Chapter 8: The Unplanned Extraction - How the Stars Fall

The sun had risen twenty-one times since Ryker left her with King Branoc.

Each day was the same as before. The maids would get her up, dress her in some ridiculous gown, and style her hair into some mass of frills and curls that gave Nova a headache by the end of the day.

She’d pick at her breakfast while they worked. Trying to find her appetite. It must have taken a liking to Ryker, because it left when he did.

Once the posse of women had finished their tugging and pulling, they would hand her over to the guards who stood posted at her door day and night. Then she’d be marched to the throne room and a waiting King Branoc.

Each passing day had brought new hope that Ryker would return to take her from this prison, but he was yet to come. Nova knew all along that he was leaving her at the palace. He’d never hidden that truth from her, but she’d harboured some hope that at the last minute he might have changed his mind.

Even if he came back, would she want to see him? Nova had pleaded with him, yet he’d left anyway.

Humans were depraved creatures, driven by their own selfish desires, and it seemed most of them were not to be trusted.

Now, as the heels of her boots echoed down the halls of the grand palace that had become a place of despair, Nova sighed. Mentally trying to prepare herself for whatever mood Branoc would be in today.

The heavy doors of the throne room swung open with a resounding creak, and Nova entered, her steps echoing in the vast, grand chamber. King Branoc sat on his gilded throne, watching smugly as she approached. The room was adorned with tapestries and finery, but the grandeur was spoiled by the oppressive atmosphere.

“Ah, my very own star. Come to use that magic for me again?” the king sneered.

Nova tried her best to hold her head high; she wouldn’t allow him to see her in pain.

“What do you want?” she murmured.

Sister Tierra would laugh at Nova’s boldness. Back home in Ara, she was always encouraging her to use her voice more. Perhaps here on Earth it was the perfect time to start practising.

King Branoc rose from his throne and sauntered over, forcing her to look up as he towered over her. His eyes brimmed with gluttony and pride—human traits Nova was quickly learning to recognise.

The king’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Jewels, my dear. More jewels. I need you to replicate them with your magic. My treasury can never be too full.”

It was the same thing he said every day, and every day she tried to resist the demand, with no luck.

Nova clenched her fists, her patience wearing thin. “What more could you possibly need? How can you hoard more when your people are starving?”

“My people have two hands and two legs . . . they can help themselves.” He drew closer. “They are a stain on my kingdom. Perhaps I should be rid of them all together.”

The threat hung in the air like a poisonous cloud. Nova’s heart pounded with anger and fear. “You wouldn’t dare,” she spat, her voice trembling with rage.

“Disobey me and see what happens,” the king sneered.

A salty wash of tears gathered in Nova’s eyes. “You’re a monster, and I hope you get what you deserve.”

King Branoc’s eyes darkened as he raised his hand and cracked it across her cheek. The force of the blow sent her to the ground in a trembling heap. A metallic taste, now familiar, blossomed through her mouth and Nova spat red blood onto the already crimson carpet.

The king crouched down and gripped her face in his hand. “See what happens when you don’t behave? Shall we try again?”

Tears threatened to spill over, but Nova held them back, nodding in silence. Using her voice hadn’t made a difference so far.

“Pick her up,” Branoc ordered, and the guards stepped forward, roughly hauling Nova to her feet.

She stood, trembling but unbroken, glaring at Branoc with all the defiance she could summon. Her fists were clenched, every muscle in her body taut.

King Branoc pointed to the pile of glittering jewels spilling from a golden chest that sat on a small square table beside his throne. “Do it,” he commanded, his voice cold and menacing. “Or we will see who pays the price for your disobedience.”

* * *

Pitch black painted the skies above Nova. Her sisters glittering the realms from their heavenly places. Oh, how she wished to be with them. Would Soleil be watching her from the platforms of Ara? Can they see her in this bruised human body? Perhaps Tierra would chastise her, saying Nova’s obsession with Earth would surely be cured now. Would Tierra make sure Soleil wouldn’t get into too much trouble for trying to eat more than one starfruit a day?

