Page 23 of Stealing the Star Stone

Chapter Sixteen

The moon, Lethara

Stuck in some cave.

When weird shit gets weirder.

Day Three.

“Fuck that,” Nova squeaked, inching closer. “It’s vanished. Doesn’t that scare you?”

“No,” he said.

And yet a wave of sourness washed over her. She stiffened. Either he was as shit scared as she was, or something weird had made their gathering a party of three. Traveling in space, she’d seen many a thing she couldn’t explain. She’d shoved them to the recesses of her mind to never be poked.

But nothing this wild.

She tapped the rock, the coldness of it solidifying its existence to what she’d hoped was an illusion. “All right, let’s hope Orien can’t follow.”

She studied the next step in their adventure. “It’s beautiful.” Shuffling back, she surveyed the wall of rock, searching for a symbol. “Which way?”

“I’d say we travel along the circumference. Map this area, so to speak.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She glanced at him then scowled. “Quit it.”

He stopped rubbing a breast. “But it’s sore. Does it look bigger to you?”

She rolled her eyes. “They swell…when my period draws near.”

“Really?” Horror contorted his features.

“Yup. Welcome to womanhood.” She chuckled as she headed clockwise.

“Not funny,” he called, stomping after her.

A vision of his swagger in denims with the coat flapping behind her had her spinning to arch a brow at him.

Sure enough, he was staring at her ass. Instead of responding, she faced forward, trying to unravel how she’d known his thoughts, had seen through his eyes.

This planet had to be affecting her mind.

Could be the air? That made sense since she hadn’t touched anything.

With machete in hand, she hacked at the fauna, making a path for them while keeping the side of the cavern in view.

Hours ticked by, sweat formed, and the thought that they were going in circles ate at her.

She stopped when Thorne offered her a bottle of water. “This place is huge.”

“Yeah,” he said, after a long drink from his bottle. “I haven’t seen any lettering or alien-made objects to guide us.” He grimaced and hitched a thumb at the center of the oasis. “We could try there. If I was an alien culture, that’s where I’d put a marker or shrine.”

She gazed in that direction. “I’d build it into the rock walls on the circumference.”

He stilled. “No, we’re not splitting up.”

“It would cover more ground, and you can’t get lost.”

“When you fell into a hole? Who’s to say there isn’t another? Or a massive creature swallows you in one bite?”

“The problem with actors is their overactive imagination,” she said, taking another gulp of water before capping the bottle. “I just want to reach our starting point, to make sure we’re not missing arrows or other instructions. Then we can head to the middle.”

He peered over his shoulder. “I haven’t heard anything other than the wildlife.”

“Same.” She dipped her head, fear building in her spine. Orien wouldn’t give up, not if their footprints led to a solid wall of rock. He’d find a way in.

Thorne flashed his smirk. “We’re lost, thanks to you. I’ve been kidnapped by the sexiest man in the galaxy.”

She laughed. “Humble, much?”

“Nominated for that title two years in a row, I believe.” He puffed out his chest then sighed. “Everything’s sore, Nova. This jungle-forging isn’t for the faint of heart.”

She nodded. “To the beginning, then we stop for lunch.”

He grinned. “Sure, protein bars sound good about now.”

She marched on, slashing or holding back snapping vines.

Great silver leaves moved aside as if sensing their approach, coating the ground with a fine layer of white pixie dust. She stomped her feet, trying to keep the stuff off her boots.

Who knew if it was like acid or a narcotic.

She’d rather not find out. But with every thump-thump, a fresh cloud of white rose. So, she gave up on that futility.

When Thorne stumbled, she spared him a glance.

Sweat drenched the T-shirt to his chest, and he’d looped the coat through the bag’s straps.

The temperature, its warmth to be expected of a jungle climate, wasn’t hot enough to cause discomfort.

They’d been walking for hours, but her body was in pique condition.

She paused at a pool of water that disappeared under jagged rock.

It was orange, and so clear, she could see the bottom where iridescent eels swam between silver weeds.

They seemed to be the length of her arms, and tiny green fish trailed each one.

Beyond that was a shore then more jungle.

Somehow, she knew, they were close to the start. Then they could head to the center.

“What bothers me,” she said, facing Thorne who’d dropped the bag and sank onto the sand. “Where’s an exit? We need to get out of here. Up isn’t an option—no rope.”

“Didn’t see any on the shuttle,” he said before drinking more water.

“Which means into another hole or cave or through a secret archway.” She wiggled her fingers. “Gimme a bar. Might as well eat.”

His smile was weak, but he did as asked, handing her a purple-wrapped bar. “Blackberry.”

She took a bite, chewing around the ‘berry’ pieces. “Want me to investigate the opposite shore while you rest?”

He bit into his and moaned. “Didn’t realize how hungry I was.” Waving his bar at the pool, he said, “Be my guest, but stay within line of sight.”

With the bar gripped between her teeth after every bite, she hacked a path around the pool until she reached the other shore.

She waved at him before heading deeper into the foliage.

The cavern’s wall was to the left, rising high with nary a carving.

To the right, the ground climbed a little to the middle of the oasis.

She struck stone and glanced down, finding geometric rocks stacked high. “Found something,” she called.

Excitement tempted her to carry on, to not return to Thorne until she had more to share. After all, this could be nothing, even though the precise corners said otherwise. They’d been chiseled into shape. A quick stroke around their sides revealed no lettering.

