Close Remembrance

by Anna Zaires

  Did that make her a traitor to her people? Or was it like Delia said, that by Korum falling in love with her, she had already done more to help humanity than any efforts by the Resistance?

  She believed him when he promised the Krinar wouldn’t harm humans on purpose. He had always kept his promises to her. She just wasn’t sure how everything would unfold when people learned of the Ks’ intentions for Mars. Would there be renewed anti-K movements? Would the human population panic and try to strike at the invaders, leading to the Krinar retaliating against them? Mia would be devastated if that happened.

  But the thought of leaving Korum was unbearable. She couldn’t live without him; it was as simple as that. She loved him with every fiber of her being, and she knew he loved her just as fiercely. Maybe that made her a traitor . . . or maybe it made her the luckiest woman alive. Only time would tell.

  For now, there were Elders to meet.

  “It’s best if I do most of the talking,” Korum said as they approached a clearing in the middle of the forest. “They don’t like unnecessary conversation.”

  “Of course,” Mia said. “We won’t say a word.”

  “No, you might have to,” he told her. “They’ll probably want to talk to you and your family directly – in which case, I strongly suggest you respond to their questions as honestly and concisely as you can.”

  Mia nodded in agreement. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her parents holding hands as they walked. Her mom was pale, and her dad looked grim, like he was going to an execution. Marisa and Connor trailed behind them, looking nervous and excited at the same time.

  Unlike Mia, the others were dressed in human attire. It was their choice. “What, am I going to squeeze into something like that at my age?” her mom had said, indicating Mia’s form-fitting, open-backed dress. Korum hadn’t objected; since none of them were charl, they weren’t considered a part of Krinar society and could thus wear whatever they wanted. Her dad had put on a suit and tie, and so did Marisa’s husband. Her mom and Marisa wore semi-formal dresses and high heels. Mia hoped they weren’t too uncomfortable, traipsing through the forest like that in the heat.

  The fact that the Elders wanted to see them out in the open – as opposed to in some building – didn’t surprise Mia in the least. The Ks were remarkably attuned to nature, and Korum had told her that some of the Elders shunned artificial dwellings altogether, choosing to live as their primitive ancestors once did: in the hollow trunks of giant trees or in cave-like rock formations in the mountains. They also jealously guarded their territory, not allowing anyone to come within a dozen miles of their chosen areas. This spot in the woods was considered neutral ground, a place where the Elders would often meet to discuss various matters and socialize with each other.

  “Very few Krinar have ever had the privilege of seeing the Elders in person, as you’re about to do,” Korum said as they paused in front of the clearing. “It’s about the greatest honor there is.”

  Mia took a deep breath, trying to still the fine trembling in her fingers. Now that they were actually here, her previous calmness had deserted her, and her heart was beating frantically in her chest. What if she accidentally did or said something that angered the Elders? In that case, they might deny Korum’s petition or worse. She had no idea what these ancient Krinar were capable of.

  “Ready, my sweet?” Korum asked, and she nodded, putting her hand in his. Then they walked together into the clearing, Mia’s family following in their wake.

  There were nine Ks standing there, three women and six men. They were all looking at Mia and her family, their faces utterly expressionless. Physically, they seemed to be in their prime, no older than Korum or any other Krinar Mia had met. All the males were tall and powerfully built, and even the females seemed sturdier than usual. The shortest of the Elder women was probably just over six feet in height, with lean, well-defined muscles covering her frame. To Mia’s surprise, they were all dressed in modern Krinar clothing, their light-colored outfits contrasting with the bronzed hue of their skin.

  While the women were beautiful in a warrior-princess kind of way, the men were more mixed in appearance. One male K in particular resembled the recording of the ancients far more than he did the other Krinar. Although his harsh, craggy features held a certain attraction, he looked too rough to be considered handsome. Mia wondered if any of the Elders had a mate, or if they had survived for millions of years without forming any deep attachments.

  Korum let go of Mia’s hand and inclined his head respectfully, saying nothing. Mia followed his example, keeping her gaze trained on the Elders the entire time. In Krinar culture, it was considered rude to look down or away when meeting with a figure of authority; open staring was the way to go.

  One of the women stepped forward, her movements smooth and flowing. Coming up to Mia, she brushed her knuckles against her cheek in the traditional greeting between females. Mia smiled and reciprocated, hoping she wasn’t doing something wrong. Judging by the approving gleam in Korum’s eyes, she had done exactly the right thing.

  After greeting Mia, the woman circled around the other humans, studying them with visible curiosity. She didn’t say a word or make any gestures toward them, but Mia could see the sweat droplets on her dad’s forehead. He had to be very anxious, because he didn’t normally perspire that much from the heat.

  Still silent, the woman went back toward the Elders and resumed her original position near the two other females. Then nine pairs of dark eyes simply looked at them, watching them with a cool, deep intelligence that seemed distinctly inhuman.