The floor was like ice against her skin. Nova welcomed it. The sensation made her feel some sort of emotion as she lay naked on the floor.

After all her magic was depleted, Branoc would always send her back to her room. It was then that she would wait for nightfall so she could strip away the day physically and mentally.

Basking in the moon’s glow.

Every minute that passed, she could feel her veins filling with her celestial powers. Pulsing through her like a life giving elixir—feeding her soul.

In her realm, she could summon handfuls of stardust to throw across the sky in a shower of tiny flecks. She could illuminate herself until she shone brighter than the sun shone in the Earth’s sky. Auroras were created by her hands. Here on Earth, her powers had manifested differently. She could summon replicas of things she held, and then there was the whole glowing thing—not that she’d done a lot of that lately.

King Branoc had demanded she show him what she could do. He’d read the history books. He knew stars could perform magic on Earth and he wanted to see it for himself. At first, all she could manage was a faint glow. But after the fifth time enduring Branoc’s rage, Nova became determined to find her powers, if only to make him stop hurting her.

Late at night, in the privacy of her room, she’d called upon them. Willing them to show themselves. Nova had begged internally—she needed to stay alive. What was the point of enduring five years of plummeting through space only to end up dead at the hands of a wicked man?

She’d been relieved to discover her power of replication, able to make an item appear in her other hand by simply holding it in her palm. Branoc, of course, had taken a liking to it as well.

With a soft sigh, thoughts of Ryker returned. Was he out there spending his sack of gold looking for his next victim? Basking in the glory of finding the star the king requested?

Truly, she shouldn’t be shocked. She’d seen how cruel mankind can be from her place in the stars.

Tears pricked her eyes and started to flow down her cheeks. Wiping them with her hand, Nova sniffed and looked down at her body, covered in splotched colours of purple and brown—some new, some old. Never did she think falling to Earth would result in physical pain at the hands of a human.

Nova rested her chin on her knees as something moved in the shadows—halting her movements. “Who’s there?”

No answer.

“Show yourself or I’ll scream and the guards will come running.”

A figure emerged, and Nova froze.

“Ryker?”

“Hello, little star.”

The way her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach at the sight of him brought a wave of heat that started at her feet and washed over her face. Nova scurried to stand, fully aware of how bare she was. Apparently, it wasn’t common for a female to be naked in front of a male unless they were romantically involved—or so the maids said. Thankfully, her hair was long enough to cover her breasts. Though it didn’t do much to cover the rest of her. She felt silly now for bathing with him when she did.

“Oh . . . oh . . . you do not get to talk to me. No, sir. Go away and don’t ever come back.” Nova choked back a sob.

It was the complete opposite of what she actually wanted, but the angry words spilled out, regardless.

Ryker took a few steps towards her, and she took a few back.

“Why are you here?” she asked. “Did you find someone who would pay you more for me?!”

“Keep your voice down. I just want to talk to you,” Ryker pleaded.

Folding her arms across her chest, Nova scowled at the stupidly handsome man who blended with the shadows way too easily. “You have ten seconds to explain why you are here, or I will call the guards.”

“I’m sorry, alright.”

Nova stomped towards him, stopping just shy of him as the chain pulled on her ankle. “You’re sorry!? I begged you not to leave me with him and you left me, anyway.”

“I am a bounty hunter, Nova. It’s my job to collect people and take them back to whoever has hired me to do so. I was just doing what I was being paid to do,” Ryker explained.

A tear escaped down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. “How’s that going for you? Do you think this job was worth doing?”

“I don’t. That’s why I’m here. Let me take you away and truly help you find a way to get home.”

“Why would I go with you?” Nova grit her teeth.

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“Because you’re just as likely to sell me off to someone else?”

Ryker tried to reach for her hand, but she pulled away, turning her back on him. “Please Nova. Surely coming with me is better than staying here chained to a bed?”

