All the Stars Between Us

A Girl With Amber Eyes

Thalia was careful to keep her expression neutral, and spoke quietly.

"Who are you?" Her voice did not waver, and she looked straight ahead, her long brown hair soaked in the shadow of the narrow stall.

Her attacker pulled back their weapon quickly, and stepped back in disbelief.

"Thalia? Is that you?" She asked softly.

Thalia's eyes widened. "Caspienne?"

She whirled on the other woman, pulling her into a hug. "Where have you been? What-" Caspienne cut her off with another hug.

"Mmfh.." Thalia's questions were muffled by the smooth fabric of Caspienne's scarlet blouse, and she sunk into the embrace, burying her head in the other woman's shoulder.

All of a sudden, Caspienne pulled back. "It's not safe here. The people here are not accustomed to... you know... anything different." She eyed Thalia's huge, silver sword, tucked away in its sheathe.

Thalia nodded. "Nyx, this is Caspienne. Caspienne, meet Nyx." She looked fondly at Nyx. Caspienne caught the glance, and smiled to herself.

"Nyx, I presume? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintanc-" Caspienne started, but Nyx had already pulled her into a friendly hug.

"I know what you've been through, and what you've helped Thalia through. I'm sorry." Nyx whispered into Caspienne's ear softly. "And for what it's worth, thank you."

She tightened her hug before stepping back, to find Caspienne smiling warmly at her.

"I know what you may have heard of me, but I think you'll find that I protect my own. And you, my dear, are welcome to my friendship, if you'll have it," Caspienne said, tucking her glossy, raven dark hair behind her ear.

Nyx smiled brightly at the other girl. "I'd love that."

Caspienne's eyes shone with something indecipherable for a second, and Nyx knew that the graceful woman standing opposite her would not betray her.

Thalia tapped Nyx's shoulder lightly. "Nyx, we should get Faye. She'll be getting worried," she said quietly.

Nyx nodded at her grimly, then turned to Caspienne, who was observing their exchange curiously. "Caspienne, we'll meet you back here in five, there's someone we need to get."

Caspienne's eyes flashed with understanding, and she put her hand into an excellently concealed pocket in her blouse, pulling out a four-pointed throwing star, with a garnet studded into the middle, the size of which just fitted into the palm of her hand.

Nyx gasped. "Is that-" she stopped when Caspienne nodded.

"It's the middlemost Evening Star. It places the victim in a coma, which I can reverse if I want. It's the most effective of the three. The little one just kills, which isn't useful to me if I need to use the victim, and the large one only immobilizes the victim for ten minutes before they wake up. I'd really rather just kill them, but apparently I'm not supposed to just kill on sight. You know, hero's honour and all that."

Her tone was sarcastic, but playful, and she held up her hand as if taking an oath.

"I can also see the dreams and thoughts of people I've put to sleep- previously, or presently. I can switch my thoughts to theirs and project them if I wish, sort of like changing channels on a holo-screen, if you can picture that."

Her eyes shone with mirth, and a corner of her lip tilted up ever-so-slightly in a smile.

Thalia's eyes were questioning, but she decided she would deal with that later. She unsheathed her sword, and Nyx strung her bow, and they ventured outside together.