SAM

  “I’ll be damned,” HC said, stroking his beard.

  Cora and I peppered him with more news, every single sound bite we’d learned since arriving in Nineton. When we got to the part about Pitch playing games with Jax like the proper grandson of Slydar Joon, he threw his head back in laughter.

  Then he jerked his chin towards the back door of the nearby house. “Speak of the devil.”

  And there he was in the flesh: Slydar Joon.

  Impressive for a man of eighty-nine years. Sturdy shoulders, grey dreads, and eyes full of mischief. His energy seemed to pull the whole world towards him as though he were the axis around which everyone else spun.

  The only unaffected person was Pitch at the barbecue, turning red cobs of corn over a flame. They smelled amazing, and I couldn’t wait to try them. Pitch glanced up at me with a soft smile, and I waved to him.

  I wondered if Nanna was barraging him with mental demands to show us his ivory book.

  Slydar and Rory stepped off the porch into the yard carrying the biggest round casserole dishes I’d ever seen, full of something that looked like chicken pot pie.

  “Come on, everybody. Rory’s been cookin’ all day, so don’t make her wait one more second. Ya know the drill. Line up and fill your plates!” Slydar called.

  Joons of all ages trooped to the table and motioned for us newcomers to go first. The picnic tables were laden with the potluck dinner everyone brought. Including the Chopping Block chocolate cheesecake with ice berry glaze Cora and I grabbed on our way here.

  Nope, neither of us wanted to try adapting recipes from Earth to the local ingredients when we could buy amazing food at our favorite cafe.

  I settled onto my picnic blanket with a plate full of goodness. Yum! Taste of The Sea Pie—a creamy fish dish with potatoes, gently spiced and bursting with flavor. I savored every delicious bite then chased it with fabulous roasted red corn on the cob and other sides.

  “This is amazing!” Rhoda said. “I need to get the recipe. Think Bitsy will share?”

  “Surely one of them will pony up and give it to you,” Cora nodded.

  The dinner was wonderful, and there were lots of new friends. Children and grandchildren of Switch and Priyaa, and Pitch’s cousins from Slydar’s family. I didn’t even try to remember all the names, but I clocked the faces so I could recognize them if I saw them around town.

  The affair was casual, and people broke off to play yard games. That’s when HC made his move and cornered Slydar. I didn’t see him shake the man down, but I grinned watching the two of them square off, wishing I could be a fly on the wall and listen in.

  A handsome dark-skinned man with a blue-grey mirka on his shoulder came over to us.

  “Hello there, Filly and Georgia. Ma’am,” he nodded to Rhoda.

  “Oh god, do not call me that! It’s Rhoda,” she said, holding out a hand.

  “Tyne,” he chuckled, taking her whole forearm in his—the Five Spheres version of a handshake. “And this little critter is Clem,” he said, pointing to his mirka pal.

  “How does that work?” Rhoda asked, brows puckered. “Did Clem tell you my son’s name?”

  Tyne laughed, and it was jovial. Free. Delightful to look at. Rhoda’s countenance lit up.

  Oh boy. The evening had just gotten interesting.

  “Nah—that was my aunt Bitsy. Told us about ya. Can’t blame her, right? We got us a new Sibsil, after all,” he teased me.

  “Oooh,” Rhoda agreed. “You got the dish about Shurwinn and Sam? Nice. So, you’re a seelie like my son? Did you meet Clem in Shurwinn?”

  “Clem is one a the native types,” Tyne explained.

  All of us gave him a deer-in-headlights look.

  “‘Kay, I’ll back up for the newbies. When I was a kid, yeah, we went to Shurwinn. Had to get indoctrinated to the Sibsil Creed life, right? And I picked up my first mirka there. I wasn’t the only one. See, my Aunt Trina—that’s Jenk's daughter—found out mirkas were breeding here in Five Spheres because so many seelies came over from Shurwinn. And people were treating them like pets.”

  “Problem. They weren’t domesticated. So, Auntie started a domestication program all over Five Spheres, making sure people knew mirkas can’t live outside in the cold and finding vets who to neuter them,” he explained.

  “Just like dogs back home!” Rhoda said, hanging on his every word.

  “You got it, so take little miss Georgia there to Dr. Jilly, and she’ll make sure you don’t wind up with any pups. Unless you’re wanting a litter?” he smiled.

  “Send me the number, and I’ll make an appointment,” Rhoda said, lifting her pad.

  “Here’s my ID,” he winked, typing his number into Rhoda’s screen.

