"Wait, the Queen- her power is mind control?"

"Among others." At the sight of my shocked expression, Shane chuckled. "Dear Esmeralda doesn't want anyone learning that she's not as innocent and sweet as she seems. That woman is by far the most dangerous enemy Vasileia has because she has multiple powers. Mind reading, mind control, hydrokinesis, electrokinesis, power transferal- those are the ones I know of, at least."

"Wha- how-"

Shane placed a steadying hand on my shoulder, an uncharacteristically amount of kindness and understanding on his face. "I recognize this is shocking, and I-"

A rumbling from beside the cliff halted our conversation. Shane snapped around and raced to the edge with me on his heels. To my horror, a ship rose from underneath the waves; its markings were not Vasileian, either.

They were Malkan.

"What do you want to do?" Shane inquired, not taking his eyes from the ship. Shadow tendrils danced from his fingertips, ready to fight or whisk us away to safety.

I knew my answer. "Let's take these bastards down."