She turned to face him, sniffling as tears threatened to spill again. All these silly human emotions were so hard to juggle. She wanted to be so mad at him and at the very same time she’d wished for this very moment for the last twenty-one days.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

Ryker ran a hand through his inky waves and sighed. “You don’t, but I am certainly going to try to rectify that. Starting tonight.”

Nova thought for a moment as she looked out towards the darkened treeline. She certainly would like to be free from this abusive king and silly silver chain, but could she trust the man who put her in this position in the first place?

Ryker’s gaze was softer than she’d ever seen it before. Those russet eyes that haunted her dreams. Ones she’d wished daily to look upon again.

“I will go with you only because I hate this horrid castle, with its suffocating clothing and greedy king, but so we are clear. I do not trust you.”

Ryker hadn’t let her finish before he was nodding in agreement. “I understand completely, and if you’re done talking, we need to leave right now.”

A commotion sounded from the hallway.

“Here, put this on . . . you need to cover up. And then we will see about that chain.”

Nova’s cheeks warmed at Ryker’s words. She took the coat from his outstretched hand and put it on, wrapping it tightly around her body.

Ryker knelt down with a small knife in his hand and jammed the tip of the blade between the links of the silver chain and twisted until they bound against each, and with one more solid movement the metal gave way. She was free.

“Let me get my dress and shoes.” Nova darted into her room and returned, shoving her arms into a fancy palace gown.

The gown Ryker had first bought her was long gone, but at least the maids had let her keep her boots. She’d worn them so often they’d become perfectly broken in, and she couldn’t imagine trading them for new ones. She threw Ryker’s jacket on again; she’d worry about the dress buttons later.

“We must hurry.” Ryker spoke quietly as he took her hand and moved to the edge of the balcony.

“Are you expecting me to jump over the edge?” Nova whispered harshly, shoving her feet into her brown leather boots.

Ryker peered down at the ground below. “What if I promised to catch you?”

Nova simply glared in response.

“Fine, get on my back and I’ll carry you down,” he said as he turned his back towards her.

Nova rolled her eyes and sighed. There really weren’t any other options. Placing her arms around his neck, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. The warmth of his back instantly seeped into her chest, making her body hum with that all too familiar glow.

“We’re going to be spotted if you keep doing that,” Ryker murmured.

Nova tried to shove her hands back into the jacket further. “I’m trying not to,” she whispered back. She didn’t want to admit that he was the reason she was glowing in the first place. Why did he have to smell so good?

With ease and light feet, Ryker had them over the edge of the balcony and down on the ground before Nova even had time to blink.

“How did you even get in here?” Nova asked as they slunk along.

Ryker glanced over his shoulder. “Sent the guards to bed early.”

Nova shot her gaze towards Ryker’s shadowed face.“You killed them?”

His brow knitted at her accusation. “No? I knocked them out.”

“Oh.”

“Do you think I just go around killing people?”

Nova shrugged. “I don’t know you at all, but I certainly hope not.”

Ryker huffed and pulled her close to his side, pressing them up against the stonewall of the palace gardens.

A few guards patrolled the grounds, so they waited until the coast was clear before moving on. They snuck through, making sure they stayed in the shadows as they ran against the wall. Ryker stopped halfway along and motioned with his hands that they needed to jump over the wall. Nova wasn’t sure how she felt about this next part, but nodded. He knelt down and scooped her up, sitting her on his shoulder. With a stretch, she grabbed the top of the wall and put all her energy in, pulling herself up and over.

Ryker pushed her feet, and it was the boost she needed to sit on top of the wall. He took a few steps back and ran towards the wall. He hit it with his feet and almost ran vertically up it. Nova was thoroughly impressed.

“Hey! I think I just saw someone go over that wall!” a guard called from the other side, his voice filled with intrigue.

Heat washed through Nova’s body, the glow from her hands fading. She was afraid they would be caught and she could only imagine what might happen to either of them, should Branoc find them.

“Don’t be daft.” A second male voice rang through the night air.

“I’m serious . . . I saw something.”

