Thank you once more for joining me in Hamilton’s journey. We hope you will continue onward with us as we enter into Book 6!
Until We Meet Again,
C. S. Johnson
AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EDITOR
Jennifer C. Sell
Jennifer Clark Sell is a professional book editor and proofreader. She works from her home in Southern California. With her years of professional and personal experience, she offers several quality packages for authors. Find her at https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSellEditingService.
Photo Credit: Savannah Sell
AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
COVER ILLUSTRATOR
Amalia Chitulescu
Amalia Iuliana Chitulescu is a digital artist from Campina, Romania. Raised in a small town, this self-taught artist has a technique which is delineated by the contrast between obscurity and enlightenment, using dark elements in a dreamy world. Her areas of expertise include the use of theatrical concepts to create a macabre and surrealistic world that still maintains a highly recognizable attachment to reality. Bridging a diaphanous environment with light elements, an eerie view, she creates a dream world of dark beauty, done with a blend of photography and digital painting. Find her at https://www.facebook.com/Amalia.Chitulescu.Digital.Art
Photo Credit: Amalia Chitulescu
SAMPLE READING
Chapter 1from
OUTPOURING
BOOK SIX of THE STARLIGHT CHRONICLES
C. S. Johnson
☼1☼
Warmth and Wakefulness
It was not the usual matter of desperation that fueled me forward, as I ran in the rain, heading toward my favorite coffee shop.
Don’t get me wrong; despite the early, early morning hours, I fully expected to be greeted with a steaming, warm cup of coffee, one that was perfect for warding off the chill in the air. I knew I was going to need it to get through the day, and it was likely I was going to need the second or third cup I would leave with, too. But in recent months, coffee had become the secondary reason that I loved to stop in and sit for a while at Rachel’s Café. (It was not a love easily dethroned, either.)
Coffee had been my true love, until I’d found my true true love.
I glanced up to see the soft light coming from the room on the second floor. She’s awake.
I pushed open the back door to the small café and headed up the stairs, silently as possible, and then all of a sudden, there I was, standing in the doorway to her room. The echo of the rain was slightly louder, as the newly-renovated wall in her room still needed some work; the soft glow of her desk lamp was on, casting a small shadow of relief against the thunderstorm outside.
“Raiya.”
She was sitting on her bed, her eyes glowing with wakefulness as she remained curled up in the warmth of her covers.
“What are you doing here, Hamilton?” she asked, her voice bracing against the subtlety of the night. There was no accusation in her tone, just surprise.
“I wanted to check in on you,” I admitted, suddenly feeling dumb.
“At five-thirty in the morning?” Raiya asked. “I know I’ve told you I’ve been having trouble sleeping, but it’s—”
“Sorry.” I scratched my head, suddenly very aware of how wet and cold I was. “I had a dream about you. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“So you ran all the way here?” Raiya’s lips curled into thoughtful smile. “You didn’t want to call me?”
I considered arguing with her, which I would have delighted in, but thought the better of it. She was more beloved to me than arguing, too. “No.”
“No?”
“I wanted to see you.”
She pushed back her covers, allowing me a good grin at her fluffy-pants pajamas, and came over to me. “I’m glad you’re here,” she admitted, “and I would hug you, but you’re all wet. Come on. I’ll get you a towel and a cup of coffee.”
“I feel like a king already,” I said, although I probably looked more the part of the pauper. Even moments later, as my hands wrapped themselves tightly around my mug and a towel was draped over my shoulders, I felt more of the part of the humble and helpless, while I’d meant to be the hero.
“How’s that?” she asked. “I can’t imagine you’re warmed up yet, but hopefully it’ll help.”
“You’re the only Raiya sunshine I need,” I assured her.
As she rolled her eyes and walked past me with a handful of creamers, I tugged on her shirt, pulling her in close. “Thank you,” I said, as I finally got to kiss her again.
Raiya chuckled as she drew back. “It’s my pleasure,” she said.
“No, you’re my pleasure,” I replied, staring at her long enough to make her blush.
She redirected me immediately; for all the brashness and boldness she had to stand up to me and my opinions, I knew and appreciated that Raiya had a modest side.
“Tell me about the dream you had. It must’ve been pretty bad if you’re coming here this late,” she prompted, as she moved to the other side of the counter. I knew she was making some tea. She loved her espresso as much as I did, but she was more of a tea drinker in the mornings, and I loved her for it. “Or should I say this early, since Rachel won’t be here for another two hours?”
“Letty won’t wake up, will she?” I asked, suddenly dreading the thought of Rachel’s old-lady mother as she came cranking down the stairs as we spent our time together.
“Not likely,” Raiya said, effectively putting my shallow fears to rest. “I’ve been taking the morning shifts here at the café, since I dropped out of school. Aunt Letty doesn’t usually wake up till noon anymore. Unless, of course, she hears me when I wake up in the middle of the night. But the rain should provide some cover tonight.”
“I can’t tell you how lucky you are, getting to drop out,” I said. “Even if AP Gov is not the same without you to argue with me.”