  Mia looked back at them, trying to figure out which two were involved in guiding human evolution. In a way, she was meeting real-life gods, the creators of the human race. The idea was so mind-boggling that she didn’t dwell on it too much. She was less likely to collapse in a trembling heap if she thought of these Elders as nothing more than somewhat older versions of Korum. And truthfully, to a twenty-one-year-old, there wasn’t a tremendous difference between someone who was two thousand years of age and someone who was two million. Both were incredibly old – or so she kept telling herself.

  Finally, after what seemed like an hour, the rough-featured male stepped forward, approaching Mia and Korum. “So this is your charl,” he said, his voice low and exceptionally deep. Mia thought his walk resembled that of a lion, all lean muscle and predatory intensity.

  Korum inclined his head. “Yes.”

  “Unusual,” the Elder said, cocking his head to the side as he studied Mia. “Very unusual.”

  Mia fought the urge to quail under that penetrating gaze. She felt like the ancient K was stripping her bare, seeing her every fear and vulnerability.

  “Why do you think we should make an exception for your family, Mia?” the Elder said suddenly, addressing her directly.

  Mia swallowed to get rid of the knot in her throat. She had been mentally preparing for some type of interview, but she still felt caught off-guard. Nevertheless, when she spoke, her voice was surprisingly even, betraying nothing of her inner turmoil. Adrenaline was surging through her veins, sharpening her focus, and the words that came out of her mouth were unusually crisp and clear.

  “I don’t think you should make an exception for my family,” she said, looking up at the Elder. “I think you should share your technology with the entire human race. If you won’t do that, for whatever reason, then think about this: by being with Korum, I now share his lifespan. Since that’s something that you and your colleagues allowed, you must see the logic in that. Without the nanocytes in my body, I would age and pass away in a few decades, while Korum would remain the same – and that would be unbearable for both of us because we love each other.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “And it would be equally unbearable for me to watch those I love –” she gestured toward her family, “– get sick and die.”

  The ancient K was still looking at her, and she could see a glimmer of amusement on his face. It softened his featu
res slightly, making him appear just a tiny bit less intimidating. Mia wanted to say more, but she remembered Korum’s admonition about being concise when answering questions and decided to shut up instead. She had said everything there was to say; short of repeating her points and appealing to their sense of ethics and morality, there was nothing else to add.

  The Elder stared at her for a few more seconds and then turned away. Mia could sense some sort of wordless communication going on between him and the others, and then he turned back toward Mia and Korum.

  “We’ll make our decision soon,” he said, addressing Korum this time.

  Then he went back toward the rest of the Elders, and they all melted away into the forest, leaving Mia, Korum, and her family alone in the clearing.

  * * *

  “That was Lahur,” Korum told his charl during their trip back to the house. “He’s the one I told you about – the oldest Krinar alive. The woman who came up to you and your parents is Sheura; she’s an evolutionary biologist, and she was involved in the human project from the very beginning.”

  “Oh, no wonder she seemed so curious about us! Do you think they’ll do it? Do you think they’ll agree to it?” Mia was perched on a float next to him, her eyes bright with excitement. Korum knew she was likely still feeling the rush from the meeting, and he smiled at her, proud of the way she had conducted herself with the Elders. He’d known she was nervous, of course, but she’d maintained her composure throughout – better than many Krinar would have in her place.

  “I don’t know, my sweet,” he said honestly. “Nobody can predict what the Elders are going to do. I hope they saw whatever it was they wanted to see today. All we can do now is wait.”

  “Do we have to remain on Krina while they decide?” Mia’s mother asked, and Korum could see that she looked much more calm now, relieved to have the ordeal over with.

  “Yes,” Korum told her, “that would probably be best. They said soon, so it shouldn’t be too long. Besides, you haven’t even met my parents yet. I know they are anxious to see everyone.” Korum also had another reason for wanting Mia’s family on Krina, but now was not the right time to discuss it.

  “Oh, we’d love to meet them too!” Ella exclaimed. “Wouldn’t that be great, Dan?”

  “Sure,” Mia’s father said. “We would absolutely enjoy meeting them.”

  “Good,” Korum said. “Then I will make the arrangements.”

  Chapter 30

  Humming to herself, Mia got dressed and ready to go to Korum’s parents’ house. She remembered liking Riani and Chiaren during their virtual meeting, and she was looking forward to seeing them again. She had a suspicion her parents would like them too, though they would likely be awestruck by their youth and beauty.

  If the Elders gave their permission, Mia’s parents would also regain their youth. She wanted it so badly she could taste it. She had seen pictures of her mom and dad when they were Mia’s age, and they had been a cute couple, her dad tall and handsome and her mom pretty and carefree. She wanted to see them like that in real life, healthy and vigorous, without the various aches and pains that came with middle age.

  Just as she was putting on her dress, Korum walked into the bedroom. He appeared even more gorgeous than usual, his face glowing with some unknown emotion. Coming up to Mia, he bent his head to brush a kiss against her lips. “You look beautiful, my sweet,” he said softly, tucking one of her curls behind her ear.

  “Thank you.” Mia beamed at him. “So do you.”

  “I have a little something I’d like you to wear,” he said, looking at her with a mysterious smile. “Another piece of jewelry.”

