Halfblood Heritage

by Rheaume, Laura

  Lena, her face white with fury and indignation, shook her head and managed to say, “You sound exactly like them.”

  “Exactly like who?”

  “The ones who kidnapped me, threatened me and my brother. I notice you don’t even ask who they are,” she accused.

  He opened his hands on the table, “It really doesn’t matter, Lena. I don’t need to know.” He put up his hand to stop her and was mildly shocked when she closed her mouth to let him continue. “They are the Kin. Our very existence on this planet, since our last defeat two hundred years ago and increasingly ever since, is dependent on their tolerance of us. I know you have probably heard this, but let me make it very, very clear. They can wipe us out at any time, with almost no effort. They have the resources, the military readiness, and, recently, the inclination.”

  “The inclination?” asked Ian.

  “Yes, the whole kidnapping of the Kin and the development of the virus, not to mention the catastrophe over three years ago, was all very harmful. I don’t have any idea how we were able to avoid war after the raid on Poinsea, I really don’t. All of this has been extremely damaging to our relationship with the Kin Dominion. Our sources tell us that over sixty percent of their population supports bringing the Human population under direct control. Ten percent are in favor of extermination, and the numbers are rising monthly. There are several large social movements that purportedly have an agenda to strengthen the Kin family, but, when viewed closely, are decidedly anti-Human. There are over two dozen underground movements to eradicate or subjugate us.”

  Lena raised her hand and gripped Smoke’s, which rested on her shoulder. Scythe remembered their conversation just over a week ago in which Smoke and Lena came to the same conclusion: war between the Kin and Humans.

  “You are appalled that I don’t ask who kidnapped you? I assure you, yours is not the only threat to our people, just the most active this week.”

  “So, let me check my understanding,” Lena said, taking a deep breath. “If we make a stink about the kidnappings, we’ll...”

  “We are making no demands on the Kin at this time. To the contrary, a huge amount of our resources are being funneled into derailing the pro-war movements and improving the Human image. Any,” he gestured for emphasis, “any abrasive communication from our side may be used as a tool to start a war, one which we cannot hope to win.”

  In the silence that followed, Mr. Fa concluded, “There is no way we are willing to let the condition of a handful of bordertown residents become the key to the enslavement or destruction of the entire Human race.”

  “What about their families?”

  “The families were informed by the border patrol that their loved ones were deceased. They have already moved on. They will not be informed otherwise. To find out differently would be disastrous, and a bordertown insurgency would only weaken us further and assist our enemies.” His eyes fell on Smoke.

  After twenty minutes of arguing, Smoke and Scythe had been allowed join Lena and Ian at the meeting, but Mr. Fa had been clear about his reservations. The rest of their party remained at the barracks, except for the Blades who waited outside. Leandra had decided that morning that the Kin at least would continue to travel together until they left the city. It was beginning to look like that would be very soon.

  “So,” Lena spoke into the quiet room, the hint of defeat in her tone, “nothing is going to be done for them?”

  “If it were anyplace but a Kin settlement, even a small one like Poinsea, we might hope for a covert operation. As it is, we have no option but to seek a secret release through unpublished channels. This is still a possibility, but I have to be frank: if more than thirty bordertown residents returned to their homes after being held and treated as they have been, there would be a major situation.”

  “Demands for justice, at the very least,” said Ian.

  “No,” Scythe said, speaking for the first time, “there is no way your government is going to let them return home. Even if they were released, I bet they’d disappear.” He felt the bile roll around in his stomach and made an effort to loosen the tight fists his hands had balled themselves into.

  Lena, Ian and Smoke looked to Mr. Fa for confirmation. He spoke to Lena as if he had not heard, “I believe I have communicated your orders clearly. You are not to speak about the bordertown kidnapping incident, or any other issues that may endanger public safety. You are to cease looking for the individuals behind the Kin kidnappings. You will not engage in any activity which involves the Kin, except when it directly relates to your special diplomatic relationship with them. You will take a leave of absence from the border patrol for six months, during which time you will be on a closely monitored probation. You will sign a document before you leave acknowledging your understanding and acceptance of this; the penalties of disobeying these orders will be clearly laid out on the document.”

  “You will hand over your left testicle...” murmured Ian, unlocking the wheels on his chair. “We understand.” He turned to go, but paused when the man continued.

  “In compensation for your agreement, and in recognition of your past dedication, no charges will be brought against you for your actions this week. You are to speak to no one, nor are you to record any data about your involvement or knowledge on the subjects we have discussed.

  “No charges that would cause unwanted attention...”

  “One more thing,” Mr. Fa said, pulling out a small folder from his desk and handing it to Scythe. “Your permits have expired. You must leave the city today.”

  Scythe took the folder without commenting and followed his friends out of the office.

  “So, how did it go?” asked Grant, waiting just outside the office. When he saw the looks on their faces, he said, “Wow, that bad?”

