Starsinger

Visions

That night, Aaron dreamed of home. He was in his father's shop, walking through the narrow maze of shelves filled with wonders and knick-knacks and old, fragile figurines. As he walked, the items got more and more fantastic: blown glass goblets, intricate tapestries, and delicate gadgets even the Conservatories had yet to dream up. A line of glistening stones, one after the other, vibrant agates and luminescent rubies and speared shafts of calcite. A glimmering moonstone the size of his fist, resting on a plush indigo pillow. His father's shop had never had such fine treasures to sell.

"Be careful." It was his sister. Not Ellie, but his older sister, Rachel. She helped out in the shop after Aaron joined the squads.

She stood in front of him, fists on her hips. "Watch where you're going."

Suddenly Aaron heard a crash. He turned around and saw that something had fallen over, something big and made of blue-black glass. Tiny shattered pieces were scattered across the smooth wood floor, glittering in the lamplight.

"Now you've done it," Rachel said. "You've got to clean it up now."

Aaron knelt and tried to scoop the pieces up with his hands, but they slipped through his fingers, leaving thin cuts along his skin.

"You have to put it back together." Rachel was no longer behind him. Instead it was just her voice, disembodied, surrounding him as the light began to dim. "Aren't you going to fix it?"

The pieces hurt to touch, and there were so many of them. He scooped up another handful but they slipped away from him again, this time drawing blood.

"You've got to put it back together," Rachel's voice whispered inside his head.

When Aaron woke, Jace was still fast asleep beside him. It must still be first watch. He rolled over and closed his eyes to wait for sleep, but his dream had left him unsettled. Fatemongers were the ones who made bad dreams, so the story went, using dark magic to sow fear and fatalism into the hearts of the starborn. This felt stranger than a nightmare, though. Aaron couldn't get comfortable. After several frustrating minutes he threw off his blankets and yanked a tunic over his head.

Outside the tent, Sapphire was sitting cross-legged by the fading fire, her back to the wall of stone and quartz. Beside her she had stacked a hefty pile of branches, ready to be sacrificed when the flames dipped too low. She glanced up as he approached. "You still have another hour."

"Couldn't sleep." He nodded at the amberglass she was rubbing between her fingers. "You sure that thing isn't a bad luck charm?"

Sapphire tucked the amber back in her pocket. "Been a hell of a day."

"I can't imagine what you're referring to," said Aaron, leaning back on his hands and pretending not to notice the scout staring. "Do you mean the near-escape, running-for-our-lives part? Or the part where I came closer than ever to defying my kyrleader and closest friend?"

"I crossed the line. You didn't."

"Just barely."

"Didn't know you had it in you."

"To disagree with Jace?" He bit back a laugh. "We disagree all the time. But we're also partners. Same with the rest of our squad. We listen to him, and he listens to us. When it's time to act, he leads. I don't mind following when I trust the fellow in front."

"You didn't trust him today."

"You mean with Delia? That was—"

"No," Sapphire interrupted. "I mean with me."

Aaron froze. "Ah."

"You lied for me." Her eyes were intense, so focused Aaron felt they were rooting him to the spot. "I didn't ask you to lie for me."