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."

Both Emandi and Welkin jolted with surprise. They blinked incredulously, first at her, then at each other. Then, with a casual wave of their paw, Emandi shrugged. "An excellent point, well made. I'll cut to the chase: the Stars are planning to kill me."

"What?" Audrey and Welkin cried in unison.

"That's ridiculous," Welkin said. Audrey could tell they were flustered by the way they didn't seem to know what to do with their hands. "Where did you get such a preposterous idea?"

Emandi narrowed their eyes. "Straight from the horse's mouth, as the saying goes. I was paid a visit by your friend, Sita, who came to negotiate the terms of my demise."

Welkin's brow furrowed. "Sita? Why would the Council send Sita?"

"Perhaps because you were predisposed?" Emandi suggested, gesturing at Audrey. "Or worse: maybe they believe you're too compromised to be impartial."

Audrey had no idea who Sita was, and she didn't have the mental bandwidth to consider why Welkin's expression fell the way it did. Still, she didn't need to understand what the pair were talking about to trust the anxiety that swelled in her chest. "They can't do that, can they?"

This earned a dark laugh from Emandi. "It seems as though the Stars are in the business of doing whatever they please these days."

Bristling, Welkin shot Emandi a dirty look. "You're being unfair."

"Am I?" Emandi challenged, drawing themself up high on their rear legs. They pointed at Audrey, making her jump. "Even if we exclude this little miracle of yours, you cannot deny that your kind has been making all manner of questionable choices as of late. They have been ever since the day that wishing star fell."

Wishing star? Outside of children's stories, Audrey had never heard of a wishing star; especially not a fallen one. She gazed at Welkin curiously and gauged their reaction. To her surprise, Welkin shrank back as if ashamed.

"You're right," Welkin admitted quietly. They rounded the bonfire to be by Audrey's side. In an uncharacteristically paternal move, they draped a protective arm around her shoulders and held her tightly to their side. "Tell me: what did Sita say to you?"

Emandi gave an indignant sniff. "They said that I've overstayed my welcome. Apparently there's no place for me in the Plan anymore — no more cheating death for me! It's time to join the rest of my kind."

"How does that happen?" Audrey asked. Her anxiety had bloomed into full-fledged fear. If not being part of the Plan meant that the Stars could snuff out Emandi's life at will, was she at risk too? "How are you just... not part of the Plan anymore?"

"The Stars are just trying to force order without first dealing with the mess they've made." Emandi growled, "And, being the last of my kind, they've decided to start with me. As far as they're concerned, I've served my purpose."

Welkin stiffened around Audrey. They shook their head adamantly. "No. The Council wouldn't do something like that. There must be some kind of misunderstanding."

"That's what I said." Emandi turned their gaze to the dancing flames. "Sita replied by telling me to get my affairs in order." The look of despair on the giant cat's face morphed into a scornful sneer. Their lips twitched, revealing their jagged teeth. They looked back at Welkin and held the Star in a resolute glare. "But know this, golden one: I refuse to pay for the Stars' mistakes with my life. Not without a fight."

"You shouldn't have to fight," Audrey exclaimed as she twisted out from beneath Welkin's arm. Her hands trembled as she rounded on the Star. "This isn't right, Welkin. There's gotta be something you can do to help them."

A mix of emotions played across Welkin's face. Audrey took it as a good sign that they didn't refuse her outright, but she knew them well enough to recognize when they were conflicted. She wasn't sure what exactly she was asking them to do — or even if helping Emandi was possible — but she needed to know that Welkin would be willing to try. She needed to know that they didn't believe the Stars had the right to end a creature's life and legacy as easily as one might blow out a candle.

After a few tortuous moments of silence, Welkin's shoulders sank. "Fine. I will speak with the Council. I cannot promise you a better outcome, but I will do my best."

Overcome with relief, Audrey threw her arms around Welkin's lean middle and hugged them tightly. It took a beat for Welkin to get over their surprise, but then they returned the gesture. Child and parent stayed locked in a rare embrace, even as Emandi crept up closer.

"Thank you, my friend," Emandi said. "I know this is asking a lot of you, and I appreciate your willingness to try."

"It's the least I can do," Welkin replied.

"I will owe you an enormous debt."

Welkin huffed a weak laugh. "That's putting it mildly." Gently, they pushed Audrey back by the shoulders so they could look her in the eyes. "I don't know how long this will take. Perhaps... Perhaps I should take you home."

Audrey's stomach dropped. She'd been so caught up in what was at stake that she hadn't considered what it would mean if Welkin agreed. She thought about her budding powers, and what would happen if she returned home just as unable to control them as she'd been when she left. She thought about how far the two of them had come, not just in their journey, but in their relationship.

"Leave her with me," Emandi said, earning a look of surprise from both the Star and child.

"Really?" Audrey considered the offer. "I mean, it's a way better idea than going home again. I'm okay with it if you are."

"I..." Welkin hesitated. Audrey was certain she could feel a hint of a quiver in their hands as they gripped her shoulders. "I'm not sure..." They looked down at her, and Audrey was struck by the concern in their eyes. The expression they wore reminded her of the look on her mother's face the first day she asked to walk to school alone. Welkin licked their lips and lowered their voice to a whisper. "You said you wanted me to be here for you, and that's what I intend to do. I don't want to leave you again."

It was such a little thing — knowing they had heard her, knowing they remembered — but it was enough to make Audrey cry. She blinked back the tears before they had a chance to fall and smiled as brightly as she could.

"I know, but this is different," she insisted. "Just come back for me, okay? If you promise me you'll come back, I'll promise I won't be upset about you leaving." To show she meant it, Audrey held out her pinkie finger and waited.

Welkin swallowed. They stared at the offered pinkie so long and so hard that Emandi finally leaned in.

"I believe you're supposed to—"

"I know what I'm supposed to do," Welkin snapped, shooing the big cat away. They took a deep, calming breath. "Very well, daughter. It's a promise."

They hooked their delicate little finger around Audrey's, and she knew they would be good for it. No matter what it took, Welkin would come back to her, and that was enough for now.