Starborn Legacy (A Starborn Series prequel)

Chapter sixteen

A curious silence settled between Audrey and Connor as they sized each other up in the rapidly fading twilight. Audrey looked Connor over from head to toe, wondering if she would have guessed that there was something special about him had she not already known. Were all Wishes as angelic-looking as he was? The only thing she had to compare him against was herself, and she definitely didn't think she was gorgeous, so maybe he was just lucky in that regard. He looked strong for someone their age, with broad shoulders and thick forearms that didn't seem to match his shy expression and gentle way of speaking.

"I don't think I've seen you before," Connor said, squinting at Audrey through the shadows.

"You haven't — I've never been here. Hang on, let me get my flashlight. I can barely see—" Audrey stopped short when she reached for a pack that wasn't there. She vaguely remembered setting it at her feet while she spied on the funeral. "Shit, I must have left it with—" she turned a slow circle, expecting to see Emandi lurking close by. But the woods were dark. "Emandi? Where are you?"

"Emandi?" Connor sounded uneasy.

"It's okay," Audrey assured him. "They're my friend." She chewed her bottom lip and considered her next move. Worrying about Emandi seemed laughable to her — they had survived for thousands of years without her. "I'm sure they'll catch up."

Without a flashlight to guide the way, Audrey decided to try her powers instead. She recalled the anger and outrage she'd felt only moments earlier as she watched the man strike Connor, and directed all of that fiery emotion down her arm. A ball of golden light flared to life, hovering just above her open palm.

"Woah!" Connor cried as he jumped back. "What— How did you—" His eyes, wide with disbelief, seemed to glow as the light in Audrey's hand reflected off their already brilliant green irises. When he lifted his gaze from the energy orb and back to Audrey's face, his expression had shifted. "You're... you're not a druid, are you?"

Audrey shook her head. "No, but they seem cool though."

"But you said you're a Starborn," Connor said, the pitch of his voice rising ever so slightly. He took a half-step back.

"I am," Audrey insisted with a frown. "My mom was human, but my other parent is a Star."

"How is that possible?"

"Do you really need me to tell you where babies come from?"

Connor didn't laugh. His throat bobbed with a hard swallow as he took another step back. "Why are you here?"

Only then did Audrey realize that Connor was, for some inexplicable reason, afraid of her. An unexpected wave of desperation washed over her. She didn't know what to say to secure this boy's trust; all she knew was that she didn't want him to run away. "Wait! I'm not— well, I don't actually know what you're worried about me doing, but I promise I'm not here to cause trouble."

"Then what do you want?" Connor's eyes narrowed skeptically.

Audrey sighed. That question always felt so hard to answer. "Listen, I've never known anyone else like me before. I didn't even know about things like Wishes or druids until now. I just..." she hesitated. Being this vulnerable around a complete stranger made her uncomfortable, and yet it felt like something she had to do. "I'm lonely, okay? I'm lonely and I'm scared and I thought you might be able to help me understand myself a bit better."

"I don't know if I'm the right person to help you with that," Connor said with a meek bow of his head. "Besides, what about your parents? I'm sure they can answer your questions."

"My mom is dead," Audrey replied bluntly. "And my other parent is..." she turned her face to the sky. "I dunno — off doing Star shit, I guess."

This confession softened Connor's rigid posture. He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought, leaving Audrey to await his verdict in awkward silence.