The bar looked like nothing I’d ever seen before. Not that I was surprised. My experiences were so limited—nearly all were either wisps of memories, or days spent as basically a pet inside an expansive palace. It was easy to pretend I knew what I was doing now, but I didn’t. If it weren’t for Noah, his sister, and his friend I’d probably have given up. Not that giving up was a choice. I was never going back to Andrelexa. Not now that I’d finally seen Earth again.

No. There was no way I was giving up. I promised myself I’d find a way as I stood there once again in borrowed clothes—this time a skirt of some sort. If I planned to stay on Earth much longer I’d have to find a way to make currency. Prisoner of the Emperor or not, I’d never had to earn my keep before. I couldn’t expect the same treatment now that I was on Earth.

I could already hear the rich music spilling from inside; my body was aware and humming in response. This was what music was supposed to sound like, a beat, a rhythm that made you want to dance and move. I took in several long, deep breaths. That was one thing I’d never grow tired of. Breathing air. It tasted of nothing, was clear and impossible to touch, yet it sustained me. If there was any question before, I knew the truth now. This was the planet I was from. I was made to exist on its land, and there would be no turning back.

“And we can just walk inside?” I hesitated on the worn grey sidewalk outside the building with large glass windows in front. Bright signs flashed messages I didn’t understand. Evidently knowing English wasn’t going to be enough.

Dale’s brow furrowed. “Yes, of course. It’s a bar. They want you to go in and spend money.”

“Yes. Money.” Once again currency was an issue.

“There’s no cover tonight, and water is free. You’re good.” Angie smiled encouragingly. The smile didn’t have the intended effect. She’d been acting strange since she’d returned to the house. I hadn’t known her for long, but something had changed in the way she was looking at me. Nothing had changed with Noah though, and I clung to that as we walked inside the building they referred to as The Maple Leaf.

Noah led the way further inside through a dense crowd. Without consciously thinking about it, I grabbed onto his hand. He looked down at our entwined hands and smiled. Evidently he didn’t mind, so I didn’t take mine back. I wasn’t getting separated from him in this bustling place. Besides, I enjoyed the warmth emulating from him. His hand felt different from Caspian’s, and it set off a series of reactions through me I didn’t quite understand. It simultaneously gave comfort and something else entirely different. It was like teetering on the edge of a cliff. I didn’t know it was possible to feel such completely different sensations at once.

I held onto his hand tighter as we pushed further into the crowd. I tried to tune out my discomfort at the crowd and instead focused on his hand. Strange sensations or not, it was solid—real. There was no cloudiness to what it was. He stopped suddenly, and I fell into him. He steadied me and smiled. There was something about his smile that broke through levels of me I hadn’t realized I had.

I decided to ignore the crowd and focus on the music. I closed my eyes and listened to each note of the music surrounding me. I was brought back to age five sitting next to Benjamin as our aunt prepared dinner. I could smell the meat and vegetables cooking on the stove as I ran my fingers over the black and white keys of the piano. I relaxed into the memory, pulling up blurred images of faces and laughter. And also fear. My aunt was full of fear. Always sitting close to the radio when the evening broadcast came on.

“Rachel?” Noah pulled me from the memories.

I opened my eyes. “Sorry, yes?”

“We’re going to go outside and try to find a table.”

“Oh. Ok.” I was still holding his hand, and I let him lead me outside.

There were no empty tables, but the fresh air felt good. I could still hear the music—I could still feel the deep vibrations. The open sky above was a comfort and a stark reminder of where I was. I still hadn’t fully accepted I was back on Earth.

“You like jazz, huh?” Noah knocked his shoulder into mine.

“Love it.” Funny how that was one of the few memories I’d held onto. Nearly everything else had faded away. Until now. Until the fog cleared. The fog that someone created. I was positive about that now.

“So do I.”

“I’d love to hear you play sometime.” I was sure he’d be brilliant. I had no real evidence to support that theory aside from his long fingers and the way he swayed to the music, but I knew it just as sure as I knew this air was safe to breathe.

“Maybe sometime. After we find your brother and everything.”

“I’m remembering more about him. He played piano. So did I. Although I don’t remember how.”

“Maybe you’d remember if you got in front of one again.” He looked up at the sky.

