“Isn’t it just?” I agree, quirking a brow.
“Why was I not informed of this abuse?” Trey asks Jax in a low tone.
“Because the parameters of our mission did not include stalking and killing humans, sir,” Jax replies in an equal tone.
“We could’ve made exceptions, it is a special case,” Trey replies. “Do you still have her files?”
“Of course, sir,” Jax replies. My face flushes, knowing what must be in my files.
Gritting my teeth, anger flares up in me at their intrusion into my life. They have no right to look at those files—at me, like I’m some sort of criminal deviant. “You say you were wounded in battle? Are you at war?” I ask, attempting to change the subject.
“No. Not now. This was almost a crike ago,” he replies.
“Fifty years ago?” I ask, seeing him nod. “Was it just the Alameeda clan that you fought?”
Trey shakes his head slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “No. They had allies. The houses were divided.”
“Houses?” I ask in confusion.
“Clans…there are five clans of Ethar,” Trey explains. “Rafe is but one.”
“Alameeda is another…and the Comantre clan?” I ask, remembering that they had mentioned that we are near their territory.
Surprise flickers in Trey’s eyes at my words. “Yes…Comantre is a house…an ally to Rafe,” he says, scanning my face.
Wayra gives a snort, saying, “When it suits them.” His sarcasm is not lost on me.
“When you say ‘house’ or ‘clan’…do you mean ‘nation’ like America or Great Britain?”
“In a way, you could make that sort of connection,” Trey replies. “But, the scale is not the same.”
“Scale?”
“A nation implies vast multitudes. Our population is…smaller.”
“How small?” I wonder, not sure why since they have superior medicine. Regeneration for a race of people that can live thousands of years must be vast—enormous. I would think their cities would tower over Chicago.
“So many questions…I have one for you, Kricket. What did Kyon tell you when you met?” Trey asks.
I pause, realizing I’ll need to give some information to get more from them. Turning back to look at the darkness, I say, “He said I look like my mother, but it’s a pity…about my eyes…they make me look like I’m from Rafe.” I glance at them again and see the scowl on Trey’s face. “I have a question. Why come looking for me? I’m half Alameeda, your enemy, as I am half their enemy. What can either of you possibly want from me?”
“Why do you think we want something from you?” Trey asks, his eyes narrowing at the accusation.
“Everyone wants something, Trey. Some are up front about it and some, well…some just lie,” I say, slowly looking at each one of them.
“You are one of us…you belong here,” Trey replies, like that is all there is to it.
“That’s almost sweet…and I see that you believe that, but you’re just doing your jobs, right? What I want to know is, what’s the politics behind the decision to send someone to look for me?”
“I can think of several. You are Etharian, living among humans. We do not want humans to become aware that our race exists,” Trey replies.
“Why not?” I ask.
“Hundreds of reasons. Human greed is legendary. Their need to consume and to waste and to destroy their environment is prevalent to me in the very air I had to breathe while I was there, among them,” Trey replies, looking annoyed.
“So, you were afraid I’d tell your secrets?” I ask, not at all convinced. “But I didn’t even know about Ethar until you came for me.”
“That was not known to us. We didn’t begin looking for you until recently. We were looking for Pan, but his trail led us to you.”
“Why were you looking for him? Was he a criminal?” I pray that he’ll answer my question. My need for information about my parents is a burning thing.
“He was a hero,” Trey replies abruptly. “A brave soldier from a very prominent family. No one understands why he would throw that all away to…”
“To what?” I ask, holding my breath.
“To commit himself to an Alameeda.” Trey’s eyes go to my hair, scanning its length. For just a second, it feels like he had touched my hair. A shiver runs through me at the sensation.
“Is that a crime?” I ask, feeling defensive about my mother.
“It’s not just that he committed himself to an Alameeda. It’s that she was a priestess in their clan,” he replies, his mouth twisting in a small frown.
“Is that bad?” I feel my heart accelerate.
“It’s said that the priestesses of Alameeda are endowed with…gifts.” Trey watches me, like I’m supposed to know what he means.
“I don’t…gifts?” I wrinkle my nose at him.
“Other senses…senses that go beyond the five that are common in us all.”
“Like ESP?” I ask. Trey’s eyebrow rises in question. “You mean some of them can see the future or something like that?”
“Yes,” he nods. “Pan committed to Arissa and she to him. It’s the Alameeda who objected the most. They threatened to go to war with us again unless she was returned to them.”
“What! Why would they go to war over one woman?” I ask in complete disbelief, even when I can see he’s being truthful. He, at least, believes what he’s telling me.
“They say Arissa was very powerful…perhaps they didn’t want their enemies to benefit from her knowledge,” he says, watching me like a skilled interrogator.
“What knowledge? Could she predict the future?”
“I don’t know what her gifts were, Kricket. It was never common knowledge.”
“Someone knows—the Alameeda for sure. Kyon said that I’m the daughter of a priestess, making me a priestess, too. Is that why they want me?”
“Without a doubt,” Jax states, looking grim. My extremities seem to go numb then and my fingers weaken their hold on the rope spindles.
“They can’t have you. You have Rafe blood in you. You’re part of our ancestry, a Rafe citizen. They cannot take you from us,” Trey replies, like he wants to reassure me.
“Kyon said you have no idea what I’m worth,” I reply, thinking of all the ramifications of his statement.
“If you’re a priestess, too, then…you have gifts,” Wayra says, as if the thought just occurred to him.
“I…” I trail off, thinking.
“What can you do?” Wayra asks. Jax and Trey both lean forward a little, studying my every move. “Do you know? Have they developed yet?”
My survival instincts kick in. “I’m…tired.” I fake a yawn, stretching my arms above my head before yawning again loudly. “I’d like to rest now. Is there somewhere I can sleep?” Easing back from the edge of the deck, I stand up, looking at them for direction.
“You’re avoiding the question,” Trey says, his gaze running over me slowly. Despite my fear, something warm ignites in me at his gaze, confusing me. Raising my chin a notch, I avert my eyes, but I still feel a raw awareness of him.