“I imagine this is difficult to process,” Jaxen said.
Cara laughed dryly as her gaze darted from one unfamiliar object to the next. “I need another pair of eyes.”
“It was the same for me,” Jaxen said, “my first time on your world.”
She whipped her head around. “You’ve been to Earth?”
“Many times. I love your people—you possess such passion and creativity, the traits L’eihrs have lost over time.” Jaxen brushed aside an overgrown dandelion seed. At the contact, the thing flitted away like a jellyfish. “I can’t wait to return and explore other human cultures. I’ve never traveled much farther than the ambassador’s residence in Manhattan.”
“That’s where Aelyx is now.” A glance at the tan and gray trees lining the walkway brought a question to mind. “He told me there’s no green here because your plants don’t use photosynthesis. So what would happen if I brought a maple from Earth? Would it be compatible with your sun?”
“Irrelevant, as The Way would never allow it. Destroying an ecosystem is easier than you think.” Then with a slightly haughty tone, he added, “Earth’s current predicament should’ve taught you that. It’s a shame that such a dynamic race can’t be trusted to care for their own planet.”
Cara took her tongue between her teeth, literally biting back a scathing response. You forgot about the sh’alear, jerkwad. The clones didn’t hesitate to meddle with our ecosystem when it suited them.
“Your cheeks are flushing,” he said, as if this greatly amused him. “I’ve made you angry. See? Such passion. I envy you.”
Cara gestured at the trees and blatantly changed the subject. “So how do they derive nutrients if not from the sun?”
“From the air.” He reached over her head and plucked a leaf from its branch, then handed it to her.
“That’s right, like Spanish moss. Aelyx told me.” She rubbed the leaf between her fingers. It felt light and spongy, and when she brought it to her nose, she recognized the citrusy scent. “This is what I smelled when I stepped off the shuttle.”
“Ilar trees,” Aisly said. “They’re fragrant.”
“And plentiful,” Cara said, scanning the landscape. Ilars were everywhere. Their branches even loomed over the stone wall surrounding the city.
“Only in this precinct,” Jaxen told her. “In the marshlands to the south, you’d find shallow-rooted trees that absorb nutrients through their scaly bark.”
“They’re ugly,” Aisly said with a flick of her wrist. “The most beautiful trees are in the mountains. At that altitude, they have to grow higher to find nourishment, and their leaves are twice the size of your hand.”
Cara gazed to the west, recalling the quartz forest she’d admired from the shuttle. Now she couldn’t see anything beyond the great wall. “What’s on the other side of that?”
Jaxen’s eyes darted to the stonework. “We’ve kept the majority of our landmass in its natural state. The wall protects wildlife from our influence.” He pointed overhead at a flock of spotted birds resembling doves. “Except those that fly.”
“Or climb,” Aisly added darkly.
They were quiet until they reached the Aegis grounds, and then a nervous flutter tickled Cara’s chest. Suddenly she wanted the walk to last longer. She wasn’t ready for her first day of school.
“You won’t start classes until tomorrow,” Jaxen said.
Cara paused for a moment and studied him. On the surface, Jaxen resembled the others of his kind—tawny skin and silvery eyes. He wore his light-brown hair in a ponytail, his athletic frame concealed beneath the standard uniform. But there was something different about him. Maybe he had unique abilities. That would explain his position on The Way.
“Can you read minds?” she asked.
He laughed at her. “No, but I can read expressions, and your translucent cheeks tell me you’re afraid.”
Cara couldn’t deny it, so she turned to survey her surroundings. The Aegis reminded her of the community college back home—a large boxy dormitory opening to a courtyard, half a dozen scattered outbuildings, and multiple trails that led into a thicket of woods. She leaned forward and squinted, bringing an obstacle course into focus.
Aisly followed Cara’s gaze. “That’s where you’ll take your physical conditioning class.”
Cara groaned inwardly. Even in another galaxy, she couldn’t escape PE.
“But don’t worry,” Aisly continued. “The instructor will adjust your target time to compensate for your inferior respiratory system.”
