Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series Read online

  Phoenix

  Book One of The Stardust Series

  By Autumn Reed and Julia Clarke

  Copyright © 2015 by Autumn Reed and Julia Clarke. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the authors, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  www.autumnandjulia.squarespace.com

  Contents

  Chasing Answers

  Past, Presents, & Future

  Bittersweet

  Restless

  Mad for Plaid

  Tangled

  Brick Wall

  Balancing Act

  Gloves Off

  The Boardwalk

  Flushed

  Between Two Worlds

  Flip Flop

  Polar Opposites

  Classic

  Sneaking Suspicions

  Hartfelt Apologies

  Admissions

  Elegant Accents

  Jumping In

  Lucky Number Seven

  In the Dark

  Zenith: San Jose, California

  Chasing Answers

  I can’t live like this anymore. I repeated the mantra in my head over and over as my feet pounded against the earth.

  On a typical day, running was the ideal way to clear my mind and body of stress. But today, the result was quite the opposite. Somehow the chaos in my head fueled my body, and I felt powerful rather than relaxed. I continued down the familiar path and almost laughed at my unexpected burst of energy. Although I ran almost every day when the weather permitted, I didn’t think I had ever felt this alive during a run.

  The beat of the music playing on my iPod changed, and the scenery started passing by more quickly. Without meaning to, my steps began to keep time with the music as I got lost in my thoughts.

  For months, I had been anticipating and dreading this day in equal measure. But now that it had arrived, I was ready to meet it head on. Today I would—finally—stop waiting for answers and start chasing them instead. Oh yeah, and it was also my eighteenth birthday.

  My dad, as much as I loved him, had been keeping secrets for most of my life. I knew that my mom was killed in a car accident when I was six. I knew that after her death, my dad moved us to a secluded home hidden in the mountains. And I knew that he believed it wasn’t safe for us to venture out beyond our little corner of the world.

  Dad refused to tell me anything else about our past despite my persistent inquiries. Eventually, he agreed to answer all of my questions after I turned eighteen. I somehow managed to stay completely silent on the issue for years now, waiting patiently to reach that all important birthday.

  While I was sure he didn’t anticipate that I would actually confront him today, I had no intention of letting it go for even one more day. Whatever happened twelve years ago to drive us into hiding had affected my entire existence. Dad’s obsession with keeping me safe had kept me sheltered and socially isolated for too long.

  Despite my dad’s fierce overprotection, I wanted to believe he did his best under the circumstances, whatever they may be. I just couldn’t help but wonder if he had taken things too far. Part of me almost hoped that there was some dramatic explanation for our lifestyle, something that would justify all these years of solitude.

  Sweat dripped down my forehead, distracting me from my dad’s many secrets. Since I was reaching the cool down stage of my run, I slowed to a jog and took in the familiar California landscape. I inhaled the crisp mountain air and basked in the comforting scent of sagebrush intermingled with pine.

  Seclusion did have one thing going for it: the view. Our house was located in a valley in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range, almost to the Nevada border. The terrain varied from flat to hilly to mountainous. The vegetation was sparse in areas, somehow enhancing the beauty of the surrounding mountains.

  Our stretch of the valley was fairly remote and very peaceful. I was more likely to see deer than another human anytime I went outdoors. The closest house was almost a half-mile down a barely two-lane dirt road. Jessica, my one and only friend, lived there with her mom until she went off to college in Las Vegas last year.

  After finishing what turned out to be a very satisfying run, I headed to the bathroom for a relaxing shower. I took my time washing and then drying my long, wavy hair. Dad always said that I had his hazel eyes and my mom’s auburn hair; like hers, my hair was mostly brown with a glimmer of red in certain light.

  Even though I didn’t normally wear much make up, I added a light layer of mascara and pink lip gloss and called it good. Before leaving the bathroom, I stared at my eyes in the mirror, hoping to somehow discover new wisdom and experience shining from their depths. Instead, I found the same old Haley peering back at me. I didn’t know why I expected to notice a change in my appearance. It was not as if I was going to magically transform from an innocent seventeen-year-old girl into a sophisticated woman overnight. Today may mark my first day of adulthood, but I knew that I was no more worldly than I was yesterday.

  I walked down the hallway Dad insisted on using as our personal art gallery to showcase my paintings and sketches. Arriving at my bedroom, I examined the contents of my closet for a few moments. Because of my reclusive lifestyle, I didn’t have much of a reason to buy dressy clothes. Most of the time, I stuck to shorts or jeans and casual tops. Thankfully, Jessica sent me a new dress for my birthday, and I knew it was the perfect choice for tonight.

  After I finished zipping up the dress, I considered my reflection in the full-length mirror once again. The style of the dress was simple but flattering. It had wide straps, a scoop neckline, and was fitted through the waist, punctuated by a black bow before subtly flaring out. The hem rested a few inches above my knees, showing off my calves, toned from running. It was the type of dress that almost made me want to spin around and around just to watch it twirl.

