She crossed the room and yanked the curtains open, letting in a shock of bright, white light. “Why don’t you relax while I go find him. He’s the one whose been taking care of you, and I know he’ll be able to explain everything.”
Roman blinked, trying to make sense out of all the things she’d just said. He was in New Seattle? At the Dead Rabbit? And what did she mean, gunshots aren’t common?
The girl was almost to the door. Roman cleared his throat, trying again to use his voice. “What . . . what year is it?”
The mention of the year brought the girl’s chin up. She stared at Roman for a long moment, and then she said, very carefully, “It’s 2082. Why?”
Roman exhaled. He could feel his heart beating at his temples, see the blood pulsing through his lids.
The year 2082, he thought. Well, that wasn’t so bad. He was in the future, but not so far in the future that he couldn’t live something like a normal version of his life. And . . . well, things certainly seemed different from when he’d come here with Dorothy. No ashes and blocked-out sky. No city in ruins, at least as far as he could see from this bed.
They must’ve done something, he realized. Dorothy and Ash and the others. They must’ve changed things.
The thought brought a thin smile to his lips.
Good for them.
When Roman opened his eyes again, he saw that the girl was still at the door, staring at him.
“What is it?” he asked, frowning.
“It’s just . . . I was wondering if you were a”—she lowered her voice—“a time traveler?”
Roman felt himself go still. His heart was pounding in his ears, a slow, steady drumbeat. “Why would you ask that?”
Now the girl looked nervous. “It’s nothing,” she said in a rush. “It’s just that there are a bunch of people outside and . . . I thought they were crazy, but they said that they’re time travelers, too. They seem to think they’re friends of yours.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my agents; Mandy Hubbard, who found this series a home; and Hillary Jacobson for her continuing support. To my editors, Elizabeth Lynch and Erica Sussman, for loving Roman as much as I do, and to the entire team over at Harper Teen for the million and one things you do to make a book. And, always, thanks to Ron, who reads every word.
About the Author
Photo by Caroline Donofrio
DANIELLE ROLLINS is the author of Stolen Time, Twisted Fates, Burning, Breaking, and the Merciless series (under pseudonym Danielle Vega). She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their cat, Goose. Find her online at www.daniellerollins.com and on Twitter and Instagram @vegarollins.
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Books by Danielle Rollins
Stolen Time
Twisted Fates
Dark Stars
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Copyright
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
DARK STARS. Copyright © 2021 by Danielle Rollins. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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Cover art © 2021 by Vault49
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020951007
Digital Edition MARCH 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-268002-0
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-268000-6
2122232425PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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