Before anyone can respond, the door flies open and Ram is here. I’d almost forgotten he wasn’t in his usual spot in the corner. “Sir, there’s something you need to see,” he says to Ben, motioning to the screen, which is already descending from the ceiling.

We all turn to the video just as the screen changes from black to a live feed from the presidential steps in the Sun Realm, my father’s usual press conference location. He’s already addressing a crowd gathered before him. “…come to my attention that the Moon and Star Realms have been unable to reconcile their differences, despite the assistance that my son and I have offered. Clearly, the star dwellers have been the instigators, although it is my understanding that they have been able to garner some support within the Moon Realm. We all now face a very dangerous situation, one that could affect the lives of the citizens of the Tri-Realms for many years to come.” He pauses and scans the crowd.

“It is my belief that the violence and acts of rebellion are being carried out by a small number of individuals, and that the vast majority of our people continue to support the government and their leaders. Therefore, after much discussion and the weighing of many potential peaceful solutions, I have had to make a difficult decision, but one that I know is the right one. The sun dweller army will step in to neutralize the rogues and arrest or destroy their leaders, so that our citizens can go back to the safe and peaceful lives they’ve grown accustomed to.” The crowd is hanging on my father’s every word, hushed and leaning in, as if he’s some sort of a priest.

“We will protect the Moon Realm from those who seek to destroy it!” The crowd cheers as my father pumps a fist in the air. “Even now, we have stationed several platoons of sun dweller soldiers at key locations in the Moon Realm, and they await my orders to move in on the traitors.”

A flurry of questions erupts from the reporters, but my father waves his arms to silence them. “I only have one more thing to say and then I must return to my duties.” He pauses again, and this time looks right at the camera, his eyes darker than I’ve ever seen them. I cringe as I feel his eyes on my own. A horrible, sinking feeling enters my heart. I’ve seen that look on his face before, usually preceding a threat or punishment.

“For those of you who are traitors out there, whether you be star dwellers, moon dwellers, or sun dwellers…be prepared to face the consequences of your actions, which will be brought down like a hammer on you and those you care about. That’s all for now.” Even before the crowd explodes, he’s off the steps and back inside the building. A shiver ripples through me. He was talking to me—I know it. …consequences of your actions…brought down like a hammer…those you care about…

Any anger I have for my father is lost in a cloud of fear at that moment. I don’t care what my father does to me, but those I care about? If he touches Roc, or Adele, or Ben, or Elsey—I don’t know if that’s something I could bounce back from. My heart is hammering and I don’t realize the telebox has been turned off until Ben says, “Tristan, why don’t you and I try to contact my wife.”

* * *

I feel like I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. The fiery pits of anger gave way to love and compassion for Roc, and then my father’s speech sent me into a swirling vortex of fear for my friends and my maybe possibly hopefully more-than-a-friend (someday?). And now I’m giddy with excitement. Because I’m about to see Adele again. She’s alive; as I always hoped, prayed, knew. It was confirmed via electronic message by Adele’s mother.

Roc seems just as excited as I am. Finally, I’ve found something to bring him out of his funk and it takes all my self-control not to give him a hard time about it. Because his excitement is about a girl, too. We’re acting like a couple of school boys. It took some convincing to get Ben to agree to Roc being part of the meeting, but once he did he was able to persuade his wife to invite Tawni. And of course Elsey is here, too, and her level of excitement dwarfs both of ours combined, and that’s saying something.

“Oh, Father, won’t it be simply delightful to see Mother again,” she says, beaming from ear to ear.

I expect Roc to mimic her, but apparently he’s so stoked that he can’t even bring himself to joke with his new best friend.

“I couldn’t have put it better myself,” Ben says, his arm around his daughter. Although Ben has been a lot of things since I met him—stoic, fatherly, wise, kind, level-headed—this is the first time he’s seemed so light. It’s like he’s just floating around, not a care in the world, his head as light as a balloon, ready to lift him away to a better place, to where his family can be together. The contrast of his lightness against the heavy gray stone walls around us is strange.

“Do you think she’ll remember me?” Roc says, chewing on his nails.

“Duh, of course she’ll remember you, dork,” I retort. We’re all acting like a bunch of loons and I’m determined not to say anything crazy.

“Don’t listen to poor, unromantic Tristan,” Elsey says, putting an arm on Roc’s shoulder as she counsels him. “Yes, she will remember you and all of your charm.”

“Did you hear that, Tristy? I’ve got charm,” Roc says, punching me lightly on the arm. At least he’s joking again.

The screen goes white, and then black, and then white again, and for a moment I’m worried that technology will let us down and we won’t be able to have the video call. But then the picture emerges and my heart flutters when I see her.

Adele looks the same but different. If anything, she’s gotten more beautiful, her hair darker and fuller, her eyes greener and sharper, her face more heroic. She smiles lightly when she sees me—or so I think. I should say something, but my tongue is tied, so I just smile back at her. Now who’s the loon?

“My dear,” Ben says.

“Hello, Ben,” Adele’s mom says.

“Thank god you’re alive. That you’re all okay.”

“And you,” she says, smiling. “A fine mess we’re all in.”

I’m ignoring them and just staring at Adele. She’s looking back at me and suddenly it’s awkward and we both look away at the same time, laughing.

“Mother!” Elsey exclaims. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too, honey. How are you?”

“Oh, the orphanage was dreadful, but my dear Ranna was the best friend I’ve ever had. I’m okay now though. Adele saved me and Father is taking very good care of me.”

Adele’s mother looks at her with such love in her eyes—the way my mom always looked at me. “Yes, Adele has done much for our family.”

Elsey’s eyes light up. “Oh, and you have to meet Tristan and Roc—they helped save me and Father, too!”

“So I heard.” There’s a twinkle in her eye and Adele blushes. Sometimes she seems so strong, like an iron bar, unbreakable. And other times she’s vulnerable, like now. Both sides of her excite me. “Well, any friends of Adele’s are friends of mine. I’m Anna.”

My tongue is still flopping around helplessly in my closed mouth, so Roc beats me to the punch. “I’m Roc,” he says, winking. “You have two very cool daughters, Mrs. Rose.”

Anna laughs, high and musical. “Don’t I know it,” she says. “And please, just call me Anna.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Anna,” I say, my voice quivery. I just spoke confidently in front of every last one of the moon dweller VPs and now I can barely string a sentence together in front of Adele’s mom. I hope she doesn’t notice.

“Thank you both for what you’ve done for my family, for my girls,” she says. “We owe you a lot.” The conversation seems to just be bubbling along casually, like an underground brook, and I haven’t said anything of substance, anything that’s in my heart.