Page 98 of Stardusted

“What happened at the university is my fault,” Sky said suddenly—in a rush. As if the words had been pent up too long. I blinked, caught off guard. His jaw tightened. “I underestimated them. I didn’t know how many Enil were here—or how close they’d gotten to finding the halix. I sure as hell didn’t expect them to get to TWU at the same time I did…” He huffed a bitter laugh. “I suppose it getting destroyed is better than the Enil getting their hands on it, though.”

I frowned at that. I was missing an important part of this puzzle. “You said it was just a greeting. Why is that so important?”

His eyes flicked to mine, then away. “I can’t tell you that, Rae.”

“Part of it is literally tattooed on my hand. I think that earns me the inside scoop.”

“Maybe we can find a way to remove it,” he said, dodging the question. He turned on his heel and began to pace. “Maybe we can extract the information. Bast would know. He’s better with tech than I am.”

“And who is Bast?”

“My partner,” he said over his shoulder.

“Exactly how many Pladians are roaming around Earth?”

He sent me a sidelong look. “Just us. Bast and me. We’re a Pair.”

Two more than I’d anticipated before this afternoon. Well, that was fine and dandy. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want Sky, this Bast, or any other potential alien visitors extractinganythingfrom me.

So I tried again, this time more gently. “There’s no information, Sky. I’m telling you. I don’t feel any different. Weird dreams are totally normal considering how weirdeverythingis right now. In case you haven’t noticed, my life’s become pretty insane.”

“I know. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” He paused in his pacing to peek out the blinds again. “But even if you don’t recall anything now, there’s a chance you will with time.”

“Recallwhat? I wouldn’t even know what I’m looking for!” Irritated, I tugged on my frizzy braid, tossing it behind me. “Was I supposed to start speaking Pladian or something? I told you, everything’s been normal since the lab. The UFO on the road, the lab?—”

“Youdidsee the Enil scout probe on the road,” Sky cut in, spinning around to face me. “Iknewit wasn’t an animal. You’re a terrible liar, you know.”

So everyone kept telling me. I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, well, we all can’t be a locked vault of alien secrets.” At my pointed scowl, he merely raised an eyebrow, and I shook my head. “That doesn’t change the fact that besides the shinyversion of you showing up today, things have been relatively normal the last few days. I haven’t shown any signs of anything else. Just these marks.”

Dragging in a steadying breath, I lifted my hand. The pearlescent etchings gleamed faintly in the dimness. Alien symbols. I felt the weight of Sky’s gaze, but I couldn’t look up.

Alien markings. Alien visitors. Alienrobots.

To think two weeks ago, my biggest stressors were exams, Faith, and fifty-cent wing night.

When I raised my head, Sky was still watching me, his expression unreadable. Lightning blazed through the slats, bathing him in blue light, hollowing out his handsome features into something starker and striking.

He was a Pladian.

And yet his face was so familiar.

“You killed the Enil in the lab,” I said, battling a shiver at the thought. “Didn’t you?”

That familiar face shuttered completely. “I took care of it.”

“By…killing it?”

At the question, his eyes darted to mine, then slid past. He shoved his hands into his pockets, shifting his stance like he was uncomfortable. He didn’t answer, but…

“So that’s a yes,” I whispered. The realization settled with a metallic clang in my gut, as if a giant robotic dinosaur foot had planted its weight on my middle.

Just what exactly was he capable of if he’d taken out that Enil?

Apparently a lot more than slinging whiskey sours and pouring local drafts.

As if picking up my sudden apprehension, Sky exhaled through his nose, closing his eyes. “I’ve never told anyone any of this, Rae. If it wasn’t so important that you understand thedanger you’re in—if I didn’t fully believe you’d absorbed the halix—I wouldn’t be here.”