The Fire and the Sky (Book 3 of the Starborn Series)

Chapter Twelve

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For the first hour or so, the only sound in the cab of the truck was that of Welkin's work. They tinkered ceaselessly, fully focused on whatever they were building and taking up the entire passenger seat, dashboard, and floor to do it. May watched quietly from the cramped center bench seat, not wanting to interrupt their careful concentration. She played a mental guessing game, running through various ideas of what Welkin was up to and how the bottle still clutched in her hands had inspired it. Every so often she and Dom would catch each other's eye and shrug in mutual mystification.

"Would you be so kind as to hold onto these screws for me?" Welkin asked, holding a closed fist out to May without looking up from their project balanced on their knee.

"Only if you tell me what you're making," she countered.

Welkin didn't bite. "Not yet. Hand, please."

May sighed and opened her palm obediently. "Can you at least tell me what the deal is with this bottle?"

"Yeah," Dom chimed in. "Something you're saving for a special occasion?"

"In a manner of speaking." Welkin's enchanted eyes darted to the bottle cradled in May's arms like an infant. "Did Emandi tell you anything about it?"

"Nothing."

The Star smiled softly - a little melancholy, a little proud. "That very bottle is what I used to contain Audrey's life force. It was the only vessel at my disposal at the time."

Though it was likely her imagination, May could have sworn she felt a warmth radiating from the bottle. Carefully she held it aloft and examined the jewel-like green glass and time-worn label. How strange it was to imagine something so simple and commonplace once held the very essence of Em's existence.

"Who's in it now?" Dom asked. Taking one hand off the wheel, he pointed at the glimmering light suspended inside the bottle.

Welkin shook their head. "No one. That, my friends, is a spark. A concentrated sample of Star magic."

"Woah!" May looked back at the light with a respectful mix of awe and unease. Perhaps she hadn't been imagining that radiating warmth after all. "What was Emandi doing with that?"

"I gave it to them for safe keeping." Welkin was back to working on the contraption in their lap. "I'm no fool - I knew my crimes would catch up with me eventually, and when they did, I wasn't going to be of much help anymore. In truth, I thought I was going to be extinguished and so I left the spark behind just in case Emanthy needed it one day. But given the circumstances, I think we can make better use of it now."

"So, what do we do with it?" May asked.

"You'll see. Just be patient."

Patience wasn't May's strong suit these days, and she made it known with a disgruntled grumble. Welkin sighed.

"Ask me something else then," they said, signaling their need for a screw. "I suppose I owe you answers."

May chewed her bottom lip and flipped through the seemingly endless list of things she wanted to know. As she hesitated, Dom jumped in with a question of his own.

"What did you mean when you said you thought you were going to be extinguished?"

"It's the Star equivalent to death," Welkin replied curtly. "I assumed I would be executed. I still need one of those screws, May."

With a shudder, May dropped one in the Star's waiting palm. "When you were being held captive, could you tell that Em was trying to reach you? She called for you so many times."

Welkin paused in their work. A tremble shook their normally rock steady hand. "I could. I felt every call, but I could not answer. It destroyed me to know she was worried - that I had left you both the way I did." They met May's gaze. "Do you think she will ever forgive me?"

Surprised by the Star's vulnerability, it took May a moment to find her voice.

"Of course she will," she assured softly. "She's going to be so happy to see you."

Warmed by her words, Welkin gave a meek smile and went back to work.

"I have a question," Dom said. "For both of you, I guess. What is up with that Jeremy guy? I still can't believe Em decided to play along with this dumb plan of his."

Welkin squirmed. "I don't think it's my place to-"

May swiveled in her seat to face them. "No, I second the question. And like you said, you owe me some answers."

The Star glanced back and forth between them, shrinking back beneath their stares.

"Fine," they relented. "But I don't believe you're going to like what I have to say."

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