The Children of the Stars

The Heritage Council

The roar came first. Her heartbeat started during it, pounding in her head and making her whole body ache. First there was no color, and then all of them, all at once. Everything and nothing, at once. A balance, but so intense that she was being torn and then—

Allana came screaming back to life, her upper body jerked up as if by an unseen string.

Kyp Durron caught her by her forearms.

"Easy, easy," he muttered. His emerald eyes were dull, and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "It's okay, you're okay now, working together we got it out—"

Allana blinked, and realized that Jacen, Tahiri, and Nellith were there as well. They were all in various states of dishevelment, dark circles under their eyes.

"You were almost gone, Your Worship," Kyp said, still managing to tease even when his eyes were grim. "I would've hated that comm to your father."

"I— I almost died?" Allana frowned, reaching a hand to her head. "I don't remember much, I think I was standing up—"

"You took a tumble down the steps," Tahiri finished. "You passed out right during your fancy debut."

"We thought you were dead." Jacen's eyes were somewhere far away. "Poisoned."

"But my food and drink was tested," Allana protested.

"It wasn't ingested," Nellith said. "I found the device after you collapsed. It's an old technology, placed under thrones or beds— in this case, your throne. It sends out a sort of radiation that—"

"I think I get the picture." Allana knew she wouldn't be able to ever sleep again if she knew that at any moment she could be invisibly poisoned. Or at least, how.

She realized she was shaking. "Where am I?"

"An extra sitting room," Jacen said. "Kyp was the one who thought of it."

"The medics said you were a goner," Nellith explained. "Kyp said that he could save you, though. We had to help—"

Allana looked to Kyp. "Thank you."

"It's the least I could do," Kyp said. "I don't let people die. Not anymore."

Allana knew factually that her family had not been the only one who had suffered the night it all burned down. But she'd never really seen the others talk about it or show it like Kyp had.

"How long have I been out of it?" Allana asked.

"It's nearly sunset," Jacen said. "The opening ceremonies will restart tomorrow. They're mainly just keeping all of the factions from killing each other."

"Do they know who did it?" Allana asked.

"Not that we know of," Jacen said. "But we've been here all day, helping you."

Allana felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry."

"We'd do it again." Nellith's voice was firm. "I'm not losing another sibling."

"Neither am I," Jacen said. "And Dad doesn't want to lose another kid."

The way he said it made Allana suspicious. "What's he doing?"

"He's coming to Hapes," Nellith said. "And he and Tenel Ka will be talking about how to protect you better."

"I thought he wasn't coming!" Allana's pulse quickened. "He shouldn't be here, we all know that Darth Keera wants to get her hands on him—"

"He doesn't exactly sit around when his kids are in trouble," Jacen reminded them.

When he knows they're in trouble, a bitter part of Allana grumbled internally. But she knew better than to voice it. She had, for the most part, forgiven her father.