  He turned when Mr. Fa called to him, “I need to speak with you now, Mr. Wells.”

  “Ah, okay,” he turned to Lena and Ian. “I’ll meet you back at the barracks.”

  They signed the required documents and headed back to pack up their things.

  As they followed their escort the short distance to the barracks, Leandra commented, “Well, I, for one, am damn glad to be leaving this freakshow.”

  Scythe fell behind to walk with Lena and Smoke and asked, “What are you planning on doing?”

  “I don’t want be parted from Lena again,” Smoke said determinedly.

  “You can’t stay here. They’ll never give you another permit, not even if we are married,” Lena said, holding his arm tightly.

  “No, this is not a healthy place for me,” he joked, taking in the stares of the people around him. “You’ll just have to come with us.”

  “To Poinsea?” Scythe asked, shocked.

  Lena stared at him for a heartbeat. Then her shock blossomed into a fearful anger.

  Smoke, his brows furrowing as he realized his mistake, started to speak, “Lena...”

  “Back to where I was imprisoned? To sleep down the hall from the kidnapped children and do nothing about it? You’ve got to be joking!” She pulled away from him, stopping in the hallway and placing her fists on her hips. “I suppose you want me to bow down to Keyrin as well and thank him, instead of cracking his head open like he deserves!”

  “No, of course not,” Smoke protested. He reached out to her, but she slapped his hand down.

  “Or maybe I’ll be in charge of Scythe's cousin’s baby shower; that’s his wife, right?”

  “No, Lena, listen...”

  Ian, pulling himself with some difficulty out of his chair, stepped up to them and grabbed Lena by the arm. He steered her down the hall.

  “Moving along. Let’s not air our private business here, okay, darling sister?” He motioned to Scythe and Smoke to give them some space and, when Lena allowed herself to be dragged along, he took a deep breath, “Damn, but you are a pain in the ass. I can’t believe any man would put up with you for longer than fifteen straight minutes, not to mention agree to spend his life with you.
”

  “Can you believe it, Ian?”

  “Believe what? You didn’t even let him explain himself.” He shook his head at her frown and then added, “You really need to control your temper more. You are a dog that gnaws on its own leg.”

  “You using this to call me a bitch again?” she snapped incredulously.

  “Like I even need an excuse with you acting like this,” he chuckled. “Seriously, though, talk to him and let him talk before you go into your tirade. In fact, try to skip the tirade altogether. It makes you look like an idiot, and that reflects badly on the family.” He sucked in a breath between his teeth, leaning heavily on her arm.

  Lena, her anger bleeding away, looked worriedly at her brother. She stopped them both and waited until Faith caught up with the wheelchair. Together, they helped him into it.

  “What the hell am I going to do?” she asked him, letting her fear show for the first time.

  “We’ll figure out something, sweetheart,” Ian said, gripping her hand.

  “What?”

  “I don’t know, something.”

  “I can’t leave you and Faith and the kids. You’re my family. Damn, Ian, I love him, but I need you, too.”

  “I know. Honestly, I’m not sure you can even function without me for more than a day.”

  She looked down at him and, seeing that he wasn’t kidding for once, dipped her head, “You know I can’t.”

  Scythe and Smoke, following behind at a fair distance, pretended not to hear, though Smoke’s hands closed into fists briefly when Lena started to cry, leaning on Faith for support. The Blade said to Scythe, “She can’t leave her brother and his family.”

  “No, I don’t think she can,” Scythe agreed, thinking of all the ways Lena depended on her brother.

  “And, I don’t have a place to offer her.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “What did you think?” scoffed Leandra from behind them. “You knew, Smoke. You knew from the first that it was impossible. Just like your brother. He thinks he can take away Serena’s rape with a few sweet words. You think your love can ignore the hostility of a thousand years. A pair of morons, the both of you.”

  “Leandra, you are my sister and my teacher, but...”

  “Save it, Smoke. One of you, or both of you is going to get really messed up if you don’t let it go. I know you’re willing to let it be you, but are you willing to let it be her?”

  “It’s too late for me, I’ve petitioned and received her favor. We are wed.”

  “Fine, you’re wed, but you don’t have to drag her to her death as a wedding present.”

  “Holy crap, Leandra, that’s harsh,” interjected Pride when Smoke, stiff with indignation, kept silent.

  “Where are they going to go, Pride? Smoke is a Blade; his duty is to the governor and his son. Shit, next week, he might pull guard duty on the prisoners. It could just as easily be you, Scythe, and, since you’re Kin, and soldiers, you’ll have to suck it up and do it.” She grit her teeth, seething, “You know what? You all just take your own advice. I don’t give a damn. In a few hours, this will all be behind me, thank heaven, and I can get back to my life.” They had arrived at their room and Leandra called out, “Pack it up, children!” She addressed Smoke, “You have exactly one hour to put your things in order, and then we are out of here. Let me be clear: ‘we’ includes you.”