“I imagine it’s much more peaceful,” she said neutrally.
“Peace might seem like an attractive offer,” I said, “but I’ll take arguing with you over semantics and historicity and context any day of the week.”
“How is Mrs. Smithe?” Raiya asked. “Has she said anything else to you about SWORD lately?”
“Not since January,” I said. “Almost two months later, and nothing in all that time.”
“She’s not the only one who’s gone quiet,” Raiya said as she sat down across from me. Her eyes fell to the seat that her grandfather, the esoteric and elusive Grandpa Odd, would sit, and my reasons for scurrying over to see her immediately jumped to the forefront of my mind.
I reached out for her hand. “Everything will be alright,” I said.
She squeezed my hand in return. “I’m not sure you know that,” she replied easily enough, taking a sip from her own mug.
Raiya had a point, as she usually did, and it was a big one. If I truly believed things would be okay, why did I come running to see her before daybreak?
I shoved that thought aside. I loved her. I wanted to be with her. I knew we faced a considerable challenge. So there was nothing inherently wrong with running through the rain and the dark of the night to see her.
“I’ll admit, I’d feel better if we knew where Draco was hiding,” I said bitterly. “I guess it didn’t matter if he had his dragon skin or not. He’s still terrible to try to locate.”
“Agreed.”
“He hasn’t been here, has he?” I asked.
“No,” Raiya said, shaking her head. I watched, transfixed, as some of her gingerbread hair broke free from the loosened bun at the back of her head. “Rachel and Aunt Letty were surprised to hear he went missing after the last attack near Rosemont. They haven’t made much of a thorough investigation, but that’s more because of the ‘police’ jurisdiction than anything else.”
I snorted. “SWORD’s going to have to think of a better cover soon.”
“They’ve gotten away with sillier explanations,?
?? Raiya pointed out. “They’ve done more clean-up around the city, as far as damage goes. That’s probably the reason that the assistant mayor’s willing to let it slide for now.”
I shrugged. “Assistant Mayor Dunbrooke doesn’t seem as interested in the supernatural stuff as Stefano did.”
“That’s probably because he hasn’t been taken over by a Sinister or a demon monster,” Raiya replied.
“So far as we know.” I frowned, thinking of the small, wiry man who seemed more machine than man, especially when it came to running what he referred to as “his domain.” Which included the city, which meant me, for the three or four days a week I would go into work.
I didn’t mind that much. At least he was smart enough to leave me alone.
“True.” Raiya smiled. “You have me there.”
“Did I tell you that he’s ordered to have the judiciary council give Cheryl a deadline to produce the city superheroes?” I asked. “She has ten days to find them or the case is getting dismissed. Dunbrooke says it’s costing the city time, money, and manpower.”
“I’ll bet your mom didn’t like that.”
“No,” I said. “She didn’t, putting it mildly. Blowing up ballistically when she got the report is more accurate.”
Raiya laughed. “I would’ve loved to see her face. It’s not often that the famous Cheryl Thomas-Dinger, the Queen of Apollo City Courtrooms, doesn’t get her way.”
“I’ll try to get a picture of it when her time’s up and she’s left without us to fight in court.”
“I’m assuming that your dad hasn’t told her the truth about us?”
Thinking of my dad made me flinch. I shook my head. “No. He wouldn’t. He knows how to keep secrets. And he’s mandated to do so, with healthcare laws as they are. Or so he says. I can see him working around them if he wanted. Or,” I added, “if Chery wanted.”
When Raiya’s grandfather had revealed himself to be not only Elysian’s rebellious brother Draco but also the mysterious Ogden Skarmastad, the founder of Apollo City, he’d given us quite a surprise. An unwelcome one, at that.
But finding out my father had known about SWORD and my secret superhero identity had smashed through me. Since then, it was as if a chasm of secrets had suddenly pushed itself between us, damaging the ideas we had about each other irrevocably.
Mark usually came home late, left for work early—which really wasn’t out of the norm—and our interaction was limited to the raw food dinners my mother’s latest chef, a sushi master named Ayako, was making for us. We didn’t talk much.
Raiya nodded. “I guess if he didn’t tell her about me, he wasn’t going to tell her about you. He loves you very much.”
“Psh.” I finished my coffee. “Coffee and intellectual levels, that’s really all we have in common. And even with that, I’m pretty sure I’m smarter and he likes his coffee darker.”
“You really think you’re smarter than your father?” Raiya arched her brow at me.
“I’m not the one who’s best friends with a SWORD operative,” I reminded her.
“Good point. You’re making a lot of good points, despite being up this early,” she observed.
“I know you’re trying to get me off the original argument because you can’t win,” I told her, “but I’ll humor you because I love you.”
“I know you’re just charming me because you’re afraid I will come up with something better,” Raiya responded. “But I’ll humor you, because I love you, too.”
I grinned. “Intellectual banter is so much fun with you.”
“It always was for me,” Raiya said. “Although I do miss you getting ticked off with me for winning before you knew who I was. That was pretty amusing.”