  Well, well, well.

  “While you’re at it, can you give Rhoda the Taste of the Sea Pie recipe?” Cora asked.

  Nice one, Cora!

  “Better yet, I can tell you my secret ingredient,” he whispered conspiratorially. “A touch of spicy green chiles.”

  Rhoda smiled.

  “So, Tyne? Where do you fit into the Joon family?” I wondered.

  He seemed at least as playful as Slydar.

  “You know Uncle Sly, of course. Or, at least, Aunt Bitsy, right? Slydar’s brother, Dav, is my grampa. Tyke’s my dad. Got the family tree?”

  “You’re a grand-nephew of Slydar’s, so I think that explains everything,” I grinned.

  He laughed, full and free, and Georgia ran over and popped a pepper into his open maw, cracking us all up.

  “Thanks little lady,” Tyne chuckled at her affectionately and swallowed the red pepper.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Nudge.

  Pitch sat down next to me, bumping me with an elbow. Perfect. I typed a question into my pad and showed it to him.

  Sam: Is Tyne single?

  Pitch nodded, grinning.

  Sam: Hell yes!

  He nodded again, waggling his eyebrows up and down.

  Then he looked at the house, motioning with his chin. Would he tell me more about Tyne?

  Pitch stood up, and Cora and I followed suit, taking our dishes to the dirty stack. We followed Pitch up the porch and inside. Crossing the kitchen, I asked, “So, is Tyne into Rhoda? You can hear his thoughts, right?”

  Pitch chuckled, rolling his eyes.

  “I’m taking that as a yes,” Cora said triumphantly.

  “Woo hoo!” I cheered softly, wishing the very best for my friend. She deserved happiness, and Tyne looked like a good one. Wait. “Pitch, Tyne’s a good man, right? I mean, Rhoda—“

  Pitch’s hand on my arm stopped me. He looked at me with soft eyes.

  “Your cousin is as good as you?” I asked softly.

  He smiled kindly, and my concern vanished. Pitch would know, wouldn’t he? If Tyne were trouble, he wouldn’t let Rhoda near him. Good. Cora and I followed our host up the stairs to a bedroom.

  I fell instantly in love with it. It was so . . . Pitch.

  Shiki cushion bed on the floor with a dusty pink duvet and two soft knitted blankets. A floor gaming seat in front of a media console of rounded cubbies built into the wall.

  Books on shelves that looked like tree limbs. And everywhere: art.

  Watercolors. Stencils in colored pencil.

  Calming. Every single inch was balm for the soul, and I wanted to stay. Cora’s fingers found mine and tightened once.

  Pitch led us to a desk in the corner next to a window where there was a printer, neat stacks of spiral notebooks, and a keypad. A screen hovered above it all.

  He opened a small case. Taking out a tiny disk that looked similar to a small earring stud, he pushed it against his scalp. Then he picked up two identical cases and offered them to us with questioning eyebrows.

  Scalp relays? To control tech? Did he wanna play a VR game with me and Cora? I giggled. I was useless at gaming. Pitch smiled, picking the thought from my mind.

  I took the little piece of tech and pushed it against my scalp. Cora did the same, and we looked at each other, dubious. Then Pitch put in earbuds, so we grabbed ours out of our bags and put them in.

  What happened next was a surprise. Two photos appeared on the hover screen, both people I recognized. Bitsy and her brother Switch. A song played in my ears, and woah.

  Duet. Male vocals chased by a woman's, they sang about love from beyond the stars. I wondered if Bitsy was the one singing those haunting echo throws.

  What the fuck? The minute I thought the question, it appeared in a chat box on the screen next to my name!

  Sam: Is Bitsy singing those echo throws?

  Pitch: yes

  Cora: oh my god! it’s writing what we think?

  Sam: ha ha ha! oh my fucking god, this is so weird

  Cora and I pulled the relays out of our hair.

  “Dude, I cannot have my thoughts transcribed! Not happening!” Cora laughed, handing the tech back to Pitch.

  He shrugged his shoulders and grinned, then handed Cora a notepad while another song with male vocals started up.

  Switch again? Damn, his voice was amazing. What was with this family? They had talents beyond magic and telepathy!

  Cora looked over the notepad. “You’re translating this song into English?”

  Pitch nodded, pleading look in his eyes.

  “Oh! You need help with your song? It’s already gorgeous, Pitch. About two lovers who meet in a story? Or a dream?”

  She muttered under her breath, “Seems to be a lot of that going around lately.” Then stronger, “The cadence is a little awkward in English.” She jotted on the notebook.