  Smoke strode to where his bags were piled up, grabbed them and crossed to Lena and Ian, who sat talking on Ian’s bed. He sat next to his wife and, after a few quiet words, she leaned into him, accepting his arm around her and nodding through tears.

  Scythe’s attention was drawn to the approach of Anora. “May I speak with you a moment, son of Scythe?” she asked.

  “Sure,” he said, following her into the small room at the back of the barracks. He raised his eyebrows when she closed the door behind them. “What’s up?”

  “I have been offered a place with the Blades, as you know,” she began.

  “Yeah, Leandra told us. She seemed sure that you would be protected under the agreement I made. Are you planning to take it?”

  “I am...undecided,” said Anora, speaking in a private tone to ensure that her words were not heard outside the room. “I agreed to join you until your pledge was fulfilled, and it seems that you have reached that end. Am I right?”

  Scythe leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed and looked at the Kin carefully. After a moment, he answered, “It does seem like that.”

  She continued, “I would know if your arrangement with the Scere L’ Eler has released me from my pledge to you.”

  “You are free to do what you want, as far as I am concerned.” Scythe added, seeing her hesitation, “To be honest, I was surprised that you wanted to help us out at all. What did you risk to do that?” There had never been the time for Scythe to ask the question that had pestered him since the day the she had joined their group.

  She shrugged, “I left the Red Guard for a position with the Scere L’Eler. It was something my family urged me to do when the opportunity arose. It was an advantageous move. As I told you, it turned out to be less than I expected. To be honest, my previous work was more rewarding, albeit significantly lower in pay. By joining you, by assisting you to harm the Human arm of the Scere, I have merely made myself untenable to them. It is no big loss, so long as there aren’t legal repercussions for our actions.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Well, with your strike against the Scere at an end, I assume you will return to the Blades?”

  “Yes,” he said slowly.

  “Then perhaps I will accept the offer from Leandra and join you. Would that be acceptable for you?”

  “Of course. Do you mind if I ask you something? You are free to refuse…”

  “Please ask.”

  “Why did you...do all this? Why help us?”

  “I wasn’t helping your friends. I wanted to help you.”

  “Me?”

  She nodded.

  “Why?”

  “You impress me,” she said simply, getting up and going to the door. “I can only imagine what kind of man you will become, if you at...what, fifteen?”

  “Fourteen.”

  “Fourteen, and you are already so strong. I will be near, for when you need someone you can trust.” She left.

  Scythe didn’t know what to say, especially since his senses told her that she had been completely sincere. He followed her out, to find Lena and Smoke looking for him.

  “There you are!” She raised her eyebrows after darting a glance at Anora.

  Scythe shook his head, “It’s not what you think.”

  “What do I think?” She grinned.

  He sighed and opted for a diversion. He asked his friend, “What did you guys decide?”

  Smoke looked down at Lena, letting her answer for them. She said, taking his arm and squeezing it, “There isn’t a place for us to be together right now, so I’m staying here and Smoke is returning with you to Poinsea. But, we’re going to find a way, somehow, or a place.”

  “Or we will make a place, my Heart,” Smoke insisted, kissing her lightly.

  Lena nodded her head, but her eyes betrayed her, letting them see her doubts.

  “Maybe…” Scythe stopped when Leandra strode up to them, looking decidedly impatient.

  “I’m not even going to ask, because, frankly, I don’t give a damn. We’re out, people. Move it!”

  At her tone and sharp look, Scythe sprung forward to gather his things.

  Chapter 29

  Scythe had barely dropped his bags on the floor and given them a good kick into the corner for old times’ sake before he recognized the sharp steps that approached from down the hallway. He took a quick look around his small room, wondering if these were to be his last moments there. He had not made many changes to it in the short time he had lived there, but each one was precious to him: the small collection of pictures on the dresser, which he preferred t
o the noisy Human vid frames, the many stacks of books which he had piled up next to the bed, and the box of assorted training weapons and gear which he had meant to hang on a rack but had never found time for. The most important of his few possessions he kept in the top drawer: a small green and gold box which Flame had given him.

  Inside the handsomely decorated box were twenty-four degien, hand folded paper cards; each was individually crafted in the tradition of the family of the maker, and each was marked with one of a handful of symbols. These tokens of affection, gratitude or esteem had been given to him by either the Kin survivors he had helped rescue, their families or others who had heard of the operation and wanted to honor him. Flame’s was in the shape of a cauldron and bore the symbol for courage; Serena’s family jaguar embraced the sign for a word that meant duty tempered with compassion. In Kin tradition, a degien represented the family’s acceptance of the bearer as one of their own, a true son or daughter of the family, and was, therefore, the highest acknowledgement a family could bestow. It was customary for the recipient of such a high honor to display the degien in a central place in the home, but Scythe had felt too humbled to do that. It was enough to know they were there.