CHAPTER 49

Breakfast was a solemn affair. The Livarians were in various states of armor, but none were without the Oltec. The women had been allowed to choose their own seating, many huddling together in the center of the dining hall, but there were some that were spread out among the warriors. In the far back corner, two tables of Kirich were closely guarded, their faces wan with worry.

Silence fell as Mia and Draven entered the room. She fought the urge to swipe at the almost physical feeling of their attention. Kenahi nodded deeply to Draven from the head table. His eyes caught on her necklace, the one that Draven had insisted she wear. His eyebrows flew upward before he could school his features.

Huh.

She was going to have to ask Draven what the significance of the piece was,

But not now. The silence that had accompanied their entrance had quickly become the hum of low murmurs as they seated themselves at the head table. They were the last ones to enter for the morning meal, Draven made sure of it.

They reached the head table. As if in need of her comfort Draven’s fingers found hers, twining through them as he stood before his people and the women that had carried their hope. Such weight rested on his broad shoulders.

“This is a dangerous world,” he began, and the room fell silent. “We now know that it has become infinitely more so. An enemy that can mimic down to the very core of a creatures being, down to the very DNA. An enemy that is veracious and deadly, has invaded and all the measures we have put in place have failed.”

The Livarians did not look any less stricken by Draven’s words than they had the attack. To have worked for so many years for safety and have it all undone in a night...

“The best we can tell is that the Y’kil invaided Callaphria through their door over the last month. They came across our men and stalked them. The first to fall was Shonus, during the last trip to the Earth door. The enemy monitored our men long enough to learn their mannerisms, and when they were questioned it dumped Shonus’ image and took Morkuth instead. In this way the Y’kill passed into the compound as one of our own and began luring out men individually so that its fellow creatures could take their place. They estimated they had enough strength when they could shut down the energy field. They were wrong....Now we are left to hunt those that remain. This will be no short mission...and there is no guarantee of success. But we are Livarians, and anything that challenges us will find themselves at the end of our blades.” Some of the men straightened at this. A reminder that they were warriors and fighters. “However, things are not as we have promised Virkaith was a safe place...and Livarians are men of honor. This morning two teams were dispatched to the Earth gate. They clear the way and guard the destination. Any woman who wishes to return to your home world will be packed and ready to leave by this afternoon. Make your choices, for they will be permanent.”

The women sat, shocked by his words, before turning to each other, the low murmur becoming a near roar in the cavernous space.

“You think that running will stop the Y'kil?” Viksa demanded over the clamor. “As soon as they are done with Callaphria, they will use the doors to get to Earth or any other of the connected worlds.” The women sent worried frowns between themselves, their voices rising to near panic.

Draven raised his hand and the room fell silent.

“Only the weak and cowardly run. Fortunately, for you, the Livarians are neither,” he pulled out a pendant from beneath his own armor. The world key. She hadn't even noticed that he had put it on. Viksa gaped. “Nor are we idiots.”

“What about us? Are we to remain your prisoners?” one of the other Kirich...the woman who had attended Jhudur demanded.

Draven spared a scathing glance for the group and Mia almost felt bad at the way they seemed to shrivel from his strength.

“The war is over,” he announced at last. “Pick a door and be through it in three days time. When the women are safe, we will seal the portals and destroy the key. There will be no more escape. The choice is yours.”

Mia tapped on the wall next to the open door. Becky sat inside, on a familiar white cot, her eyes hollow, but the color had come back to her skin. Which was good. The medic had explained that they had to sedate her through the night, but since she was awake now Mia hoped she was doing better. She looked up when Mia stepped inside.

“I should have known,” she muttered and shook her head a little. “I was so hurt by the rejection...”

“Oh Beck, how could you have known? How could anyone have guessed that any of this was even possible?”

Becky sighed.

“Draven is taking the women home.” That got the other woman’s attention. She blinked up at Mia. “Anyone who wants to go,” Mia amended. She didn’t imagine the relief on her friend’s face.

“You chose Draven, you belong here,” she looked at her hands. “I don’t belong anywhere.” Mia opened her mouth, a protest on her lips, but Becky spoke first. “But I think I could....I’m going to stay.”

Mia let out a breath. She wasn’t sure what was the right choice, but Becky sounded determined, and that was a start.

“Miss Stoven, it is time for your meds,” the medic appeared behind Mia. He looked as haggard and tired as everyone else.

“I don’t want them,” Becky announced. “They make my mind feel hazy and I want to be able to think clearly. I’m feeling much better anyway.”

“That’s because the Derinopil is helping to balance your mood and keep your emotions even. Letting it leave your system completely isn’t wise. You should have learned that from your experience last night.”

“This is different,” Becky argued. “I’ve had time to think now, to process everything. I’m not taking anything else.”