Awesome. Add to the equation Cara’s inferior human brain, and after Troy left, she’d be the most worthless person on the planet. Quite the downgrade from her previous title of Midtown High valedictorian.
“Do you go to school in this Aegis, too?” she asked. From what she understood, children stayed in their local Aegis from birth until the end of their twenty-first year, when they received a job assignment and moved to the occupational barracks. But surely any L’eihr gifted enough to be appointed to The Way wouldn’t take classes with the rest of the students.
“We do now,” Jaxen said. When she waited for him to elaborate, he didn’t.
The three of them climbed the front steps leading to the dormitory, and Aisly extended her wrist for the scanner. In response, a pair of metallic doors hissed aside to allow them into the vacant lobby. Cara braced herself for an icy burst of air-conditioning, but a cross breeze from open windows along the adjacent corridors brushed her skin, reminding her that the temperature here hovered around seventy year-round. The next sensation to reach her was the warm, welcoming scent of baking bread. Her stomach growled in response.
“Must be breakfast time,” she mused. That would explain the absence of students.
“Yes,” Aisly said. “Our morning staple here is t’ahinni. It’s made from larun, which is a flat—”
“Flatbread,” Cara finished. A bittersweet smile curved her lips. “I tried re-creating it on Earth for Aelyx, but I never got it right.”
From there, they whisked her to the headmaster’s office and outfitted her with a supply of clean uniforms and a palm-size tablet.
“Bring this to each class,” Jaxen said. “All the texts and essays you’ll need are preloaded and translated into English.”
Even after his demonstration, Cara didn’t understand how to use the device, but she kept quiet for fear of looking stupid. She’d ask Elle to explain it later. Next, Jaxen and Aisly escorted her to her room, which was near the lobby on the first floor.
Jaxen paused outside her door. “Is it still your intention to remain here permanently, as Aelyx’s l’ihan?”
Cara nodded, even though “remain here permanently” sounded so…permanent.
“Excellent,” Aisly said. “Then we can resolve the issue of your citizenship.”
Cara’s stomach dipped. Just because she’d left Earth didn’t mean she wanted to sever all ties to her people. “Can I have dual citizenship?”
“Absolutely,” Aisly promised. “But the process remains the same. In order to become a citizen, you have to hold a Sh’ovah.”
A Sh’ovah? Why did that sound familiar?
Cara searched her memory. When nothing came, she turned to Jaxen for clarification, but by the time their eyes met, the answer hit like a cannonball to the gut. It sounded familiar because several months ago she’d written a blog post about the rite of passage: You swear an oath to the Sacred Mother, and then all your peers stand in line and smear mud on your naked body to symbolize your union with Her. Mazel tov!
All the blood in Cara’s face went south, settling somewhere in the vicinity of her socks. She’d have to stand before her new classmates in her birthday suit? And let them cover her with mud? There had to be another way.
“Cah-ra,” Jaxen said, “we don’t sexualize nudity here. I promise the sight of your body won’t faze anyone.”
So maybe the clones wouldn’t leer, but surely they’d gawk at her pasty skin and the freckles
peppering her butt. Why couldn’t they give her a pass, just this once?
“If you’re having second thoughts…” Jaxen trailed off, his voice heavy with implication.
Before she had a chance to change her mind, Cara blurted, “I’ll do it.”
“This isn’t a choice to make in haste,” Aisly warned. “Becoming a citizen means accepting and supporting our customs and following The Way in all things. We’re not a democracy.”
Cara knew that. She and Aelyx had spent hours debating the differences between their governments. Minor offenses such as mouthing off—just a matter of time for her—would result in the electric lash. When she considered the penalty for other crimes, her mind wandered to the brushed chrome iphal holstered to the capital guard’s hip. This place was no utopia, but if she wanted a life with Aelyx on his planet, she had to abide by his people’s rules and respect their culture, even if she didn’t agree with it. Cara stiffened her spine. She was a lot of things, but a coward wasn’t one of them.
“I understand,” she told Aisly. “And I agree.”
