Raya shook his hand, no longer surprised that it felt solid and warm. The Elsewhere Express was beginning to feel as real as the world she had left behind. “I’m Raya and this is Q.”
Dev narrowed his eyes at her. “Have we met?”
“Who?” Raya pointed to herself. “Me?”
“Were you at Scrabble night?” Dev scratched the gray stubble on his cleft chin. “Or maybe at happy hour at the Lotus last week?”
Raya shook her head. “No, sorry. We just boarded.”
“You did? I must have misheard then.”
“Misheard what?” Q said.
“That you painted the star that took you to the island.”
“He did.” Raya gestured to Q. “You heard correctly.”
Dev’s heavy brows shot up. “Really? That’s quite the feat for a newcomer. Well done. You should consider joining the painting crew.”
Q fidgeted as though his shirt made him itch. “Desperation’s a great motivator.”
Dev tilted his head. “Sorry?”
“The painting crew was out of stars,” Raya said. “And we weren’t keen on using a ladder.”
Dev chuckled. “Falling ladders make great photos, though. I’ve got quite the collection. It helps with my memory.” He tapped the side of his head. “I’m terrible at remembering things. Well, I won’t keep you from your search for your compartments. And if you’re looking for the picture frames, they’re behind”—he scanned the shore—“where were they again?” He laughed. “Sorry. Oh. Wait. I remember. They’re behind the fifth palm tree on your left.”
“Thanks for the tip. It was great meeting you.” A glowing sphere rolled past Raya’s heel. Followed by another. And three more. They washed up on the crescent beach like little moons, making the pinkish sand shimmer like fairy dust.
“Finally.” Dev planted his hands on his hips. “Well, I better get to work. I don’t want to be here all night.”
“Work?” Q said.
“I know, I know.” Dev flashed a grin. “A lot of people on this train don’t think that strolling on the beach and listening to the songs that wash ashore is a real job.”
“Did you saysongs?” Raya shot a glance at Q. His eyes mirrored her shock.
She had wanted to believe him when he had told her about his strange dreams, but all the dreams she had about Jace being alivehad taught her that dreams were nothing more than lies you told yourself while you were sleeping.
“This wouldn’t be the maintenance department without them, would it?” Dev said. “I’ve heard that they tried using pastry recipes to patch things up back in the day, but while they were okay for quick fixes, even repairs made using the best chocolate cake ideas didn’t last long.”
A wrinkle wedged itself between Raya’s eyes. “I don’t understand.”
“Thoughts come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Not every thought is suitable for the same task. Using a cupcake recipe versus a song is like slapping on a Band-Aid instead of treating a wound. Songs heal. But they don’t pick themselves up.” Dev smirked. “It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Would you like to hear one before you go? I can crack one open for you. It won’t take long.”
After years of avoiding music, waiting to listen to a song filled Raya’s stomach with ice. It was like meeting up with an old friend who she wasn’t very confident would be happy to see her.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Q looked at Raya’s hand. “We don’t have to wait for Dev to come back with his tools. We should keep searching for our compartments.”
Raya turned her palm over. “The knot doesn’t seem to have changed much since we left the sky. I think it’s unraveling more slowly. Look.”
“I wonder what’s changed?” Q inspected her hand, his fingertips grazing the knot on her skin. “Why did it slow down?”
“I’m not sure.” Raya cast her eyes down the glowing shore. She had no idea what songs inside spheres were supposed to sound like, but their lights warmed her and made the path ahead easier to see. “I just know it means we can afford to stay a little longer and listen to one song.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Q said, “I’m glad that the knot isn’tunraveling, but I don’t understand why you want to do this. It’s still a delay. I know why hearing the song matters to me, but if I were in your shoes, I’d be more interested in finding my compartment as quickly as possible.”
“I want to hear the song because the fact that we’re standing on a beach you dreamt of as a child can’t be a coincidence.” Raya watched the beach glow in Q’s eyes like a new day. “That has to mean something, don’t you think? The more we know about this place, the better. It’s the only way I’ll be able to find my way home.”
