Hika leans her head back, letting the starlight wash over her face as it peaks through the puffs of clouds high above. There is a sound from behind her and Jaak steps out from the hill. She can hear his footsteps halt in surprise and she turns slightly, looking back. Jaak is staring at her in shock.

"Is something wrong?"

"Your hair is gold."

Hika laughs. "I did tell you my hair soaks up starlight."

"I didn't think it would change the color!"

Hika shrugs and looks back up at the sky. The stars gleam back down at her, their light dancing over her skin. She focuses for a moment, making sure she is funneling the light into her pendant. It had been empty and now she is hoping to refuel it. Jaak nudges her arm from beside her, frowning slightly in curiosity.

"How long have you been able to absorb the starlight like that?"

"All my life. A few days after I was born, my mother was sitting outside with me after dark and when she looked down, my wisps of dark hair had turned bright gold. She was shocked."

"Hmm. She doesn't have any affinity with stars, right? I know some powers are connected to each other and the bloodlines of those who hold them."

"My mother's powers are over lightning, not stars."

"What about your father?"

Hika shrugs. "I don't have one."

"Is he human? No contact?"

Hika shakes her head. "No. I literally don't have a father. My mother just ended up pregnant with me. Of course, that's not the strangest origin story among my family. My mother hatched from an egg."

Jaak laughs. "I suppose you're right. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't that strange. Are you going to stay out here?"

"Yes, until I get too cold. I need to store as much starlight as possible to replenish my supply."

Jaak nods. "Alright. Want me to bring anything out to you?"

Hika turns to look at him with pleading eyes. "Cocoa?"

Jaak laughs, shaking his head. "On it. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Hika grins at him as he stands and walks back to the opening in the hill. Tearing her attention away from the stars high above, Hika summons a small ribbon of flame and curls it over her wrist, watching as the flame casts orange light against her dark skin. As she's watching the play of light, a large shadow is cast on the snow in front of her, visible in the flame's light. Before Hika can react, an icy dagger is pressed to the skin of her throat.

"Wha-"

Someone croons over the beginnings of her words, their low voice soft and smooth. There is a strange note to it, something manic. "Shhh. Don't make a sound."

Hika stills, her pulse racing. She swallows against the edge of the knife and carefully coaxes her flame up her arm. The person behind her makes a clicking sound with his tongue.

"We'll have none of that."

A cold hand clamps down on the flame, searing it away with frost. Hika swallows back her cry of pain, feeling her body tense and a bead of hot blood runs down her throat as the dagger digs into her skin. The droplet quickly freezes, either from the winter air or the cold material of the dagger.

The man's hand stays clamped down on her arm, frost spreading into her blood and chasing the flame all the way back into her heart. It's pretty much useless now, but . . . This man knows that she can control fire, but not that she can control the stars. He can't freeze those away, the stars burn too hot. Her only restriction is her supply and right now, beneath a starlit sky?

It's bottomless. Without anything more than a breath, Hika unfurls a thread of starlight and carefully slips it behind her, out of sight. She keeps its glow dim as it moves and as the curl of starlight moves higher she weaves it into her hair. When it is between her head and the man, she flares the light right into his eyes.

He lets out a cry of alarm and curses, his hand slipping from her throat before he can remember the dagger. He reacts just a bit though, the edge of the blade flicking against her skin, slicing into her throat as she brings her hand up to push it away. Hika can feel the blood slipping down her skin but she doesn't know how deep the cut is as she leaps away from the man.

She spins around to face him, her hand coming up to her throat. The man has his hands over his eyes, blinded by the light that mixes with his pale blonde hair. The dagger lies forgotten at his feet, red with Hika's blood. She swallows, feeling the movement force more blood out of her wound. The red liquid seeps through her fingers, flowing down her arm to drip onto the snow in a red pool.

Hika stares at the man through the darkness, lit only by the strand of starlight. She summons more of the light, burning cuffs around the man's wrists. If he tries to touch her again, she'll let the heat of the stars escape and burn him.

There is a sound from the hill, one of shock. Hika glances over, keeping one eye on the man who tried to kill her. Jaak is standing in the snow, his mouth gaping open and a mug lying at his feet, spilling rich brown liquid across the snow.

"What in the name of Yggdrasil is happening here?"

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Iwakālua kūmālua = twenty-two, when counting

Oh no! What do you think will happen with Hika now that she has that wound? Who do you think the man is? Why did he try to kill her? What do you think of Jaak's reaction? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out