Mia peered at the man who was the medic. She had never really had the chance to interact with him when she wasn’t in some state of emergency. He was tall and had a studious air about him. His skin was paler and had only the lightest of markings but they were similar to Draven’s. It was his eyes, however, that stood out. The man had such vivid green eyes.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. It seemed the good medic did not like having his advice ignored.

“I think I will go and check on the progress with the women. I’ll come back in a bit okay Beck?”

Becky rose to standing.

“I’ll come with you.”

“No, you won’t,” the medic was firm this time. “We just got your blood pressure under control, you aren’t going to go running around and raising it again.”

Becky graced him with a look of death.

“Woman, do not make me tie you to that bed.”

“Ah,” Mia interrupted. “I think you should stay for a little Becks, I’ll come back and let you know how it goes. I’ll be sure to give you an exact description of my last view of Leanne’s face.”

Becky was still glaring at the medic, but she snorted at Mia’s words and then finally relented. Mia escaped down the hall, a tiny smile playing at her lips.

“If you come near me with that needle I’m going to shove it somewhere uncomfortable,” Becky’s voice echoed after her.

Mia managed to keep the snicker inside until she made it out of the medical building. Oh yes, Becky was going to be okay.

The compound was in chaos. Mia had thought that the aftermath of battle had brought panic and disorder, this was a hundred times worse. Many of the women, including Leanne, were being outfitted for the journey back through the forest to the Earth door. She chose not to be disappointing at the lack of drama surrounding the woman and settle for the pleasant knowledge that she would be gone from her worries before long. Oddly, Leanne’s behavior was rather unusual. She was quiet, set apart from her once followers. There were no more sneers or sharp words for the Livarians either. As if it had taken their deaths and the deaths of others for her to see them all as the same living creatures worthy of kindness.

To Mia’s surprise most of the women had chosen to stay, and those that were had gathered on the main floor of the dormitory, seemingly at a loss of what to do. She watched them intently. She could organize teams to work with the Livarians on the learning center, or get them back to the other tasks they had been so excited about. If they stayed frozen in fear with nothing to distract them things could go downhill fast.

“Hey, Mia,” Ashley joined Mia's vigil at the room's side, studying the women who wished to remain. The women who would, with any luck, be pioneering a new Livarian age along with them.

“How's Becky?” Ashley ventured.

Guilt swept through Mia. She doubted she would ever get Becky’s screams out of her head.

“They sedated her for the night. She's morose this morning, but awake and alert. When I left, she was arguing with the medic about taking some kind of medication.”

Actually, even after the terrible battle the night before Becky was not the same ball of fear she had been when she came through the door.

“Are we doing the right thing?” Ashley asked, the same fears playing over her face that used to run through Mia's mind.

“Only you can decide that,” Mia told her, “but my place is here. I'm not sure when it happened, but Draven, these people...this is home.”

The man in question strode through the door, his armor in battle mode. Her eyes were drawn to him as if her body was hyper aware of his presence now. He looked scary and powerful, but most of all determined. He would see his commitment through. She shuddered a little. She almost felt sorry for the Y'kil.

He walked toward her, determination in his step. She immediately slipped toward him, her body seeking his as if it was a drug. When he pulled her to him, her body hummed. She wanted to drag him back to their rooms and take the entire day exploring his body.

“Last chance to change your mind,” he growled.

“Unfortunately, you're stuck with me.”

He chuckled, and for the first time since the attack, joy shone in his eyes. “Good, because I was lying, you're not allowed to change your mind.” He kissed the side of her neck, letting a fang graze the sensitive skin there. As if trying to remind her there were good things about staying as well.

She frowned up at him.

“Are you sure you have to go?”

He was sending Kenahi to the gate with the Moriat stick. For now they had devised a complicated password system that could not be easily mimicked for the compound. Draven, and his team were going hunting, and it terrified her.

“I cannot sit in safety and let my men take all the risks,” he sighed. He really didn’t want to argue with her about it.

She placed a hand on the side of his face. He blinked down at her.

“I understand,” she told him a little guilty at the relief in his eyes. “Where is your team headed? I will feel better the more I know.”

“To the north end of the city. We will see the Kirich from our territory and the gate they seek is in that direction...there is something that one of them mentioned that I would like to investigate. In the mean time the protection here in the compound has grown limited. You will refrain from any antics. Stay with your guard and follow direction.”

She knew she had no right to feel insulted. She hadn’t been wrong about Jhudur, after all. But then again she hadn’t gone about it in the best way either, and she could see the worry in his eyes reflecting her own. They had only just found this thing. A tentative bud that was their relationship. He feared its loss as much as she did.

“I don’t know, I thought I might go check the storage sheds for more Tituc.” Draven narrowed his eyes, the joke lost on him. Mia could hardly stand the mention of the stuff without her stomach turning, let alone drink it. “I was joking Draven. Go. I think I will join the language lessons this afternoon and then maybe go and visit Becky and Brine.”

He relaxed a little and dropped his forehead to hers. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. And then he was gone.