The Invisible Planet

Part 28: Aster

Angeline sat bored at Marita's table, picking away at the small herbal leaves on a blue stem of Silverweed and placing them in a large bowl. It had been nearly two months since the shipwreck, and three weeks since she'd spoken to Shay.

She plucked the last usable leaf from the plant and tossed the stem into her discarded pile.

The door opened and she turned to see Aster, a Kespian survivor a few years older than her. Separated from his family because of the crash, he had bonded quickly with Marita and Mikal and began hanging around more often — though he rarely spoke to Angeline aside from general polite introductions. He was tall, muscular, with dark wavy hair that fell to his shoulders and deep brown eyes that were nearly black in low light. A close-trimmed mustache sat on his upper lip, and the short patch of hair on his square chin spread to line his softly angled jaw.

She offered him a weak smile as she picked up the next stem.

"Is Mikal here?" he asked. He spoke with a Kespian accent, gently rolling his r's over his tongue.

She shook her head.

"I brought this for him," he said, setting down a heavy sack beside the door. It clanked as it hit the ground and Angeline turned with a curious look.

"Is that metal?" she asked.

He hesitated. "It is for Mikal. It is nothing, only a hobby."

The way he said it made her think he was lying. "What hobby?" she prodded.

"Forgive me," he muttered. "Please do not mention it to your Guardian friend."

She scoffed in disgust. "He's not my friend."

"Lover?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

She glared at him as she unwittingly snapped the Silverweed stem in half. "Acquaintance," she corrected.

He smiled slightly. "Good."

"Why is that good?"

"You are smart enough to keep a safe distance. The Guardians bring us many blessings, but I find myself wondering about their... intentions. I do not think they intend to let us leave here."

"There isn't a way to leave," Angeline said.

He shrugged, as though he knew something she didn't. "Could be. But I think that even if there were, they would not tell us." He gave her a polite grin and a slight bow as he left.

His words hung in the air like a fog. If he was right, it meant Shay had lied.

The door opened again and Marita stepped in, struggling with a basket of laundry.

"Oh my— let me help!" Angeline cried, jumping up to get it for her. "You should've come to get me."

"I'm not that old," grumbled Marita.

"It's not about age. You're not used to this kind of labor. You could hurt yourself," Angeline argued, setting the basket on the counter.

"I spotted Aster on his way out," Marita said.

"And he didn't help you?" Angeline gave her a disapproving look.

"I didn't want to chase him down for a matter of ten feet; he was headed the other way. Did he talk to you?"

"He was just here to drop off something for Mikal."

"He's quite fond of you, you know," Marita said in a ribbing tone.

Angeline frowned in confusion. "He barely talks to me."

"He asks about you a lot. I think he's intimidated by your womanly wiles," Marita teased, pinching her arm. "And a certain red-hooded someone."