Page 22 of Swipe Right for Stardust

“Any questions?” Lysandra asked, scanning the room.

Silence fell over the atrium. I had about a million questions, but my tongue felt glued to the roof of my mouth.

“Excellent!” Caelan clapped his hands together. “Then let’s get you geared up and ready to go!”

The contestants broke into a flurry of activity. We moved to collect our equipment, the air buzzing with nervous energy.

I fumbled with the multi-function device, its alien design slipping through my fingers. Zarnak’s steady hands covered mine, guiding them.

“Here,” he said softly. “Like this.”

Our fingers brushed, and I looked up, meeting his gaze as the chaos around us faded away.

“Thanks,” I managed to squeak out.

We checked our supplies, marveling at the compact, high-tech gear. Each item seemed to hold infinite possibilities – and potential dangers.

Around us, the other couples prepared. Ethan’s booming voice carried across the atrium.

“This is going to be a cakewalk,” he bragged. “With my superior athleticism and Nala’s... assets, we’ll leave everyone in the dust.”

Nala rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might fall out of her head.

Nearby, Jake and Silla shared a quiet moment, their foreheads pressed together as they giggled over some private joke. A pang of longing shot through me, and I snuck a glance at Zarnak.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.

“As I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. “You?”

Before he could answer, a low hum filled the air. The massive teleportation pad in the center of the atrium crackled to life, energy dancing across its surface.

“And now,” Lysandra announced, “let the Stardust Souls Interplanetary Challenge begin!”

The first team stepped onto the pad. In a dazzling display of light, they vanished. The reality of the situation finally, truly hit me.

One by one, the teams disappeared. With each flash of light, the atrium grew quieter, tenser. My palms grew sweaty.

I looked to Zarnak, seeking reassurance. His steady gaze met mine, and I found strength there.

“We can do this,” I said, more to convince myself than anything.

He nodded, a small smile ghosting over his lips. “Of course we can.”

Finally, it was our turn. The atrium felt cavernous and empty as we moved to the teleportation pad. Its energy made my hair stand on end.

Taffy, still clinging to my shoulder, chirped softly and tightened its grip.

“I know, buddy,” I murmured. “I’m scared too.”

We stepped onto the pad. Zarnak’s presence beside me was solid and comforting, a world of unspoken words passing between us.

The world began to dissolve into shimmering light. My last coherent thought was a jumble of “Here we go” and “Please don’t let me throw up.”

And then we were gone.

ZARNAK

The world exploded into existence around me, and I staggered, my feet sinking into shifting sands as I tried to orient myself. The air shimmered with heat, distorting the landscape into a mirage-like haze.

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