“Ha, ha.” I laughed drily. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll start getting more angry when you attempt to win. But anyway, there are good reasons I’m awake and I’m here.”
“Yes, you should tell me those.” Raiya sipped her tea thoughtfully. “You mentioned the dream. Is there something else? Is Elysian bothering you?”
“I wish,” I admitted. “He’s been pretty alert and disciplined since Draco’s reappearance. He probably sleeps less than you do.”
“A considerable feat,” Raiya said with a laugh. “Although I probably sleep more than you realize. I take naps after Letty relieves me, before you’re out of school and swim practice.”
“Thankfully the season’s over now.” I shook my head. “No new records this year, but still a lot of wins.”
“Maybe you’ll break some records next year,” Raiya said.
“Will we be done with this mission by then?” I asked. That would be super. Absolutely perfect, actually. The sooner this is over, the happier I will be.
She shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. “But there’s no harm in hoping.”
“I’m just hoping that I’ll stop having these premonitions in the middle of the night.” I sighed. “As much as I love you, and I love seeing you, Mark’s already not exactly happy with me, and Cheryl’s passive-aggressive enough to make me worried. I don’t want to be punished for feeling like I need to come to your rescue.”
“Couldn’t have been that bad, even if you did run all the way here, and in the rain, no less.”
“It was bad enough.” I tapped my empty cup on the counter. “In my dream, I just saw you looking sad, like you were upset, so I wanted to come and rescue you.”
Raiya pursed her lips. “I know that when I was in the hospital and attacked, you were scared,” she said carefully, “but there’s no reason to believe I was in immediate danger.”
“Attacked” was the neat summation of getting her heart smashed and her soul ripped out of her body just weeks ago. I clenched my fingers together, trying not to shout at her for her flippancy.
I calmed down enough before replying with, “I know.”
I know, but I couldn’t help it. Maybe I wanted to come more for me, than you.
“Are you sure you weren’t the one who wanted me to comfort you?”
Hearing my own thoughts echoed back to me just made me more frustrated. “No,” I insisted.
Raiya was smarter than that. “I know you better than you realize, you know.” She laughed. “I still remember that whole issue last year with your birthday cake.”
“I can’t believe I apologized to you for that. I take it back.”
She smirked. “It’s too late, I already took it.”
I stuck my tongue out at her, before sinking into silence.
“I know it doesn’t help you any with Mikey still in the hospital,” she added, after a while.
I still said nothing. Mikey had been my best friend, like my brother at one point. Now, he might as well have been permanently planted in the hospital bed where we would occasionally go to visit. As swim season dwindled down, I had a harder time not telling him he was going to pay for just lying around all day and night. At least the poor quality hospital food was keeping him from getting fat.
His mind and heart had seemed to heal more. He was, apparently, doing better with his tutor Central had sent over, and he seemed more like his old self when we went to go see him.
Sometimes.
Then Mikey would remember he was supposed to hate me and I’d been the one who’d caused the demise of his true love, or whatever he wanted to call her, who just happened to be my ex-girlfriend.
I didn’t think it had been my direct fault that Gwen had gotten her Soulfire stolen by Taygetay, one of the last of the Seven Deadly Sinisters we’d captured. If I had to make a case for it in court, I could probably make a convincing one. But sometimes, in my head, I did, and it went back and forth enough between the “innocent” and the “guilty” sentences that I was uncomfortable with it.
The best thing I could do, as far I as could figure—and Raiya agreed with me on it—was work to free Gwen’s Soulfire.
It was probably going to take some time to destroy him, and that was of no comfort to Mikey, especi
ally since he’d witnessed Gwen’s pain.
I still had trouble seeing his PTSD diagnosis, but I did know that part of the reason for it was true, and the other reason was for his protection.
His estranged father, Dante, my less than agreeable and less than amicable, most-of-the-time contact from SWORD, was keeping him there. And I could appreciate it, because he was keeping him from my mother interrogating him about the identities of Wingdinger and Starry Knight—me and Raiya, respectably.
“Maybe he’ll get out once the timeline on the case is over,” I said. “Stefano said before only Cheryl could get to him now. Maybe once she’s out of the way, the statute of limitations will be over, and Dante will allow Mark to give him a clear discharge.”
“Maybe.” It was Raiya’s turn to shrug. She glanced outside the windows, where the rain was picking up, pitter-pattering down as it washed the world clean.
She picked up my empty cup and poured me a new one. “Let’s not worry about it now.”
“What?” Incredulously, I looked at her as if she’d gone crazy. “How can we not worry about this?”
“Talk to me about other things,” she said. “Tell me stories of all the other girls at school terrifying you, thinking that you’re not secretly in love with your coffee barista. Tell me about the swim team drama this semester.”
When my mouth just dropped open, appalled at her appeal to the meaningless, she smiled. “I can tell you about some of the daytime soaps that Aunt Letty leaves on upstairs, if you can’t think of something more interesting.”
“Don’t we have to worry about this?”
“We’ve worried about it for a long time,” she said. “I need a break. Just a small one.” She came around and sat down next to me.