Starborn Legacy (A Starborn Series prequel)

Chapter eleven

The only sound in the cavern was the lively crackle of twin bonfires. Audrey's lungs ached with the effort of holding her breath as she waited for Welkin to answer Emandi's question:

Was she part of the Plan or not?

Even if Welkin had hesitated, surely they'd never leave Emandi waiting this long.

Did I miss it? Audrey wondered with frustration. Maybe Welkin had answered with a simple nod, or perhaps the two mythical creatures had switched to a tongue her half-human ears couldn't hear. Audrey quietly let out her breath and decided it was time to get a little closer. She turned, only to find a pair of magenta eyes staring back only inches from her face, and shrieked.

Emandi laughed deeply, their voice joining hers in echoing off the cavern walls.

"So, you're a sneaky little Starborn, hmm?" Emandi said. They cast a disparaging look back at Welkin. "I wonder which parent you inherited that particular trait from."

"No need to be spiteful," Welkin responded.

"I believe you mean 'catty'." Emandi cut a mischievous, sharp-toothed grin at Audrey. "Get it?"

Welkin's exasperated sigh drifted through the cavern. "Ignore them, Audrey. Stop lurking and join us here."

"I wasn't lurking," Audrey huffed as she followed Emandi into the chamber. Her eyes lifted to take in the space. It was cozy compared to the grand but empty entryway. Rows of shelves were carved into the stone walls, and each one was packed to overflowing with stuff. Books, toys, and framed photos sat alongside paintings, pottery, and neatly folded linens. One entire section was dedicated to an impressive collection of glass and crystal treasures that glittered in the firelight. Some of these things looked like the wares one would find in a typical store, while others seemed impossibly old. Audrey itched to rummage through all of it, just to see what she could find. "What is all this stuff?"

"My belongings, of course," Emandi said as they settled next to the fire. They picked up a bough still flush with needles and a fistful of herbs from a low wooden box and scattered them into the flames. As they caught fire, the kindling filled the cavern with a fragrant aroma that soothed Audrey's nerves in a way she didn't realize she needed. "Some of my favorite trinkets from the past few millennia, gifts from friends, that sort of thing."

Audrey turned a slow circle in the middle of the room, marveling at it all. "Cool!"

Across the chamber, Welkin hoisted a cast iron pot off the table and hung it on a hook that reached over the fire. They stepped back and eyed their work with a nod of satisfaction.

"The tea will need a few minutes," they said, looking up at Emandi through the flames. "Perhaps you can tell us what's going on while we wait."

Audrey wanted to interject. She wanted to steer the conversation back to herself and demand the answer to Emandi's question. But minding her own business had never been Audrey's strong suit, and she was deeply curious to hear what kind of drama was stirring between Emandi and the Stars. She had waited this long to learn about her place in the Plan; surely, she reasoned as she took a seat next to Emandi, she could wait a few more minutes.

"A few minutes," Emandi repeated, their voice dripping with sarcasm, "you're so very gracious with your time, golden one." In response, Welkin rolled their eyes and crossed their arms like a petulant child.

Frustration flared in Audrey's chest. Yes, she could wait a few more minutes, but not if it meant putting up with this shit.

"Will you two just talk to each other?" she snapped. "If I wanted to sit through this bratty mean-girl routine I would have stayed in school and let my ex and her friends talk shit about me behind my back."