  While the fit of the dress was exquisite, it was the color that made me really love it. The material was the perfect shade of sapphire blue, my favorite color. Peering at myself, I realized that I might not have totally transformed overnight, but I did feel like something was different today. For the first time since I could remember, I felt myself buzzing with excitement and maybe even a little hope.

  * * *

  Late afternoon, I was finishing the last page of my book when my dad returned from work. He was home earlier than normal but still covered in a layer of sweat and dirt. He set down his heavy gear with a thunk. I heard a note of happy surprise in his voice. “Happy birthday, Haley. You look beautiful.”

  I felt my cheeks tint slightly and smiled. “Thanks. Jessica sent me this dress for my birthday.”

  He laughed. “I can always count on her to buy you something girly. Good thing too, since we’re going somewhere special for dinner this evening.” His delighted expression gave away that he had something up his sleeve.

  “We really don’t have to do anything special. You know I’m happy to eat at the café.” Although my dad made enough to take care of us, we didn’t live extravagantly, and I hated the thought of him spending much money on me. Usually we went to a cute café a few towns over for special occasions, and
I had expected the same tonight.

  Dad gave me a stern look. “Haley, you only turn eighteen once. I’ve had this planned for months, so just accept it. We’re going to stop by the library and then go out to a nice dinner, and you’re going to enjoy yourself.” When I didn’t respond at first, he urged, “Okay?”

  I sighed. “Okay.”

  His smile returned. “Good. Give me a few minutes. I need to take a quick shower and change clothes.”

  While he showered, I rifled through the mail. It was mostly a superficial chore since nothing ever came other than bills or junk mail. “Ready, Haley?” he called from the other room.

  I answered, “Yes,” as I grabbed my stack of library books and purse.

  Our gravel driveway crunched underfoot, and I stole a sideways glance at my dad as we neared the truck. Used to his daily uniform of jeans and plaid button-down shirts, it was nice to see him dressed up. His dark brown hair was clean and cropped short, and he had shaved, removing his usual scruff. After a summer outside, his normally tan skin had turned an even deeper shade of golden-bronze, and his hazel eyes danced with anticipation.

  Once we were on the road, Dad had me laughing as he told me about a tourist who fell in the lake. He never shared anything about his career before moving to the mountains, but I had no doubt that he wasn’t always a fishing and snowmobiling guide. Even though he never complained about his job, I knew that it must fail to stimulate him intellectually. Nevertheless, he always had an anecdote ready at the end of each day.

  The rest of the drive was spent in companionable silence as we drove to Minden, Nevada, a small town of about three thousand people. Although our address claimed the even smaller Coleville as home, we never stopped in the actual town—not that there was much of a town to speak of. It basically consisted of a couple of restaurants, a few small businesses, and a high school.

  Dad insisted that it was almost impossible to stay invisible in a small town, but he had managed to keep my existence a secret for the last twelve years. He kept a low profile himself and developed a reputation as a reclusive bachelor who valued his privacy. The few times someone spotted me and questioned him, he said that his sister and niece were visiting. Amazingly, the lie had worked thus far, so apparently it wasn’t completely impossible.

  Since visiting Coleville wasn’t an option, we usually traveled over the state line into Nevada for all of our shopping and dining. When we pulled up next to the curb at the library, he stopped and looked over at me. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. You have your phone in case you need me. Keep to yourself and I’ll see you soon.” He winked and I nodded my head. Knowing that I didn’t have much time, I hopped out of the truck with my overflowing book tote and hurried inside.

  Entering the library, the familiar scents of musty old books and hand sanitizer greeted me as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. Not surprisingly, the building was mostly empty. Apart from the faint clicks of typing and the occasional rustle of pages or shuffling of feet, it was quiet.

  Even if my activities weren’t so restricted, I thought that the library would still be one of my favorite places. The library’s exterior wasn’t anything special; it just looked like a generic city building. But as soon as I walked in the doors, the possibilities were endless. I could travel around the world or back in time to ancient civilizations. I could solve a mystery or fall in love. These adventures may have only happened in the books I read, but I would have been lost without them.

  Traversing the library, my skirt swished lightly as I made my way to the shelves of books. I quickly immersed myself in finding those on my list and searching for new treasures to explore. The librarians always teased me for maxing out the number of library books I could check out. This visit was unlikely to be an exception.

  About twenty minutes later, I was finally satisfied with my selections. Right before I headed back to the front to check out, I remembered to grab Roman Holiday and Charade on DVD. Although I had already seen both, I was making my way back through all of the Audrey Hepburn movies available at the library, and these were the last two on my list.

  Since my thirty minutes were almost up, I hastily turned back toward the circulation desk and abruptly collided with something solid. My books soared into the air as I teetered on my feet, struggling to maintain my balance. Helpless to stop the chain of events, I cringed when the books crashed to the floor, shattering the silence. I could feel the heat rising to my face as I turned a deep shade of red.

