Chapter 21 Nim
NIM
The White Tribe ruins stretched before us like the fossilized remains of a fallen god.
Ancient spires twisted skyward, their crystal-veined surfaces catching the morning light and fracturing it into prismatic rainbows that danced across broken stone.
I paused at the threshold of what had once been a grand entrance, my analytical mind cataloging every detail while my beast prowled restlessly beneath my skin.
Brynn needed help. Real help. And I was running out of options.
"The defenses are still active," I murmured, studying the intricate patterns carved into the archway. Crystal nodes pulsed with faint energy, creating a barrier that hummed with ancient power. "Pressure plates, energy sensors, probably neural disruptors embedded in the framework."
Sim moved to my right, his gaze tracking mine as we silently assessed the obstacles. Our bond hummed with shared concern—not for the traps, but for our mate, who was growing heavier in my arms with each passing day.
Brynn stirred against my chest, her hand moving instinctively to her belly.
The swell was unmistakable now, far more pronounced than it had been even yesterday.
I noticed her doing deep breaths, and I could scent the subtle shift in her body chemistry that spoke of rapid biological changes that wasn't there before. Could others smell her?
Too fast. Everything was happening too fast.
"Put me down," she whispered, her voice strained but determined. "I can walk."
"No." The word came out sharper than I intended, earning me a glare that would have been intimidating if it hadn't been accompanied by a wince of pain. "Your body needs to conserve energy for the baby."
"Babies," she corrected automatically, then caught herself. "Maybe. We still don't know for sure."
The possibility of multiples had been haunting me since our conversation in the cave.
Manasty physiology wasn't designed for twin births, let alone the cosmic impossibility of triplets that humans apparently carried with casual frequency.
Every instinct I possessed screamed that we needed Crix's expertise, his advanced medical equipment, his understanding of cross-species genetics.
Which was why CG's next words hit me like a physical blow.
"Crix isn't there." The mercenary captain's voice was flat, emotionless, but I caught the flicker of regret in his eyes. "Left the planet three weeks ago on some kind of research mission. Destination unknown, return date uncertain."
The crystal barrier before us suddenly seemed irrelevant. I felt Sim's shock echo through our bond, mirroring my own devastating realization. Our backup plan—the brilliant geneticist who might have answers—was gone.
CG nodded grimly. "My contacts at Orange Lake confirmed it. The lab's been sealed, his research assistants scattered to other projects. Whatever mission took him off-planet, it was important enough to abandon everything here."
I looked at Xy who nodded my way. It's amazing how these two were cooperating. Just shows how Red Guards' ability to adapt in any situation. Instead of capturing all these men, he was cooperating. Though I knew why. The future of Manasties lies with Brynn.
"You're certain?" Sim's voice remained level.
Brynn's hand found mine, squeezing with surprising strength. "We'll figure something else out," she said quietly, though I could hear the fear she was trying to hide.
Elder Onork approached from behind us, his half-blind gaze somehow managing to convey both wisdom and determination. "Perhaps," he said in his creaking voice, "Crix's absence is not the catastrophe we believe it to be."
I turned to him, hope and desperation warring in my chest. "What do you mean?"
The old manasty gestured toward the crystal-defended entrance with a gnarled hand. "The White Tribe's understanding of cross-species reproduction predates modern science by millennia. What we seek may not require advanced technology, but ancient wisdom."
"You think there are answers in there?" Sim asked, his tail twitching with barely controlled anxiety.
"I know there are." Onork's voice carried absolute certainty. "The White Tribe didn't just welcome other species—they studied them, learned from them, created bonds that transcended biological limitations. If anyone understood how to safely birth hybrid offspring, it was them."
I studied the barrier again, this time looking for patterns in the crystal configuration rather than just threats.
The White Tribe had been master engineers, their technology seamlessly blending the mystical with the mechanical.
These defenses weren't just about keeping intruders out—they were about ensuring that only those worthy of their knowledge could enter.
"Brynn," I said slowly, an idea forming. "Your immunity to Shura weapons—it's not just resistance to crystal energy, is it? It's complete compatibility with their technology."
She looked up at me, purple eyes wide with understanding. "You think I can get us through."
"I think you're the key they built this place to recognize.
" I set her gently on her feet, keeping my arm around her waist for support.
"The White Tribe experimented with genetic modifications long before the other tribes attempted such things.
What if your human genetics aren't foreign to their systems, but familiar? "
Onork nodded approvingly. "The child sees clearly. Approach the barrier, nain cwēn. Let the ancient stones taste your essence."
I let Onork's honorific to Brynn slide away, but Sim and I looked at each other. Clitasoxdfwe’h has a small smile on his face.
