Ordo Noctis

Chapter 1

"Star, wake up." My eyelashes fluttered open as my memories rushed back. I sat straight up in the hotel bed.

I heard a suppressed laugh behind me and whipped around to see Mars still standing in the room, smug smile and all. I groaned and laid back down.

Han handed me a glass of water. "I know this is a lot, especially on your birthday. But I can explain everything. On one condition: you ask no questions until I am finished. It will be easier that way."

"Fine," I grumbled. "Talk."

No other operative in Ordo Noctis would dare talk to Han this way, but I was different. I saw him as a father more than a boss.

Han sighed and began. "Mars is... like you. We adopted him from an orphanage and trained him in our ways. The plan was for him to be our secret weapon; he was too young to have been influenced by the corruption of the government. I named him after a planet because he was the bright light of the Order of Midnight. After a year, we decided we needed a backup plan in case something unexpected happened. So we adopted you as well. I named you Star because a star could be bigger or smaller than Mars, depending on the point of view. Even if your light seems smaller, either of you could end up being brighter. We kept you two separate for all this time because we worried you would see each other as threats. And I suspect we were correct to keep you apart until you were mature enough." He glanced at me as I glared at Mars. "Or perhaps we didn't wait long enough..."

I shook my head adamantly. "No, I am perfectly capable. It's Mars you should be worried about."

Deflecting had always been my way of coping with shocking news, and this was the most shocking news of all.

All my life, I had been told that I was special. That I was the most important member of Ordo Noctis. So to learn that I was only Plan B - that there was another operative with my exact story, except with a year more of training - was unthinkable.

"But what about Mask Dude? And why did it sound like Mars knew him?"

"I thought I said no questions," Han chastised. I frowned, and he sighed. "I was getting to that."

"Er, Mask Dude, as you call him, was a test performed on the two of you. Each of you took it on your fourteenth birthday, as we decided that was a good time to test your ability. Mars took it a year ago. Both of you passed the test, in... different ways. And Mask Dude? He was me."

I glared. At nobody in particular, just glared. This was so much new information.

"I'm sure this is a lot to take in, but I know you can handle it. Ordo Noctis decided you two would be stronger together, so we're initiating a one-year experiment. The two of you will work together for all of your assignments, will train together, and eat together. We want to see how you work with the help of one another. It's just for a year, until you turn fifteen. And, Star?"

"What?" I grumbled. "What else?"

Han sighed, exasperated. "Try to keep an open mind, okay? Remember that this is all for the betterment of the organization."

I rolled my eyes. "Great. You can go."

"Actually, we're going with him," Mars said. It was the first time he had spoken since I had passed out.

"Fuck you," I mumbled under my breath, scowling at him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Han looking at me, so I feigned politeness. "Really? What about the Louvre?"

"Oh, I took care of that while you were being tested." Mars waved the question away as if it were nothing but an unimportant fly. "We're going back to Base to begin training together. You're already packed." He gestured to a black suitcase next to the bed.

I wanted to scream at him.

I jumped up and grabbed the suitcase, walking out the door behind him. As soon as we were out of the room, I pulled him to the side. "Just so you know," I hissed, "you aren't a better operative just because you're a year older than me."

"No, why would I think that?" He asked with a smirk. "And why are you being so rude? It's my birthday too, you know."

I clenched my fists. "Happy birthday," I said through gritted teeth.

He smiled sweetly. "To you as well."

Han came out of the room just then, and he told us to follow him back to Base. I shoved past Mars and began the trek towards what was sure to be the worst year of my life.