by Octavia Kore
“Three tribes once called this land home, each of them at peace with one another: Sanctus, a tribe of beautiful beings created in Una’s image. Grutex, a tribe created in the image of Nem, Una’s powerful mate. Venium, the last tribe created in the image of the cunning Ven, Una’s second mate. Although each tribe was watched over by a chieftain, the Sanctus presided over all, just as Una herself commanded her mates.”
A small group of colorful beings with bodies that shimmered like Trakseer’s appeared in front of them.
“The Sanctus ruled the land with a heavy hand, and although many were unhappy with this, few spoke out against them for fear of severe punishment. Only one, a female named Hylanthe, was brave enough to challenge their laws and their beliefs. She argued that the gods and goddesses of Atlantia the Sanctus worshipped were no more powerful than any of their people. They were different, but not divine. The goddess herself had spoken to Hylanthe, and although she was the youngling of two Sanctus parents, the female was not granted her birthright simply because she looked like her Venium ancestors. This enraged Hylanthe, and she demanded to be allowed the right to represent her people on the council.”
Xuvri watched as a Venium female, undoubtedly the Hylanthe the statue had spoken of, stepped away from the colorful crowd.
“With the knowledge the goddess, Una, gave her, Hylanthe destroyed the only thing connecting our world to that of the false gods. In time, she rid the land of the poison the Sanctus had fed the people, removing those who refused to see and accept the truth. By the time her crusade had ended, the females within the Sanctus tribe, the same ones who had held the power for so long, were no more. With their mothers, daughters, and sisters gone, the males were taken into the other tribes. This culling would later be known as the abduction of the Sanctus and the wrath of the angry gods. The statue of Una that stands within the temple was erected on the site of the portal that once connected this world with so many others.
“As an act of goodwill, and to show the remaining Sanctus males that she was indeed forgiving, Hylanthe created the elders, a small group of males who knew the truth and who would bend the ear of their selected chieftains. But Hylanthe’s vision was not shared by all. Fearing the change she proposed, many of the Venium tribe departed from the land, finding a new home within the okeanos. The Grutex, not completely convinced that Hylanthe spoke the truth, stole the few remaining crafts and departed from the planet, searching aimlessly for the females.”
Xuvri stared in wonder at the warriors as they boarded the ships. Ky was right. These were his ancestors—the ancestors of every Grutex in existence. How many generations separated these males and females from the male he’d been in his very first life cycle? Was it possible he could have been one of the original males to leave this place?
The projection shifted again, showing a peaceful village scene. “The offspring of Una who remained looked to Hylanthe for answers. She knew the truth, but she was not so naïve as to think she could change the minds of the common folk. Instead, Hylanthe allowed them to keep their beliefs, to continue their worship in the way they always had, but guided by her hand. Although Hylanthe is gone, I have been selected to keep her memory and her knowledge alive, to pass it down to the elders who have been granted the honor to serve their people. May Una guide you in your journey toward the truth and grant you wisdom and prosperity.”
The projection faded away, and Ky turned toward Xuvri with a cocked brow as if she hadn’t quite digested all the information. Everything his female had been taught was a story, a lie made up to cover the murder of Hylanthe’s people.
“Is this portal still capable of functioning?” Ky asked.
“The portal on this site requires a distributor to function. It is not currently operational.”
Xuvri frowned. “Ask it to show you the part.”
“Show me the distributor.”
The light flickered again just before an image of the missing part appeared before them. Xuvri’s heart nearly stopped. “I’ve seen this.”
“Where?”
“The ship, the one we were on in the forest. It’s Tachin tech that allows them to rip open space and cut travel time. We used this when we followed Amanda and her mate here.”
Ky glanced at Esme’s unconscious form. “Do you think it might still work?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
The doors to the temple swung open, spilling bright light across the floor as Trakseer appeared, his face drawn into grimace as he scanned the room. “I left you in your garden for but a moment, and the next thing I know I have Inara screaming at me that Esme is injured and you are to blame.”
“I did not injure my mate. Whoever took Eina is responsible for her condition.”
Trakseer’s face fell and his gaze swung toward Ky. “Eina is missing? Who would have taken your youngling?”
Xuvri snarled, anger and resentment bubbling to the surface. “Maybe it was one of your people since they are so quick to blame me.”
“Someone in the village? Who here would want to hurt Esme?”
“You tell me.”
Ky stepped between them, her hand pressed against Xuvri’s chest as she tried to defuse the situation. “Now is not the time for this. Our daughter is gone, Trakseer. We cannot rule anyone out, not even the offspring of Una. Gather only those you are certain you can trust and begin searching the village for any sign of Eina.” She turned to Xuvri, her eyes full of worry and fear. “You will return to the ship and retrieve this distributor. I will wait here with Esme for Amanda’s healer to arrive. Go.”
With one final look back at his mates, Xuvri ran from the temple. He prayed to Ky’s goddess, to the God Esme whose name Esme sometimes invoked, to any being willing to listen to his plea.
Let her live. Allow her to wake up and reveal the name of those who had tried to take his family away from him.
Give me vengeance.
Give me their lives.