Brynn took a tentative step forward, and immediately the crystal nodes flared brighter. But instead of the aggressive red warning I expected, they pulsed with soft blue-white light that seemed to welcome rather than threaten.
"It's warm," she breathed, reaching out to touch the nearest crystal. The moment her skin made contact, the entire barrier shimmered and dissolved like morning mist.
A collective exhale from our group broke the awed silence. We were through the first defense, but I could see at least three more layers protecting the inner sanctum.
As we moved deeper into the ruins, passing through corridors lined with inscriptions in the flowing script of the White Tribe, I began to piece together fragments of their story.
These weren't just random decorations—they were records, testimonies, and warnings left by a people who knew their time was ending.
"Here," Onork called softly, running his fingers over a section of wall covered in more elaborate carvings. "The fertility chronicles."
I moved closer, my knowledge of ancient scripts helping me translate the flowing symbols. What I read made my blood run cold and my hopes soar simultaneously.
"They almost did it," I whispered. "These chronicles shows the result of different alien race-manasty hybrids."
Brynn pressed against my side, studying the inscriptions with growing excitement. "What does it say?"
"It's a record of experimental pairings. At first, manasty females with various manasty bloodlines, documenting gestation periods, birth complications, offspring survival rates." I traced one particular section with growing amazement. "Brynn, they almost perfected it."
"Hmm" she hummed. "I suppose it makes sense for a cross-species reproduction. What happened? "
I continued reading, the pieces falling into place with horrible clarity.
"They were abducting females from other planets," I said, my voice growing cold with disgust. "The White Tribe leaders were obsessed with finding the perfect female to breed with—they didn't want to rely on the harvested eggs from female manasties after the plague wiped them out. "
"Abduction?" Brynn's voice was tight with alarm.
"Systematic kidnapping and forced breeding programs." The inscriptions detailed atrocities that made my stomach turn. "They were trying to create a replacement population through cross-species experimentation."
Sim moved closer, reading over my shoulder. "No wonder the Purple and Blue Tribes destroyed them. This is monstrous."
Xy and Clitasoxdfwe’h remained vigilant, same with me and Sim. After all, we were surrounded by White Tribe members, though mostly were mixed with other tribes as this happened a long time ago.
"There's more," I said grimly, translating another section. "They found that fertilization was only possible with females who had at least ten percent iron-based blood. But it always resulted in miscarriages."
CG stepped forward, his expression suddenly grim. "Ten percent iron blood," he repeated slowly. "Is that why the current Elders, High Council, all the alphas are so adamant about capturing all females with iron blood?"
The question hung in the air like a poison cloud. Sim and I exchanged a look of horrified understanding. We both knew what CG was implying, and we both knew the terrifying truth he hadn't yet grasped.
Brynn had one hundred percent iron blood. Only us, her mates, knew about this. Except almost everyone who were with us probably already knew that Brynn was carrying a child. It won't be long before they know the whole truth and be part of this momentuous event in our history.
"The research shows some useful information though," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady as I continued reading. "Pregnancy protocols for successful births. Incubation periods of five months instead of the normal nine. Delivery techniques for hybrid offspring."
I began gathering every text I could find—stone tablets, metal scrolls, even handwritten notes left by the White Tribe's final researchers. Whatever moral crimes they had committed, their medical knowledge might be the key to saving Brynn and our child.
Onork approached a section of wall I hadn't yet examined, his weathered fingers tracing symbols that seemed different from the others. "There's something else," he said quietly. "Something the current Elders know but have kept hidden."
"What do you mean?" Sim asked, his tail twitching with anxiety.
"The secret of alive half-breed manasties. Living proof that cross-species breeding is possible."
I stared at him. "That's impossible. The Purple Tribe maintains complete records of all genetic research. We would know—"
"Would you?" Onork's half-blind gaze fixed on me with unsettling intensity. "Even if all the current Alphas were sworn to secrecy under penalty of death?"
My blood turned to ice.
"What are you saying?" Sim demanded.
"I can reveal this now because I'm no longer an Elder," Onork continued, his voice heavy with old secrets.
A young manasty held him up by his elbow, as if he was about to unburden a heavy load.
"I was exiled for questioning their decisions.
But before my exile, I learned the truth about what really happened to the former Silver Tribe Alphas. "
Brynn's hand found mine, squeezing tightly. We both understood the implications. Zirc's fathers—the previous Silver Alphas who had died under mysterious circumstances.
"Zirc's fathers," I whispered, exchanging a glance with Sim who looked grim.
Onork nodded gravely. "They successfully impregnated an alien female. Iron blood, most likely the same as your mate."