I looked up too, wondering how I was going to bring up Andrelexa again. I wanted him to know the truth. Not only because he seemed intent on discovering it, but because I knew there was no way to erase those years. My time off Earth was a part of me, and despite barely knowing him, I wanted Noah to know me better. Just as I wished I knew more about him. He had a story too. Maybe it wasn’t quite as crazy as mine, but I felt we had more in common than appeared on the surface. But I wouldn’t demand to know. He would tell me when he was ready.

“That’s actually a good idea.” Angie joined the conversation. For a moment I’d forgotten it wasn’t just Noah and me standing there outside. “Maybe it would bring other memories back too.”

“Actually a good idea?” Noah narrowed his eyes. “You say that as though you’re surprised.”

She laughed. “I’m not used to you being the one to come up with them. You’re always going to be my baby brother.”

Noah shrugged. “I guess so.”

I closed my eyes again, hoping to pull up more memories. I wasn’t sure how they were going to help, but I was so confused I would take any information I could find. I was brought back to the same memory. The piano. The smell of cooking. I wished I could look beyond that tiny snapshot. As soon as I tried to remember more the memory faded away, and I snapped back to reality.

“Do you want water or anything?” Noah asked.

“Oh. Only if you want it.”

“Okay. Stay right here with Angie and Dale.” He pulled his hand from mine, and I immediately felt his absence. I thought about following, but he’d specifically asked me to stay.

“He’s going to come back.” Dale smiled, as if his words were funny. “The bar is just inside.”

“I know.” I was sure my words sounded defensive, but they’d come out quickly. I looked down at my empty hands.

“That’s not what your face says. Your face says you think he’s gone forever.” Dale tilted his head to the side.

“Leave her alone.” Angie groaned. “I’m sorry, Rachel, this one doesn’t have an off-button.”

“It’s fine.” I looked up to meet her eyes. “I don’t mind.” I didn’t mind Dale’s words, but I minded my reaction to Noah’s absence. I didn’t want to rely on him. I didn’t want to rely on anyone ever again.

“Can I ask you something?” She moistened her lips.

The band must have been taking a break because there was only the hum of voices to talk over now. “Sure.”

“Can you tell me anything about your time in New Orleans when you were little?”

“Anything how?” Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted my memories were coming back. She was going to expect more than I could give.

“Like what things were like. Anything. I’m trying to figure something out.” She put her hand on the side of her neck.

“What? What are you trying to figure out?” I was tired of unknowns.

“It’s easier if you tell me the information first and I explain later.”

“Sounds perfectly fair to me.” Dale snorted.

Angie glared at him.

Something nagged at me. “Why did you wait for Noah to leave to ask me?”

Angie startled. “I didn’t.”

“You did. Please don’t pretend otherwise.”

She sighed. “Fine. You’re right. I did it because Noah is afraid of scaring you away.”

“Shouldn’t it be the opposite?” I thought over her words. “Shouldn’t he be afraid of me staying around?” So far he’d skipped classes for me, and he couldn’t possibly be getting school work done. All I’d done for him is a simple computer fix.

“No.” Angie shook her head. “Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you?

Did she mean the way his eyes seemed to see straight through me into the parts of me that no one had ever seen before? She couldn’t possibly know that. “No.”

Angie frowned. “I can’t tell if you are really innocent or a really good actress.”

“Actress?” The word didn’t resonate with me. I touched my ear. My translator wasn’t going to do me any good for Earth words I didn’t remember.

“You know, performer.” Dale leaned in. “Like you can fool people. Just so you know, I don’t really care. If you’re fooling us, thanks for the entertainment.”

“I’m not trying to fool anyone.” The very idea someone could think that was my goal made me angry. I certainly wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I wasn’t cruel. “I just need help. I was rushed and didn’t plan anything out before coming here. Now I’m paying for it. I offered to leave you all alone, but Noah told me not to. Do you disagree with him? Do you want me to leave?” It was Noah I would listen to, but he seemed to look up to his sister. Her opinion mattered to him.

Angie turned to Dale. “Give us a moment.”

He acted as if he didn’t hear her, but he had to have. His hearing appeared to be fine.

She scowled. “Dale, go see if Noah needs help. Now!”

He groaned. “I miss everything good.” He stomped off.

A few seats opened up at a table. Angie pulled the chairs away from the table and gestured for me to sit down. I sat, mostly because I was completely exhausted.

