From the rooftop above the laundromat, Priya knew the night sky cold. So she spotted it at once: a tiny blue dot inside Cassiopeia's crooked W, sitting where nothing should be. She checked her star atlas twice, then three different apps. The dot was real to her eyes and to her phone, but it wasn't on any map. Her hands went cold. New stars don't just show up overnight.

Priya texted the one person who'd believe her: Marcus, who ran the school's tiny astronomy club. "New star in Cassiopeia. Not on any map. Get up here." Three dots appeared, then his reply: "On my way. Don't tell anyone yet." The warning made her stomach flip. Why keep it secret?