“Then I’ll tell the others,” Aisly chirped. “I know The Way will be pleased.”
Jaxen pressed two fingers to Cara’s throat in the standard farewell. “We’ll schedule your Sh’ovah for next week.” Ducking down to meet her height, he added, “As they say in your country, sleep on it. There’s no shame in changing your mind.”
Cara returned the good-bye and pulled her hand free. “I won’t change my mind.”
Chapter Three
Aelyx watched the L’eihr ambassador sweep a wrinkled hand across the surface of the dining room table, knocking the newspaper to the floor. It landed face-up and revealed a mocking headline: HALO Denies Attack on L’eihr Youth.
“Humans Against L’eihr Occupation,” Stepha said through clenched teeth while he glared at Director-General Kendrick. “On my planet, we would have terminated those savages after their first rebellion—rooted them out like the cancer they are.” In a rare display of emotion, he slapped both palms on the glossy mahogany. “How many of our young must die before you assume control of your people? Or perhaps this alliance isn’t a priority for you. In which case, we’ll return to L’eihr on the next transport.”
The ambassador’s final words chilled Aelyx to the core. Without L’eihr technology to decontaminate Earth’s water supply, the planet would cease to sustain life within a decade. But the release of that technology hinged on the alliance, and everyone in the room knew it. Even Syrine looked nervous, and she despised humans.
“I can assure you,” Kendrick said, shifting in his seat, “there’s nothing’s more important to the World Trade Organization than this alliance. We’ve partnered with the milit—”
“Whatever you’re doing, it is ineffective.” Stepha sat back in his chair and folded his hands, resuming his usual monotone. “Negotiations cannot continue while our safety is threatened.”
Kendrick scratched the back of his neck, then splayed both hands in a gesture of helplessness. “Ambassador, there’s nothing to negotiate. The world’s leaders have voted unanimously—they’ll agree to an alliance on your terms.”
In other words, We’re at your mercy. Aelyx didn’t want to take pleasure in the supplication of humanity, but a smooth negotiation process meant he could return home to Cara. He couldn’t deny feeling a rush of excitement at the news.
Stepha considered the director-general’s words, then slowly stood from the table and collected his com-sphere. “Before we can proceed, I must confer with The Way.”
Kendrick stood, too, nodding in assent as Stepha made his way to the master suite in sluggish, labored strides. Aelyx considered offering the director-general a cup of coffee, but the man’s dewy forehead and labored breathing said he was anxious enough without the aid of a caffeinated beverage.
“Can I get you some water?” he asked instead.
“No, thanks.” Kendrick used his phone to point toward the foyer. “I need to make a few calls myself. Think I’ll step outside for a minute.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Aelyx offered, since Syrine had chosen to remain seated and ignore the man.
The two strode to the front entrance, and when Aelyx opened the door, a pair of familiar faces greeted him—Colonel Rutter, head of the L’eihr security detail, and David, who waved a friendly hello. Kendrick scooted past the soldiers, and Aelyx stepped aside to let them in.
Colonel Rutter nodded his gray head and greeted Aelyx with a curt, “’Mornin’.” He removed his camouflage winter hat, and David did the same, revealing a crop of shorn blond hair. Rutter glanced around the open living area, acknowledging Syrine with a dip of his head. “Is the ambassador here?” he asked. “I need to talk to all three of you.”
“He’s in a conference, but you’re free to wait.” Aelyx led the way to the living room and gestured for his guests to sit on the sofa. He noticed that while Rutter wasted no time in making himself comfortable, David remained standing, one arm folded against his lower back, brown eyes scanning the room to take in every detail. Aelyx had never met a human youth so dedicated to duty.
“How’s the shoulder?” Aelyx asked him.
“What?” David asked with a smile, pointing to his upper arm. “This mosquito bite? I’ll be fine once the stitches come out. It takes more than a .22 to bring me down. Your shooter didn’t know squat about guns, otherwise he’d have used a .45 to double-tap it. That’s how a real man gets the job done.”