She settled into her chair next to me. “I am all on board helping you, but I can’t take the chance of my brother getting hurt.”

“Getting hurt? You mean by me?” I put a hand to my chest. “Why would I hurt him? I don’t get it.”

“If you mean intentionally, then I don’t know. People have their reasons. But giving you the benefit of the doubt, you might unintentionally hurt him.”

“I can’t promise the unintentional part, although I’ll truly try not to. I’ve been hurt before. I have no interest in doing that to others. Especially not him.”

“Especially not him?” She crossed her legs.

“Noah is—” I searched for the right words. I’d never had to explain my feelings before. Especially not feelings like this that I didn’t even fully grasp. “He’s the nicest person I’ve met.”

“He is nice. Sometimes too nice.” She looked off into the distance.

I followed her gaze, expecting to see him, but I saw nothing but groups of people standing around. Mostly drinking beverages out of glass containers. Angie said nothing, so I decided to continue my awkward attempt to describe Noah. “He has the most amazing eyes; they are at once both piercing and beautiful.” Once I started talking it became far easier. “And his hands. They are strong and comforting. He’s funny too. In a different way. Not different bad. Different in a way I haven’t experienced before.”

She laughed. “In other words you like him.”

Like him? I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but there was very little I didn’t like about him. “Yes. Of course.”

“I mean, you’re interested in him.”

“Oh.” I looked down at my lap. “I hadn’t thought of that at all. I hadn’t thought of anything beyond finding my brother. I don’t really know if it matters.” I patted the medallion that was tucked under my shirt.

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” she pressed.

“I mean I don’t know what my future is going to hold. I probably get no choice still. All I’m hoping for is a chance to see my brother before—” I stopped. How could I possibly tell her more? How could I tell her that likely my life was down to its last days unless I succumbed to the Emperor’s demands? They’d find me. And it wasn’t going to take long.

“Hey, you found chairs.” Noah reappeared at exactly the right moment to spare me having to answer. Dale was by his side.

“Not enough chairs.” Dale gave a miffed look at a group of people sitting at the table nearest us.

“You can have my chair if you want,” I offered.

“No.” Noah shook his head. “He can stand.”

“I really don’t mind.” I jumped to my feet. I’d had my rest. Dale could have his turn now.

“Oh. Here.” Noah held out a cup of water.

“Thanks.” I sipped it. “Wow. This tastes good too.”

“The water wherever you are from must be horrible.” Dale sipped from his own water. “Because this isn’t anything special.”

“So what do you think of the music?” Noah shifted his weight from foot to foot in rhythm to the music.

He’d already asked me that, but I didn’t mind. “I like it.” I was about to elaborate more, but I noticed someone in the crowd behind him that jarred me. I stepped around Noah.

“Hey, where are you going?”

I didn’t answer. I needed to know if I was imagining things. I slowly walked around the patio area searching for the figure.

“Hello, little princess.” The low, scratchy voice came from directly behind me.

I spun and came face to face with a set of red eyes. They belonged to the same stranger from the ceremony crowd. I froze, searching for words and trying to understand how he could have possibly followed me to Earth.

“Did the cat get your tongue?” He smiled without opening his mouth. His lips were deeply chapped and bleeding.

“What?”

“Isn’t that what Earthlings say?”

I forced myself to maintain eye contact even though his face was frightening. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Rachel, what’s going on?” Noah caught up with me. “Who is this guy?”

“Trouble.” There was no word that could possibly encapsulate it more. No matter how he found me, the why couldn’t be good.

“A lot more than trouble.” The red-eyed stranger’s face began to change. His chin elongated as fangs sprouted from the corners of his mouth.

I noticed Angie and Dale out of the corner of my eye and wanted to scream at them to stay away. I couldn’t. I was frozen in fear.

The stranger reached out for me, his bitterly cold hand slipping underneath my shirt and grabbing a hold of the chain. He tugged on it and cupped the medallion in his hand.

“Get the hell away from her.” Noah tossed his water—cup and all—at the stranger and shoved him in the chest. The stranger let out a howl and released the medallion. A foggy smoke emulated from his ears and nose along with a horrible stench. Noah took my hand. I let him pull me from the bar, hoping the creature was only there for me and wouldn’t hurt anyone else.