Chapter 25
Esme
Esme expected there to be pain, for the agony she’d felt before she slipped into unconsciousness to return the moment she began to wake, but there was nothing. Maybe I’m dead? She wiggled her fingers experimentally, and to her surprise, the digits curled into her palms. Okay, probably not dead.
“Back up. She’s coming around and she doesn’t need everyone hovering over her.”
The voice echoed inside of her mind, sounding both far away and so close. Jun? She hadn’t expected to hear from the other human woman ever again. What was she doing in the village? That was where Esme lived now, in her pretty home with her mates and their baby. Esme’s eyes flew open, and she shot up with a terrified gasp.
“Eina! Eina!” The room tilted at a sickening speed, and Esme felt herself list to one side as she struggled to stay upright.
“Easy!” Jun reprimanded. “You’re going to make yourself sick moving that fast.”
“I have to find them. I have to tell them… I have to…” Esme felt her stomach rise into her throat as she lurched.
Something settled over her mind like a soft blanket, a calm that only happened when Ky was near. “I have you,” her female whispered as she wrapped her arms around Esme’s body. “Be still.”
Tears spilled from Esme’s eyes as she buried her face against Ky’s chest, drawing in her comforting scent. “He took her. He took our baby.”
“Who took her?”
“The scientist, the one from the ship.”
“Which scientist?” The rumbling voice made Esme jump, and she turned to see Nuzal and Brin standing together against the far wall. The males’ violet and red eyes were focused directly on her.
Esme stared at him as she struggled to process everything. She didn’t understand why they were here, and her irritation began to mount, mirroring Jun’s. The woman didn’t like her much, and she didn’t blame her. Esme had lashed out on the ship, but seeing Nuzal again brought unwanted memories to the surface.
Rationally, Esme kne
w this male had done nothing to her besides refusing to end her life. If Nuzal had granted her wish that day, if he’d killed Esme like she had begged him to do, she would never have escaped with the others, would never have never met Xuvri and Ky, and would have never gotten the chance to love Eina. For those things, Esme was more than grateful.
“Vodk,” she said. “After you took me from the Kaia, I was placed in his care.” Phantom pain pulsed through her lower abdomen, and Esme placed her hand over it, meeting Nuzal’s gaze. “I’m sorry for the things I said to you. I blamed you for what he did to me because you were the one who brought me back to the lab. When I was with the Kaia, I was given to Vodk to… to use. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was pregnant when you took me back.”
“You had a baby?” Jun asked, her eyes going wide as her brows rose.
When Esme nodded, Nuzal stepped forward, concern and fear rolling from him in powerful waves. “Was your offspring left on the ship?”
“Yes and no…” Esme explained her loss to them, telling them about the horrific things Vodk had said and done afterward, the loss of her ability to have children, the continued abuse. Brin snarled and began to pace, mumbling things she couldn’t understand. “I wasn’t like some of the others. There was no physical change for me, but I came out of the lab with the ability to feel the emotions of others. I had no idea how to control it, how to block out what everyone around me was feeling, and so I was constantly filled with anxiety and anger. I felt their fear like it was my own and I took all of that out on the three of you.” Esme looked at Jun, Nuzal, and Brin. “I’m so sorry for that.”
Jun’s hand slipped into hers and she felt the other woman squeeze. “I’m sorry you went through all of that.”
“Can you forgive me?”
Nuzal went down on one knee at her side, his clawed hand resting on the table. “The things you said then were hard for me to hear, but I understood where they came from. I hope that my actions and efforts to stop the Grutex now will in some small way help to heal the pain my people have caused. I do not expect to ever be relieved of the guilt, but I will do everything I can to deserve the second chance I was given.” He looked at his mates before turning back to her. “We cannot forgive you because there was never anything to forgive, Esme.”
The tears returned, and a sob racked Esme’s body. She’d carried the guilt of her words for so long now that she hadn’t realized just how heavy that burden had been. Ky held her close, pressing soft kisses into her hair as she rocked her back and forth.
“Can you tell us what happened to Eina?” her mate asked.
Esme took a deep, fortifying breath and began, telling them about her nightmare and how Eina’s abduction had been eerily similar to it. She explained why they’d come to the village in the first place, Xuvri’s shots and the way they changed him, their fear that something might happen to Eina if they stayed on the ship. By the time she reached the end, Esme was feeling the panic begin to set in again. She shouldn’t be here telling them stories; she should be on a ship trying to get to her baby.
“I woke up and found Vodk and what I think was a Tachin female standing over Eina’s crib.”
“A queen.”
Esme turned at the familiar, soothing sound of their male’s voice. “Xuvri…” His name was barely more than a strangled whisper. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Nuzal rose, stepping to the side as Xuvri approached them. There was a large metal object in his hand, but he passed it to Ky before cradling Esme’s face. “Why are you sorry?”
“I tried to protect her. I tried to save her from them, but I couldn’t.”
Xuvri leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. “You fought as best as you could. You used the things you were taught, and you didn’t back down. A warrior may not win every battle, but they do not give up.”
Esme pinched her eyes closed as more tears threatened to fall. “How are we going to find her? I don’t know if Vodk was going back to the ship or not.”