  “Oh sure.” Mia had already put on the shimmerstone necklace for the meeting with his parents, but she didn’t mind wearing something else instead – or in addition to. Accessorizing had never been her strong suit, although she had every intention of learning how to do it. She had already gotten better at dressing fashionably; jewelry was the next step.

  To her complete and utter shock, Korum took a step back and lowered himself to one knee. In his hand was a small black box. As she stared at it, the box opened, revealing the most beautiful ring she had ever seen in her life. Small and delicate, it appeared to be made of the same iridescent material as her necklace, with a larger round shimmerstone set in the middle.

  “Mia,” Korum said quietly, looking up at her with those incredible amber-colored eyes, “I know things between us haven’t always been easy, and I can’t promise you there won’t be difficulties ahead. But I do know one thing. I want you, now and always, more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in all my years of existence. I want you in my life, in my bed, and by my side for as long as we are both alive. I want to cherish you and protect you; I want to lay the world at your feet. I want your face to be the first one I see when I wake up and the last before I go to sleep. I want to make you as happy as you make me. Mia, my sweet, I am hopelessly in love with you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Mia opened her mouth but no words came out. Instead, she could feel a strange burning sensation in her eyes. “You . . . you want me to marry you?” she finally managed to whisper, afraid she somehow misheard him. “But –” she swallowed, “– you’re Krinar! You can’t marry a human!” Her voice rose incredulously at the end.

  “I can do whatever I want,” Korum said, and she couldn’t help smiling inside at the arrogant note in his voice. Even on his knees, he sounded like king of the world. “Just because no one else has done it doesn’t mean I can’t. I want you to be mine in every sense of the word – by Krinar and by human law. Mia, darling, will you marry me?”

  The burning in her eyes increased, and a tear escaped and rolled down her face. “Yes,” she said almost inaudibly, her vision blurring with moisture. Her chest felt tight, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Yes, my love, I will marry you.”

  His answering smile was as blinding as the Krinar sun. Rising to his feet, he reached for her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly, shimmering with every color in the visible spectrum.

  “Oh, Korum . . . It’s –” Mia was openly crying now, tears of happiness running down her cheeks. “It’s beautiful . . .”

  “Not as beautiful as you,” he said softly, drawing her into his embrace. “Nothing could ever be as beautiful as you.” And cupping her face in his large hands, he kissed the tears off her cheeks, his lips tender and reverent on her skin.

  * * *

  They agreed to share the news with Mia’s parents when both families would be gathered together, and Korum now watched with amusement as Mia did her best to hide her left hand in the folds of her dress during the trip to his parents’ house. He’d told her she could take the ring off for now, but she had vehemently refused. “What if I lose it?” she said in a horrified tone, and Korum didn’t argue. He liked seeing the piece of jewelry on her finger, liked knowing that there was a visible symbol of their commitment to each other.

  He wasn’t sure when he had become so enamored with the idea of marrying her in the human way. During that visit to her parents’ house, the thought had been planted in his mind, and it had been brewing there for the past month. He’d known that Mia still felt uncomfortable being his charl; the way she saw it, he held all the power in their relationship. It was an ongoing source of contention between them, and Korum knew she would never be completely happy as long as she felt like she had no rights among his people.

  The more Korum had contemplated the problem, the more it seemed like marriage could be the solution. By publicly marrying Mia on Krina, he would elevate her standing in their society. She would no longer be merely a charl, a human who belonged to him; she would be the equivalent of his mate, long before the Celebration of Forty-Seven.

  She would also officially belong to him in the eyes of her people. Korum liked that quite a bit. If any human male dared to look at her, he would see the ring on her finger and know that this woman was taken. Those rings
were a clever custom, Korum had recently realized. They allowed a man to mark his territory in a very civilized manner. Mia was now his fiancé, just as she would soon be his wife – and nobody would have any doubts about that fact.

  Of course, their marriage would also give Mia’s parents peace of mind. Although the Stalis family had accepted their relationship, Korum knew they would be far happier if they could call him something other than their daughter’s boyfriend. Now he would be their son-in-law, a much stronger tie in their eyes, and they would feel more reassured about his commitment to Mia.

  Their transport pod landed in front of his parents’ house, and he led Mia inside, with her parents, sister, and brother-in-law trailing behind them. His human family, he thought wryly. It was so unlikely he could still hardly believe it, but these people were important to Mia – and they were becoming increasingly important to him as well.

  Riani and Chiaren were waiting for them. As Korum entered the house, he saw his mother first, standing there with a huge smile on her face, and his father’s more austere presence immediately behind her. They had been shocked when he’d first told them about Mia, but glad too. Korum sometimes wondered if his parents thought he would go through life without ever finding someone to love.

  Stepping forward, he gave Riani a hug and greeted his father with the more formal touch to the shoulder. Then, turning to Mia’s family, he introduced them to his parents.

  To his surprise, the two sets of parents clicked almost immediately. Within minutes, they were chatting animatedly and trading stories of their children’s youthful exploits. “Oh my God, this is embarrassing,” Mia whispered in his ear, blushing when Ella laughingly revealed her infant daughter’s habit of freeing herself from diapers and crawling around their backyard chasing after squirrels.