Reluctantly, she trudged back along the path, crushing flowers in pinks and blacks beneath her boots. The potent fragrances intensified, so sharp her nostrils burned and a headache pinged at her temple. Stepping onto the shore gave her a moment to breathe.

Thorne lay on his back, the half-eaten bar clutched to his chest.

The ass was napping.

She growled and stomped to him, ready to shake him awake. When she approached, he stirred, angling his head to meet her gaze. His hand flopped down, exposing a thousand pinpricks in his arm, each one tainted blue-purple.

She gasped, hurried to reach him, then sank onto her knees. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She took his bottle and poured water over his wounds.

“Didn’t think to pack a med-kit. Didn’t see one,” he slurred, offering her a wobbly smile. “Nothing we can do, honey pot.”

“But find a way out. I stumbled on a piece of a wall. Could be ruins. I don’t know.

” She shrugged off the rifle and set it near at hand.

“Use this if anyone but me comes near you.” Maybe those vines had venom?

She couldn’t be sure. And bandaging them was impossible with them being all over his arm.

She had to try though. Shrugging off her coat, then her T-shirt, she sliced the latter into a long spiral, like peeling an apple skin in one go.

Thorne blinked at her, a silly smile in place. “I like you, Nova Blake.”

“Oh, Lord,” she muttered as she wrapped his arm. “You’re delirious.”

He pouted. “You don’t like me back?”

“I do,” she said, tying a tiny bow at the end, just under his armpit.

“I’ve left the rifle. Your water’s here, and finish your protein bar.

I’m going to see if there’s a way out of this place.

” She shrugged on the coat, better to have a layer of protection, then dug in the bag for the leather-bound book.

“I’ll stay here then,” he mumbled, shutting his eyes on a dreamy sigh.

This wasn’t good. She could carry him, but with nowhere to go, that was pointless. No, there had to be an arrow somewhere. “I’ll be right back.”

Without thinking, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, then jerked back. Shit .

Stunned, she rested on her haunches, fingers pressed to her tingling lips. Why did I do that? Argh, it had been instinctual. His eyes stayed shut. He must not have noticed.

Scrambling to her feet, she hurried along the path, only stopping when the pillar was before her.

Whack-whack, breathe. On she went, exposing cobbles beneath her boots, a few more pillars—all bare of writing.

Her shoulders rose in hope then slumped in despair when each one offered no guidance.

A breeze, cooling her sweaty skin, gave her pause.

She turned, staring at the unmoving leaves and branches.

Where was the wind coming from? A writhing vine reached for her, but she slapped it back with the flat of the machete’s blade.

That’s when the corner of her eye caught a flutter.

Obscured by deep blue flowers, the top third of an archway sat at the base of the cavern’s wall where it met the ground.

She’d have to wiggle through to reach what lay beyond.

For now, it was all darkness, and not the liquid kind from before.

She squealed when she brushed aside a few elongated petals and found letters.

Her fingers trembled as she withdrew the book and paged to the alphabet. It didn’t take her long to decipher its meaning.

“To find oneself is to face the shadows. Yes!” Back she sprinted, uncaring if she disturbed the pixie dust or if a vine tried to bite her. “Thorne, I f—”

She skidded to halt on the shore. He floated on his back in the pool, eels squirming over him.

Throwing aside the machete and the coat, she waded in, registering the water as refreshing and thicker than normal, almost viscous.

The eels and their entourages scattered, one slithering from under his T-shirt just when she reached him.

“Eli,” she gasped, gripping his shoulders. “Are you okay?”

His eyes were closed, but his chest moved…barely.

“Eli?” A chill shot down her spine. The bites… They were gone, now silver circles of tiny scars. “What the—”

His eyes opened.

Relief exploded in her, bathing her insides with joy. She hugged him, crushing him to her chest. “You scared me,” she snapped.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I was hot, and the water looked so inviting.” He tightened his arms around her, keeping her near. “I feel better too. For a moment there, my mind wasn’t—mine.” He leaned back, sloshing the water, and cupped her cheek. “Find something?”

“I did.” She beamed, caught his hand, and led him to his side of the pool. “Grab your gear.”

He hefted the bag over a shoulder and offered her the rifle. “You called me Eli.”

She scoffed but glanced away. “Thought you’d drowned.”

“Mm, so I’ve got to be dying before you’ll be nice to me?”

She frowned. “When haven’t I been nice?”

He arched an accusatory brow.

“Yes, you have to be dying.” She strode off. “Keep up. The hole’s this way.”

Through the overhead crevice, the sky was changing into pinks and reds, promising night.

They were running out of time. Did the countdown take planetary rotations into consideration?

A few hours ago, they’d been waking up on day three.

The sun setting this soon could mean they’d been cheated out of a day.

“What does the writing say?” He stroked the lettering along the arch.

“To find oneself is to face the shadows.”

“Sounds like the right direction.” He dipped and peered into the darkness. When he re-emerged, he said, “White fairy lights are here and there, but nothing else. I don’t know if we’re falling into nothing, water, or rock.” His eyes widened. “It’s a leap of faith.”

An explosion scattered the birds and sent up a cloud of pixie dust from across the oasis.

She froze, peering through the jungle like she could magically see Orien and his men. “They must have found a footprint. I was pretty sure the waves were washing them away.”

“We better hurry. We’ve left a trail…” He gripped the top of the archway and went in feet first.

She blinked. He was gone in a second.

“Shit,” she scrambled to the opening, then did the same.

The last thing she registered was the bite of stone under her fingertips.