“We are going to try the portal,” Ky said, holding up the chunk of metal the Xuvri had brought with him.
Esme’s heart leaped in her chest. “You figured it out?”
Ky shared a look with Xuvri and grinned as she stood. “I had help.”
“If we can get this to work, we may be able to open an existing portal close to where we believe Eina is located.”
“And if doesn’t?” Nuzal asked.
“Then we will need a ship.”
Brin offered Jun his hand, pulling her into his arms as she stood. “Let me see what I can do about a ship.”
Xuvri turned toward the statue, but he froze mid-step when Nuzal placed a hand on his shoulder. Esme sensed her mate’s unease as he glanced back at the other Grutex. “I’d heard rumors of the injections being given to warriors, but I had no idea if they were true. Your female mentioned that you took them.”
Esme’s cheeks reddened when Xuvri’s eyes cut toward her, but she felt no anger or annoyance from him. “I did. If you are looking for a test subject, it will have to wait until after our offspring is home.”
Nuzal inclined his head. “Once she has been safely returned, I would appreciate your cooperation with the study. The knowledge we can gain from your testing would be useful if we are going to help the humans.”
“I owe the humans a great debt and I mean to repay it. You have my word that I will do anything I can to help.” Xuvri took the object Ky held out for him.
“Look for Erusha. If he is still on board the Kaia’s ship, he may be the only ally we have there.” Nuzal’s hand fell away, and he turned to the door where Brin and Jun were waiting, leaving without another word.
Esme slipped off of the table carefully, giving her unsteady legs a moment to adjust to her weight. Her breasts were already starting to swell and become firm from the missed feedings. Was Eina hungry? Was she being taken care of? Were Vodk and Tachin female feeding her? “We don’t even know how to use this thing. What if we can’t find her in time? What if they’ve already started to test——”
“Stop.” Xuvri reached out and cradled the back of her head, pulling her close so that she was looking into his eyes. “Stop torturing yourself. They need Eina for something important, and as long as she is valuable to them.. she is safe.”
She prayed Xuvri was right. The Tachin female said Eina was her larva, but she hadn’t seemed very pleased about it. That disgusted on the female’s face when she’d looked down at their baby made her stomach sour. Esme didn’t know what the Tachin had planned for Eina, but she doubted very much that she was going to like finding out.
The massive wooden doors to the temple swung open and Trakseer appeared, his xines writhing around his neck and shoulders in obvious agitation. “We have checked half of the village, and there is still no sign of Eina.” He came up short when he caught sight of Esme standing near the foot of the statue. “You are awake.”
“Come over here and help,” Xuvri called out to the male.
“I went back to your home to look for some sort of clues, and I found two distinct scents I did not recognize,” the chieftain continued as he and Xuvri slid open a panel at the base of the statue.
“My nightmare,” Esme said, watching as Ky placed the object into the empty slot in the center. “It was a warning.”
When the panel was pushed back into the place, a ring of lights beneath their feet began to glow and Esme stumbled backward. “Did it work?”
The aqua lights of Ky’s fushori pulsed as she stared up at Una. “Goddess, open the portal.”
“Please select a destination.” A light at the base flickered, and a massive projection of what she assumed was a star map filled the room.
Esme stared, fascinated by the clarity of the tiny planets and stars. She reached out to touch one, but Xuvri grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. “This way.”
“Do you know what you’re looking for?” Esme asked.
“This is an older map, but I recognize ma
ny of these worlds,” Xuvri’s gaze darted from one tiny planet to another. “Here, 1124. This is the Tachin homeworld. The Kaia’s ship has been in orbit around it for as long as I can recall. If that is where Vodk has taken Eina, then this is as close as we will get.”
“How will we get on board?” Ky asked. “Should we wait for Brin to come back with a ship?”
“It took us a month to get to Venora from a neighboring planet,” Esme told her. “We don’t have that much time to wait.”
With a resigned nod, Ky addressed the statue. “Open portal to 1124.”
“Retrieving destination. Please stay outside the circle until the portal has been opened.”
Xuvri turned to Trakseer as a hum filled the temple. “I need you to tell Nuzal and Brin where we have gone. If something goes wrong, they will be the only ones who know what’s happened.”
A small blue and silver ball of light appeared between the statue’s hands, spinning as it began to grow. It was nearly the height of the temple ceiling by the time it was finished, and Esme gawked at the swirling vortex before them, her hand seeking Ky’s as she leaned into her mate.
“Ask it to keep the portal open,” Xuvri said, taking up position on the other side of Esme.
“Is that safe?”
“I will post hunters and personally stand guard,” Trakseer placed his palm on his shimmering chest. “You have my word.”
“Goddess,” Ky frowned as if she were trying to think about how to phrase the command or ask her question, “will the portal remain open after we go through?”
“The portal to 1124 will remain open until a request to close it has been received.”
“Wait! Just a moment.” Trakseer rushed out the doors, speaking hurriedly to someone on the steps. When he returned, he held out two bags. Esme recognized them as the ones the hunters used when they went out into the forest. “It isn’t much, but there is food and water inside. Be safe. We will be waiting for you.”