One thousand and twelve.

One thousand and thirteen.

Fourteen…

Rayne counted the stars. The summer warmth of the day had given way to a cool breeze through the trees, teasing her with spray from the waterfall. Despite being surrounded by hardwoods, she could only smell the ocean and sunscreen.

That Labor Day weekend, now three years past, seemed eons ago, and Rayne hardly recognized the girl from that memory. The one who’d left her family’s side for a better view of the fireworks. Completely unaware of how much her life would change in the next twenty-four hours.

The next day, four words had changed Rayne’s life.

“They’re real, you know?”

Rayne smiled at Xelan’s welcome, if coincidental, intrusion. He stepped up beside her on the cliff, grinning per usual. With typical enthusiasm, he pointed at the constellations. “That one’s my favorite. I named it ‘Speckle.’”

Xelan could always make Rayne laugh. She couldn’t keep the incredulity out of her voice. “Speckle?!”

“Celindria thought it was silly, too.” Xelan tried for genuinely sheepish and failed. There was no shame in him. “But it’s a good name for a cluster. They’re all real worlds, and we’ll see them before too long.” He gazed at them with so much longing.

Rayne knew from living Nox’s life that Xelan had always wished for stars beneath Li’s harsh blaze. She took Xelan’s hand and pointed at that Little Dipper. “I hear they’re changing the constellations to name them after the Shadow.”

Xelan gave a single laugh. “They’re only symbols to satisfy our need to know everything.”

Yes.

It was that need which currently burned in Rayne. How was the other Probability fairing without them? The other Nox. The other Callahan family. Was Jack in more trouble with bad influences? Was dad still pulling double shifts to support the bookstore—Did mom even keep the bookstore?

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“Hey.” Xelan pulled on Rayne’s hand until she faced him. He said, “Talk to me.”

It was the sentence to summarize their relationship, wasn’t it? If something was bothering Rayne, Xelan would always want to know. And vice versa.

Rayne considered her words, licked her lips, and said, “I know I made the right choice, and I believe Lucas will see to everything. He’s simply spectacular that way. But…”

Xelan kissed the top of Rayne’s head. “Call me biased, but I’m glad you chose this one.” At her smile, he said, “It’s only natural to be curious. Hopefully, with time, you come to terms with your choice. Until then, I suggest immersing yourself in the here and now.”

Rayne quirked a brow. “Seriously? Was there some school on Cinder which taught you three how to say the perfectly right thing for every situation?”

Xelan’s grin meant the worlds to Rayne. “After a few million years, you’ll get the knack for it.”

Wow.

Millions of years.

“But don’t change your fashion sense, Callahan.” Xelan gestured at their matching clothes, and Rayne had to laugh at how ridiculous it was. He said, “It looks better on you, but nothing beats the original.”

Rayne nudged him, saying, “It’s all about the pockets, Wingmaster.”

After a second of comfortable silence, Xelan bit his thumbnail.

Uh oh.

“Spit it out.” Rayne couldn’t wait to hear what fresh calamity her guardian had thought up.

A bashfulness overcame Xelan, and he struggled to approach it. “So… I don’t even want to ask this, but… are you planning to make a godfather out of me?”

Rayne gave a little laugh, almost incredulous. After she thought of the answer, her smile fell, and the humor died with it. “I don’t know. The other girls tell me there’s a choice of sorts, and it doesn’t seem to work for me. Nox believes Imminent left me… unable.”

Determination sparked a fire in Xelan’s midnight eyes. “I will work day and night to reverse it. I promise you, Rayne. While I may have had reservations about my brother, I would never leave you like this—”

“It’s okay.” Rayne laughed a little at Xelan’s fervor. She said, “Nox and I aren’t in a hurry. I think we just want to get comfortable with ourselves sans shouldering the weight of the universe. But, to be clear, one day, I would like to try.”

Xelan squeezed her hands, saying, “I’m there one hundred percent. Say the word, and we’ll get started with a quick examination and—”

Rayne threw her arms around this Icarus she loved. “Thank you.” With Xelan as her guardian, and Nox and Sagan as her partners, anything was possible. Even resolving multi-verse conundrums.

As if the cosmos had overheard Rayne’s thoughts, a star shot across the sky.

Xelan noticed, too. “Hey.” He pointed at it and separated them to say, “Do you want to make a wish?”

Rayne stared at her guardian, this Icarus who’d saved her life a dozen times. One specific instance came to mind.

Holding Xelan’s hand, Rayne closed her eyes and made her wish, knowing, like all the others, this one would come true, too.