Page 12 of Bonds of Starfall

Rin hurried out of her room, boots thumping on the steps as she flew down the large, curving staircase that led to the kitchen.

Empty. Silent.

Where was Kit?

Opening the fridge, she relished the burst of cool air against her overheated cheeks. Her heart stuttered in her chest as she tipped back a glass of water, nearly choking on the liquid.

As she shut the fridge door, she saw a note scrawled on a small strip of notebook paper, tacked to the fridge with a magnet in the shape of a moon.

Don’t forget to eat breakfast—I left it in the blue container on the middle shelf.

She smiled at Kit’s thoughtfulness. But a glance at the clock on the wall showed that she didn’t have time to eat. She would grab something afterward.

In the garage, she unhooked her helmet from the back of her motorcycle, fitting it over her head as she swung her leg over the seat. She revved it, pressing a button on the side to open the garage door, revealing the too-bright sun. She was grateful for the dark tint of the helmet’s visor.

The ride to downtown Solar City was quiet since it was a Saturday morning.

Idling at a stoplight near the beach, she watched the sun as it glanced over the water beautifully.

Her heart clenched at the sight, a strong wave of nostalgia ripping through her.

A honk from the car behind her made her jolt and look up to find that the light was green.

"Asshole," she grumbled, lifting her foot from where it was brushing the road and putting it back in place as she rotated the throttle, taking the corner sharply.

The engine rumbled to a stop as she parked on the side of the road, bordered by high-rises. Deeper, the city center opened into a gorgeous circle, where no vehicles were allowed, boasting a bubbling fountain, shops, eateries, and more.

Kicking the stand down, Rin put her helmet on the back of her bike, quickly walking toward her destination: Solar City General Hospital, a state-of-the-art medical facility that was renowned for not only providing human care, but also having specialists who worked with other species.

Rin passed a business on the street corner, a worker passing out flyers for the off-planet travel agency. Her eyes fell to the pictures posted on the glass door.

Sibeth, the word written in bold font over photographs of the planet—dark architecture that dripped opulence. Everyoneknew Sibeth wasn’t a family-friendly planet. Home to incubi and succubi, anyone who traveled to Sibeth wanted one thing only.

"Would you like a brochure?" A bright-eyed travel agent pressed a pamphlet into Rin’s hands. "Sibeth is gorgeous this time of year." She leaned closer to Rin, her eyes glimmering with put-on amusement. "And just between us, Prince Soltren is said to be in the market for a wife. Who knows, maybe he likes human girls."

Rin stepped back, holding a hand up to ward the agent away. "I’m not interested."

The agent wasn’t perturbed. "If you change your mind, we’re open until 6 PM!" she called after Rin’s already retreating form.

Rin couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder; something inside her was intrigued by the photos of Sibeth.

"I’m hereto see Dr. Quenlan." Rin folded her hands on the reception desk in front of her, blinking away the dark spots in her vision from the bright fluorescent lights.

Katri gave her a soft smile, lines at the corners of her eyes crinkling, long nails clacking away on her keyboard as the ends of her short black bob tickled her chin. "Of course, Vesperin, honey. How have you been?"

"Fine," Rin replied, quickly turning the conversation back around on the other woman. She hated attention from strangers. "How are you?"

That was the right answer. Katri started chatting away about her daughter’s first day of middle school. "…I hope she grows up to be a fine young lady just like you. A Hunter," she gushed.

Rin’s eyes widened; before she could comment, Katri looked away from her computer with a smile. "Dr. Quenlan should be in his office. I’ll page him and let him know you’re on the way."

Rin gave a grateful nod. "Thank you."

Her boots clicked against the polished floors as she walked to the elevator, like muscle memory, as her hands pressed the button for floor number nine.

She steeled herself with a shaky breath. The ding of the elevator as it opened onto the ninth floor sent shivers down her spine. The halls were quiet, and she found the door to Lucien’s private offices, ears straining to hear the low tenor of his voice.

Nothing.