The Stars Between

Ch. 1

"You should start feeling better soon." Dahlia smiles, those gorgeous pearly whites flashing as a distraction from the needle in my arm. I wince as she gently presses the plunger, releasing the glittery blue serum into my veins.

I try my best not to grip the mattress and encourage the heart rate monitor to beep louder. Instead I pay attention to her blinding white lab coat and notice the vibrant teal underneath. But the most beautiful piece she wears is the most subtle.

The diamond cut only caught my eye as it sparkled with the move of her hand to her hair. Her fingers dance around the auburn curls until she notices my attention on her ring. "Xander told me how he came across this jewel, do you remember?"

I lay my head back on the pillow, my body melting into the hospital bed with comfort. "It was the day I was finally accepted into the Sylva Guard." Her eyes light up as she dabs the blood from my arm, gently placing a bright yellow band-aid on top. "I tripped over my spear, but it turned out to be the best spot to fall."

"I'm so glad your long term memory is intact, that serum is really working." Just a couple hours ago I had the slightest clue to who everyone was. It has indeed been a miracle, her brilliant glitter liquid has granted me a faster recovery. But I still can't remember how I got to the edge of our land.

"Hey, I'm sorry I had to leave." Xander breathes heavily. He pulls back his brown hood, running a hand through the jet black hair that emerged. Dahlia and I watched him hurriedly remove his cowl and it set down with a hard covered book on the seat beside me. I squint my eyes, trying to get a better look and notice it has no title. Just a boring brown cover.

I turn back towards Xander and Dahlia, watching him bring both of her hands to his lips, leaving a small peck. The sunlight seems to beam perfectly on her chocolate skin, making her eyes sparkle. They exchange a few words before she excuses herself to tend to another patient.

Xander watches as she leaves the room before moving his items on the chair to sit comfortably beside me. His cheeks are slightly blushed, either from his recent interaction or breathless entrance. I can't tell. "Dahlia said she just gave you the second dose.." He trails off, looking between me and the hangnail he starts to pick at. I know he wants to ask about the night I still can't remember.

My eyes tear away from his hopeful green ones and out the window that's just past his head. A pine tree blocking my view from anything else, but the pine needles swaying down to the forest floor keeps my attention.

"I know we've asked you so many times," He says anyways, while forcefully moving his face into my view. "I'm just trying to figure out how you could've let your guard down. It doesn't seem like something Ayla would do." His third person comment hits me harder than I anticipated.

I had never thought of it in that context. It's like my years of training weren't enough to keep me from getting hurt. "I still can't remember." My voice comes out as a whisper, seeming like if I said anything a pitch higher, I would burst into tears. But I can't let them see me as anything less than strong.

"Um.." Xander awkwardly starts, wrapping both hands around the book. "I found this with Echo's things, I thought you'd like the distraction."

I had almost forgotten about Echo, hopefully she hasn't caused any fuss without me. "Where is she?" I ask, trying not to sound too concerned.

Xander shrugs his shoulders as he turns to the first page and scoots his chair closer. My eyes grow watching the illustrations burst to life, showcasing that this isn't any ordinary book. The boring brown cover hid the magic inside. It seems to have also caught Xander by surprise as he jolts the book with a gasp. We catch a glimpse of each other before paying attention to the story.