Recap of Book One in the Skye Van Bloem Trilogy

 What Happened in Book One?  Spoiler alert!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Happened in Countdown, Book One of the Skye Van Bloem Trilogy?

As Told by the Protagonist, Skye

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARNING!!!!

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SPOILERS AHEAD!

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Perhaps you’d like to read Countdown…

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LAST CHANCE!

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Have you ever watched someone you love die?

I have.

Everyone called her Katrina, but to me she was Oma. I’m lost without her, but people are depending on me, so I’m trying to get myself together enough to do what I need to do—like saving a prince. But I should start at the beginning.

My name is Skye Van Bloem, and I’m not human.

OK, maybe that’s not entirely the truth. I’m half-human, on my mom’s side. My dad was from the planet Vanger. They’re both dead, same as my grandmother Oma; she wasn’t human either. She was a Beholder.

I miss them. So. Much.

My parents were murdered when I was 10, but Oma was murdered about a month ago. She’s the one I’d been living with for the past eight years. She was the best.

And I miss him.

I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. I have plans for my life, like attending university at my parents’ alma mater in Colorado, and a guy doesn’t fit in with that. I lost my scholarship so I’m putting off school for a semester or two, just until I make sure he’s OK. He risked everything for my friends, this planet, and me. I owe him, right?

Starion isn’t just some guy. When I first met him two years ago, he was pretending to be a rabbit, then a mouse, and finally a prairie dog. He was probably some other animals too. I accused him of spying on me, but he claims he was protecting me. Starion’s a Beholder too; they can change shape. And this is important—he’s the prince of his planet.

A handsome prince? It’s a bad cliché; I admit it. But, he’s really hot. Not like a little hot, but wow-you-can’t-breathe hot. Starion’s father, King Pruet, sent him to Earth to organize a conference of animal delegates called the United Earth Ecosystems (UEE for short). The animals were all brought together to vote on the fate of humans. We’d been trashing the planet for ages, and they were pissed. Why shouldn’t they be? Humans poisoned them, shot them, destroyed their homes, took their food, and caused global warming. Should we live or die?

Except for the animals in the New Zealand ecosystems, and the Australian vote that was tied, all the others said yes—humans ought to die. We don’t know if it was a fair vote though because Starion said his father rigged it to go against us. The Beholders were going to release a virus that would have killed all the humans, but my best friend Henry Wilkinson saved the world with his amazing voice. It’s a long story, so you’ll have to take my word for it. Henry is a hero. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old.

When I spoke at the conference, I tried to convince the animals that humans were trying to change. The animals in New Zealand were the only ones who believed it. Why can’t other countries put conservation first, like they do in New Zealand? I understand why it’s Starion’s favorite country, and they have incredibly smart parrots called kea.

Janine Franklin is my other best friend. I’ve known her since we were in sixth grade, and she’s never let me down. She’s a wonderful person, in addition to being a genius. She is seriously the smartest person I’ve ever met, and she’s only sixteen. She was on to Starion from the beginning, but now she’s going to help me save him. Janine is convinced that King Pruet caused Starion to have these frightening seizures. Who does that to their own kid?

Starion’s father threatened to send a second virus if Starion didn’t return to his planet and marry a spoiled Vanger princess named Tempest. Starion detests her, but he made a bargain to save Janine and Henry and me. Starion has to be perfect, go back to engineering school, and do everything his father says or else we could get another virus sent our way. He even has to give up flying, which he loves. He did all that for us.

Starion left me a ring containing a black stone and a key card. His last words were “on the Festival of Five.” Those are the only clues to finding him. It isn’t much to go on, but we have to try.

Janine and Henry keep insisting I’m in love with him.

I’m not, honest. Sure, I care for him, but I just want to get him away from his father, King Pruet. And I hate Prime Minister Oln from the planet Vanger. I never thought I could kill anyone, but I want him dead. He’s the one responsible for my Oma’s death; she died protecting me from him. Oln also shot Professor Richard Leven and caused him to lose his leg.

And then there’s General Tane. Even saying his name makes me want to hurl. That man was supposed to be Starion’s best friend, but he betrayed him. He’s a Beholder too.

Hardly anyone in my life is who they say they are, except for Janine, Henry, and the professor. Dr. Leven teaches at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. That’s how he met Starion, over three years ago. The professor has been looking out for us since Starion was forced to go home.

We just spent half a day driving from Queenstown on the South Island of New Zealand to Dunedin. The countryside is unbelievably beautiful; I think Dunedin could easily become my favorite city—I understand why Starion loved it so much. There are penguins and royal albatrosses and a beautiful harbor and the breathtaking Otago Peninsula and these gorgeous birds called fantails. I should be ecstatic to see this amazing place, but my insides feel like someone scooped them out and left a big emptiness.  I keep squeezing my fingers in order to feel something, anything, but I’m numb. Am I alive?

Dr. Leven talked on and on about this great Japanese restaurant by his university in Dunedin. That’s where we are now, but I don’t feel like eating. Janine and Henry keep giving me sad looks about Starion, but I told them: I don’t love him.

Really.