  Cora tilted her head, listening to the music, then asked, “Is your mom going to sing the vocals on this one too?”

  Pitch rolled his eyes.

  “That’s a no then,” Cora hummed softly.

  I thought I understood what Pitch wanted. Come on, Cor, figure it out.

  She sang, “Love is us. It’s written in the stars. I’m always yours. You’re always mine.”

  Then she went off script, soaring into echoes that easily competed with Bitsy’s.

  Wow.

  Cora let go, eyes closed, lost in the music. Belting out harmonies. “You’re never far. You’re always in my heart.”

  I glanced at Pitch, and he looked victorious. The screen in front of me rapidly scrolled through text I couldn’t read, and bars of sound jumped, moved, stacked, re-stacked, and finally fell into place. It was a riot of colorful lines I didn’t understand.

  Cora whisper-sang, “Always yours. Always mine. Love is us.”

  Pitch’s fists pumped. He held up a finger.

  All was quiet for a few minutes, then sound pumped through my earbuds—Cora and Switch singing an incredible duet.

  The lyrics rolled across the screen in English. “Love Is Us.”

  It was soaring. Powerful. A declaration that knew exactly what it was.

  “Cor! You’re singing a pop duet with Switch! And rocking it!” I fan-girled.

  “I knew I loved you!” I kissed a laughing Pitch on the cheek.

  Cora clapped, “Whew! Digital me is rocking it! MP3 us! We need copies!”

  My pad pinged with an incoming message from Pitch.

  “Love Is Us”

  My gentle kiss woke you softly.

  A whispered breath against your cheek.

  I came in dreams so you could see.

  You looked and saw me.

  You were in a story.

  Then you found me.

  Love set us free.

  Just like a dream.

  I’m always yours.

  You're always mine.

  This love we’re made of,

  It’s outside of time!

  Love is us.

  It’s written in the stars.

  I’m always yours.

  You’re always mine.

  You and I cross the sky

  And hold on tight.

  You’re all I feel.

  It’s all that’s real.

  I am here.

  Love is us.

  You’re never far.

  You’re always in my heart.

  I saw you in a story.

  Not the kind that bored me.

  You stepped off the pages.

  To my surprise.

  You filled my mind with warm starlight.

  Golden, ruby, and all felt right.

  Eyes of orange, wings burning yellow fire.

  You set me alive.

  I'm in another world.

  Around me you swirl.

  You’re never far,

  my only star.

  I’m yours forever girl.

  I don’t go chasing dreams.

  I know you’re here with me.

  They’ll tell our story.

  You know what it will be.

  It was us!

  We shattered history!

  I feel you near me.

  With you I can breathe.

  You’re all I need.

  You’re all I can see.

  Always yours.

  You’re always mine.

  Love is us.

  - Pitch Joon and Coraline As Is, 2859

  “Is that all you wanted, Pitch? A voice sample for your music? Send me more of your songs! I love this,” Cora told him.

  “And damn, would it be fun to riff with your uncle sometime! Or your mom, for fuck’s sake. All that time we were in the Ayela Sanctuary, we could’ve sung with Paddy and HC. They’re amazing too, you know. You should sample them for your collection.”

  Pitch looked wry, then pulled a stack of papers from atop the printer.

  I looked at them and smiled. Unknown Cosmos—typed in Universal.

  My first thought was to dive right in, but before I did that, I wanted Pitch to have something. I opened my shoulder bag, pulled out the precious dream journal inside, and handed it over.

  It a heartbeat, Pitch had my notebook photocopied and returned to me. He did the same with Cora’s.

  “Sam,” Nanna’s voice called from the hallway.

  “In here, Nanna.”

  She appeared with Rhoda carrying a sleepy Filly. Pitch jogged to them and took Filly from Rhoda’s arms, the mirka Georgia climbing up to perch on his shoulder.

  Then Pitch nodded to me and jerked his head towards the printer. I picked up a stack of print outs, and saw the top corner of each had a name written on it. One for Nanna, Rhoda, Paddy, and HC.

  “Thanks, Pitch. This is perfect,” I smiled. “I’ll make sure everyone gets their copy.”

  He nodded once and headed down the steps carrying Filly.

  “We’ve got a porter waiting. You can stay, but I wanted to say good-night,” Nanna began.

  “We’ll go home too, Nanna. Looks like we’ve all got something to read tonight!” I said, waving the papers at her. I couldn’t wait jump into Unknown Cosmos.