  Crouching quickly to collect the books, my attention was caught by two pale blue eyes. My blush deepened, and I focused intently on the books, murmuring, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”

  The boy with the blue eyes quietly responded, “It was all my fault. Let me help you.”

  We gathered the books in awkward silence, the smell of cedar tickling my nose at his nearness. When he gingerly handed me the rest of my books, I could see the strong muscles of his forearms flex. There was a whisper of touch between our hands, and the contact made my heart flutter.

  His smile was friendly with a dimple, and I smiled sheepishly in return. “You’re interested in codes?” he whispered. I detected an undercurrent of enthusiasm as he indicated the book on top of the stack titled, The Codebreakers: The Comprehensive History of Secret Communication from Ancient Times to the Internet. I nodded; my tongue felt sluggish, and I wasn’t sure what else to say.

  “You must like reading. You have quite a few books.” He was silent for a moment, and I was struck by his smooth jaw line. His shoulders were noticeably muscular beneath the fabric of his blue and gray raglan t-shirt. I should have been intimidated by his obvious strength and height, but I found something about him reassuring.

  I realized he was awaiting some kind of response from me. “I’m homeschooled.” It was the best I could manage before regretting telling him too much.

  His short golden blond hair glimmered under the fluorescent lights as he gently shook his head. “Wow, homeschooled. I would have missed my friends and the swim team if I was homeschooled.” He must have been about my age, but he looked slightly older. I felt his crystal blue eyes patiently watching me.

  “I guess you can’t really miss something you’ve never had.” I smiled nervously as I shrugged my shoulders.

  He chuckled softly and shifted his weight while shoving a hand in the pocket of his jeans. I felt like he could read my thoughts, and I was afraid he would figure out how nervous I was.

  Sadly, this was the longest conversation I’d ever had with a boy my age. Because of my dad’s strict rules, my life was mostly solitary. Sure, I talked with my dad or Jessica and occasionally librarians and shopkeepers on our trips to town twice a month. But this was different. I smiled inwardly; I was pretty sure this didn’t qualify as “keeping my head down.”

  He stopped chuckling. “Wait, you mean you’ve never gone to a real school?” he whispered in a more serious tone.

  “Nope. My dad has homeschooled me since we moved here when I was six.” Why am I admitting this? First I can’t speak and now I can’t help but answer. And why does he care? He must think I am a freak for being homeschooled my whole life.

  His mouth opened to reveal his surprise, and he tried to hide it quickly. Feeling uncomfortable, I looked down, feigning extreme interest in the floor. There was a pause as he hesitated momentarily. “What grade would you be in anyway?”

  Before I could stop myself, I responded. “I just turned eighteen, but I finished my high school curriculum a few years ago and now study whatever I choose.” Did that sound like I was bragging? Why was I bragging to this stranger?

  His eyebrow lifted as his lips twisted to reveal a surprised smile. “Like codebreaking,” he whispered conspiratorially.

  My books were getting heavy, and I shifted to relieve the weight from my forearm that had fallen asleep. When he extended a hand to assist me, I felt a twinge of panic at the thought that my dad would return soon.

  If it
was up to me, I’d stay and talk to the cute guy all day. But Dad couldn’t find out about this conversation. I had already taken too much of a risk by lingering, not to mention the things I had told him.

  I shook my head and smiled. “Thanks, but I better get going.”

  He reached up and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. “Hope to see you around. Sorry I knocked over your books!”

  With one last small smile, I quickly made my way to the circulation desk and flushed in embarrassment once I realized how overdressed I was for the library. While the dress Jessica gave me had a modest neckline, it left my shoulders bare and revealed a hint of cleavage. I tried not to dwell on it; at least I looked pretty when I literally ran into the cutest guy I had ever seen.

  As the librarian leisurely scanned each book, I cast a nervous glance at the clock. I tried to conceal my impatience; my dad would be pulling up any moment, and I needed to speed things up. Considering I was always on time, I didn’t want him to worry or come in to the library.

  With perfect timing, I exited the library as Dad pulled up. It was time for dinner, and hopefully, some answers.

  Past, Presents, & Future

  Hopping into the truck, I playfully asked Dad, “Where to?”

  He smiled but shook his head. “It’s a surprise, kiddo. I’m not telling. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

  I figured I wouldn’t get any more clues from him, and my mind was already a jumble of thoughts as I replayed the scene in the library on an endless loop in my head. I knew that I was probably just obsessing over my run-in with the blue-eyed stranger because I didn’t have any other experiences to compare it to. But, I honestly felt like we had an instant connection. He seemed quiet but friendly, not to mention attractive.

  Staring out the window at the passing scenery, I realized that we were traveling in the opposite direction of what I expected. Instead of heading to a restaurant in Minden, Dad was driving west on Highway 207 toward Lake Tahoe. We rarely ventured out this direction, and this section of the road was new to me.