Their voices became muffled the further Nova distanced herself from the castle. She huddled close to Ryker’s side, grateful that they’d managed to get free without being spotted.

As they entered the dense forest, she smiled. Charlie waited patiently and snorted at their arrival.

“Well done, little star.” Ryker winked at her.

Nova tried to hide her smile because she was supposed to be mad at him, but she couldn’t help the corner of her mouth from sneaking up.

The next few minutes were a blur as they raced swiftly through the city and out into the forest. The air was crisp. Ryker gripped her tightly around the waist and, even though she was still angry with him, the touch of his hand on her body made her come alive.

The glowing light from a cabin window came into view, and Nova presumed it was Ryker’s home as they neared. Charlie needed no direction as he aimed for the house, stopping short, just shy of the front steps.

“We must hurry. As soon as the king finds you’re gone, he will send out a search party and we don’t want to be around when he does.”

Nova nodded as she slid down from Charlie’s back and walked up the stairs to the front door. She waited patiently while Ryker unlocked it and then stepped inside as he held it open for her. His scent wafted over her and she instantly felt like she was home. The walls were unadorned, the furniture plain and functional. No soft fabrics, no delicate ornaments or flowers brightened the space.

“Is there anything I can do?” Nova asked, as Ryker rushed about.

“It’s fine, you stay there; I only need a few things,” he said as he paused in the doorway to a room. “I don’t think you’ll be comfortable travelling in that. Would you like a different dress?”

Nova looked down at the frilly palace gown and smoothed the fabric before fixing her gaze back on Ryker. “I only have this, so it will have to do.”

“I think I have something.”

His response drew Nova’s brow together. Why did Ryker have women’s clothing?

He disappeared into the room and returned with a bundle of dark blue fabric. “Here,” he said as he shoved it towards her.

Nova looked at the ball of fabric.

“It’s a dress . . .”

“I can see that. I’m just wondering where it came from . . . are you hiding someone back there?” Nova smirked, trying to peer over his shoulder into the room behind him.

His face was slightly redder than usual, and he fiddled with the pendant around his neck. “No. It was my sisters.”

He seemed to stumble over his words, his shoulders slightly hunched, as his eyes darted around the room, avoiding her gaze.

Knowing they needed to get a move on, she didn’t press further. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Ryker nodded and pointed towards another room. “You can change in there.”

Nova shut the door quietly behind her and took in the space. It was clearly Ryker’s room. The bed was neatly made, and a couple of pairs of boots rested at the foot of it. A dark green rug, round and worn in places, covered the centre of the floor, while plain brown curtains framed the small window. It certainly didn’t scream fashionable in any way, but to Nova it suited Ryker well. He didn’t seem like the type to care for material things.

With fumbling fingers, Nova dropped the mass of ribbons and lace to the floor and drew the dark blue dress up and over her head. Despite the sleeves being a little too loose around her arms, it fit her quite nicely.

In the living room, Ryker leaned patiently against the kitchen table as he waited for her return. Inky black waves fell across his warm coloured face when he looked up as she entered. She itched to reach out and touch them. For a moment, she simply gazed at him. There were many men in the castle, but not one of them made her heart thud right out of her chest the way Ryker did when their eyes met.

“Would you mind helping me with the few buttons at the back?” she murmured.

Ryker shook his head. “Not at all.”

Masculine fingers with a soft touch danced along her spine and Nova took a sharp breath in, trying not to imagine those exact same fingers dancing over other parts of her body.

“Done,” Ryker spoke.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t linger long, instead reaching for the bags on the table and looking towards the front door. “We should really get going.”

“Where are we going to go?”

“Anywhere but here.”

They exited the cottage, and Ryker secured the lock to the front door.

After strapping the new bags to Charlie’s saddle, he helped her up before pulling himself into position behind her.

“We will go in the opposite direction from where you landed. Fingers crossed they go looking for you there first,” Ryke said as he pulled Charlie around. “Plus, I have a friend that I think might be able to help.”