Behind These Blue Eyes: The Adventures of Blue Faust, #1.5

By Cecilia Randell

Blue and her friends made it back to Earth. The adventures are over, and all that's left is to clean up the aftermath.  
She's dealing with police, rumors and rivalries at school, nightmares and increasingly distant friends. Maybe it's an adventure of a new kind but it feels more like the end of them.

So, Blue comes up with a new plan:
Get Phe and Kevin together, officially
Get Forrest out of his house 
And figure out why she can't stop thinking about a certain red-haired clansman, and what she'd going to do about it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Wren Publishing
• Release date: Sep 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9780999872864

Book preview

Chapter 1

BLUE

Blue’s breathing sped up. Wherever she was, it was dark. She could just make out a gray stone floor in front of her, but beyond that all she could see was an inky dark obscuring everything else.

Hello? she called out.

There was a faint scraping sound from behind. She spun, straining to see any movement. Nothing. Her heart pounded as if trying to escape her chest. Another scrape, and then a voice, Hello little star.

Trevon?

A figure stepped into the low light around her. It wasn’t Trevon, though; it was Phillip. I’m so glad to have you back. I’ve been missing you. Why did you have to leave me? As she watched, his face faded to gray, the muscles going slack. His brown eyes went cold and flat. I need more life, he murmured.

Another sound, a low sobbing, and she twisted to see Phe kneeling on the cold stone floor. Why? Why couldn’t you save him? Why couldn’t you save them? Behind Phe stood Eric and Danny, lifeless, just like Phillip.

Blue tried to move, but couldn’t. She opened her mouth to speak to Phe, to reassure her, but nothing would come out.

A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind, spinning her around. Derrick. Tell me, was your life really worth mine? There was no inflection in his voice, no expression on his face, but she could feel the accusation.

I don’t think it was. Forrest stood behind his cousin, his face hard, condemning.

Kevin appeared beside her and whispered in her ear, Why’d you have to sit next to me in class? You could have sat anywhere else. Why me? Then he added, even quieter, I wish I’d never met you.

They were all there, surrounding her, closing in, and behind them inky darkness. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t offer any explanations or do anything to make things right. Her heart pounded harder, and her breath came in gasps.

Then Phe’s face was before hers, cold and gray. I hate you.

Blue jolted awake, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes. She struggled to breathe, trying to get her gasping cries to subside. Once they had, she looked to her bedside table. The clock read 4:45 a.m. There were still a couple of hours until it would be time to get up for school, but she didn’t think she could sleep more at this point.

She stared up at the ceiling. The air conditioning kicked on, blowing a dry, slightly stale waft of air over her face.

She had broken down since they’d returned from Karran. It had started when they reached the parking lot and saw Phi’s car sitting there, a bold red statement. Phe, who had seemed to be holding up well until then, let out a cry and leaned heavily against Kevin, who had worn a lost expression. Forrest had stared at the car and truck parked together, face stiff.

The guilt had swept over her, just as it first had back in Karran. There had been too much death, and it was because of her, because she’d been there on the hike.

Let’s go, Jason had said, his voice as stiff as his posture.

Staring at that bright red car, Blue had known his plan wouldn’t work. Wait, she’d said. It’s not going to work. The car is too… noticeable. It’s distinctive. If you say they left before we even started the hike, it will be too obvious a lie. Too many people will have seen the car sitting there. She hated to bring it up, to sound so logical. Now was not a time for reason; now was a time for mourning and recovery.

She’s right, Forrest said, still gazing at the two vehicles. His voice was toneless, and her heart ached.

Jason took a deep breath. Okay, new plan. I’ll drive the car out now. We don’t have another person to take Derrick’s place, but we’ll just have to risk it. I’ll come back later for my car. Kevin, can you take the two agents to Eric’s and Danny’s houses? Jason looked at the two Ministry agents. You know what to do. If anyone appears to be home, try to be as quiet as you can when you get there and go straight upstairs. Kevin, you’ve been to their places, so can you describe the layout for them? And where their bedrooms are? Blue, you’ll need to take Phe home. Now, for the fun part. He braced his feet apart. Forrest, hit me.

Gladly. Forrest walked to Jason, pulled back his fist, and let loose, putting his shoulder into it. He hit the same place Mo’ata had, over a bruise just starting to turn yellow. Jason staggered back, but didn’t fall. Forrest pulled his arm back again, ready for another hit, and Jason said, Enough, that’s enough.

If your goal is to make it look like you were in a fight, that’s not enough. She probably shouldn’t be enjoying this. Hit him again, Forrest.

Forrest did, this time giving him a bloody lip.

"Okay, that should be enough. It was an effort to keep her tone even. Forrest, you don’t want your hand bruised, don’t want it to seem like you were involved in the fight. She walked up to Jason, staring him straight in eyes. So, the new plan is for you to have gotten in a fight with Phi, he took off with Derrick, and the rest is the same? It’s still not great, but better. Fine. I’ve also got a plan. If anyone asks, I’m going to direct them to you. You have some sort of rivalry going with Phi. I don’t know what it’s about, but it’s obvious. Also, you’re leaving in a couple months. You can afford to take a fall. We, she said, gesturing to Forrest, Kevin, and Phe, can’t."

Her hands clenched into fists, and Blue eased them open. Her anger at Jason had broken through her control, shoving aside the grief and guilt. She would do her best to protect herself and the friends she had left. Currently, if it meant Jason took the blame for the disappearances, then it was fine with her.

Blue, stop. It’s really not his fault, Kevin cut in. He’d stepped away from Phe, coming to Jason’s defense. She didn’t understand it, but she also knew there were undercurrents and stories she didn’t know.

Fine.

No, it’s a good idea, said Jason. I had hoped to not completely burn my cover here, but if need be, I can take the blame and disappear. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

Another thought came to her. So, what was this fight about? I mean, if they ask us about it, what happened?

Everyone looked at each other. No one knew what the fight was about?

Okay, who swung first? Why? When there was still no answer, she sighed. Really? You’re the secret agent guy, and you don’t have this down? Seriously? Fine, Phillip swung first because Jason made some asshole comment to him. Phe, what’s an asshole comment that would set off Phi?

Phe had been hanging back, but at this she blurted out, If Jason said he only quit the team because he knew he wouldn’t have been able to hack it anyways.

Blue raised her brows, but when no one else had a better suggestion, she went with it. Fine, Jason is an asshole, and it set Phillip off. Phillip swung first, there was a fight, blows were exchanged, and then Eric and Danny pulled them apart. How about that? Any questions?

There were none, and because there was nothing else to do, they went through with the plan. She took Phe home, going in with her and making sure she got to her room. Phe’s parents were there, but didn’t ask about Phillip. When they’d made it to Phe’s room, they both collapsed on the bed, neither speaking for a while.

Finally, Bue worked up some courage. Phe, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know about any of it—the portals, my father, none of it. I never would have gone on the hike, and I never would have invited you if I’d known that would happen.

Phe remained silent for several minutes. Blue risked a glance, only to find Phe looking at her. Her eyes were red but clear of tears. She couldn’t read her expression; nothing about it gave away what Phe was thinking.

Phe?

Life is a funny thing. You go along, just doing what you’re doing, when it changes. Changes for the good, changes for the bad, whatever. It’s always changing. Phe turned her head back,