Syrine made a disgusted noise and launched up from her dining room chair. She stomped over to David and jabbed her finger toward his nose. “You deserve the extinction you’ve brought upon yourselves. Look at what happened to Eron. ‘Real men’ tortured him for hours before they allowed him to die.” She raked her gaze over David’s uniform, glaring at the pistol holstered to his waist. “Violence is what feeds you. Your kind isn’t worth saving.”
Aelyx caught Syrine’s gaze and chided her. David risked his life for me. If he were extinct, I would be dead. Not all of them are dangerous or—
She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to hear him.
“I’m sorry about your friend,” David said quietly. “It wasn’t right, what happened to him. We’re trying really hard to find the guys who did it.”
A single tear rolled down Syrine’s cheek. She scrubbed it away with her fist and kept her gaze trained on the carpet. “Thank you for protecting Aelyx,” she whispered. Then she turned and padded quickly to her bedroom.
Aelyx and David shared an awkward glance while Colonel Rutter buried his face in the newspaper.
“Well,” David said. “Now I feel like an asshole.”
The colonel muttered, “She’s not gonna like what we came here to tell her.”
“Which is…?” Aelyx asked.
Colonel Rutter tossed his newspaper onto the coffee table. “I’m assigning Private Sharpe as your personal bodyguard.” He pointed in the direction of Syrine’s bedroom. “For both of you. I’d like him to move in, maybe sleep in the guest room. That way you’ll have around-the-clock protection with another half dozen guards patrolling the outside hallway.”
“Surprise,” David said with a smile. “I’m your new best friend.”
The casual term didn’t sit well with Aelyx. His best friend was Eron, whose ruined body lay in a cold storage unit as he awaited his final journey home. But Aelyx forced himself to return the smile. “I’ll talk to Syrine. Don’t worry; she’ll get used to you.”
He’d just begun to lead David to the guest suite when his com-sphere buzzed to life in the signature frequency that told him Cara was calling. In that moment, the outside world ceased to exist. Aelyx rushed to his bedroom and locked the door behind him. He knelt beside his expansive king-size bed and spoke his passkey, then rested the sphere atop his comforter.
That first glimpse of her face warmed his blood and made his heart swell. She sat cross-legged atop her cot in the Aegis, her fiery orange hair gathered in a low braid, her blue eyes
bright with excitement to see him. If he leaned in close, he could barely detect the adorable freckles that dotted her nose.
Sacred Mother, he missed her so fiercely he ached.
“Elire.” Or beautiful warrior, as he’d nicknamed her. An automatic smile spread over his lips. “How did you know I needed you today?” He hadn’t even realized it himself.
She shrugged, then winced and rubbed her arm. “We’re on the same frequency, I guess.” Then she rotated her shoulder, clearly in pain.
Aelyx tried to check her for injury. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“You could say that. I feel like I’ve been stuffed in a pillowcase and trampled by elephants.” When he waited for her to go on, she rolled her head to the side in a tentative stretch. “I started your sadistic alien PE classes this week. I barfed twice today on the novice course, and that was an improvement over yesterday. Maybe by next week I’ll upgrade to dry heaving.”
Aelyx tried not to laugh. He supposed the calisthenics routine would seem rigorous to a human unaccustomed to high-intensity interval training. “Ask Elle to grind some h’esha root for your tea,” he said. “And soak in a hot jetted bath. It’ll help diffuse the lactic acid in your muscles.”
“Maybe you missed the part about me being trampled by elephants.”
“Well, I know something that’ll make you feel better.” Aelyx stopped himself and glanced at Cara’s hologram, making sure she was alone. “Is anyone with you?”
“No, Elle’s still at supper.”
He lowered his voice and told her the newest development in the alliance negotiations. “Stepha’s talking with The Way now. With any luck, I could be home before you graduate to vomiting on the intermediate course.”
“Really?” Her face lit up. “Fingers cross—” The hiss of her door interrupted her, and Cara’s gaze darted to the front of her room. She lowered her auburn brows and shouted, “Get out! Go on! You’d better hope I never catch you!”