Chapter 19
The bunker
Rangely, Colorado
Early June
Brir
As the days passed after the attack from the soldiers, Artemis became more comfortable with his new body. I watched as he found control with practice. The medications that the military had forced on him were still coming out of his system, allowing his new body to function correctly. However, I found out that Artemis was naturally clumsy. He paced and knocked things over with his nose in a book. I had moved stuff out of his way as he paced the room, pulling the furniture to the side.
It was interesting to observe the way Artemis’s mind seemed to function. He was always thinking, always theorizing, always learning. He treated his new body like one would treat a new book. The first few pages were unfamiliar and strange, but he grew more comfortable as he progressed further into the chapters.
I often marveled at Artemis’s spirit—his determination to adapt and not let this sudden change stifle him. It was inspirational, in a way. His perseverance reminded me of why humanity had lasted so long in the face of adversity.
He had healed beautifully. The scales on his arms and legs glistened black and green in the candles around the room. I was mesmerized by their color. It was such a rare color from anything in our world. I had seen Gateros with such deep blue in the dark they looked black, but nothing like the color that adorned Artemis’s body. He was breathtaking.
The calmer he got, the better his body reacted. His claws slowly started to retract back into his hands. Just their tips were present now. They reminded me very much of Leonovus’s claws when I had seen him use them. They were bone-like and seemed hollow. I didn’t know many species from my world with claws like his. When I pressed on the pad of his hand, they would reemerge.
Artemis had figured out how to control his claws and flex the new muscles in his arms and hands so that they lengthened. They would make fantastic weapons if he ever needed to defend himself.
The spines on his back had just started to heal. The bones were regrowing from where I had cut them. I liked to run my hand down his back, letting my fingers brush down the little bony nubs that lined his spine.
It was how Arya’s body worked. She had to have extreme control over her other side. The adrenaline would cause her proper form to push forth, but for Arya, there was a price to pay. Parts of her transformed state stayed with her, and she couldn’t change them. The purple hue of her skin had stayed with her the last time I had seen her take that form.
I took Artemis out every morning to work on his strength and teach him how to use his new body. With its spiked head, his tail was a dangerous and very capable weapon. He loved exploring the area and the town, but he kept his distance from the house that most likely still had the dead human body inside—unless something else had eaten it.
His tail, previously a troublesome addition, was now a balanced extension of his body. He had learned how to move it in harmony with the rest of his limbs, giving him a fluidity in movement that was hard not to admire. My tail had regrown almost to my knees. Right now, I kept it hidden. The blue skin, still in the healing stages, didn’t look pretty, but it was also starting to flick and twitch with my emotions.
It was a nagging irritation at the base of my spine, and I knew the tail’s growth wasn’t done. I carried it now with a sullen heaviness, more irked by its inconvenience than unsightliness. On the other hand, Artemis was adapting well to his new form. He swung his tail with practiced intent, controlling its powerful thrust and deadly spikes.
Artemis’s stumbling became less frequent, and he moved with an almost predatory grace—an echo of his previous human agility but with an increased power that was awe-inspiring and terrifying in equal measures. His eyes had not completely adjusted to the dark but had regained much of their old sharpness. The reptilian slits in them were just barely noticeable in the light.
I couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation—not just physical but mental as well. Artemis was more confident and more in tune with this new form of his. He was embracing his newfound identity and making it his own. He threw himself wholly into his training so we could leave to go to Arya and start looking for Apollo.
“Is this what you did in the city before you got sick?” I asked Artemis, looking over his shoulder at his drawing of the legs of the caterpillar.
“No,” he responded. “I couldn’t finish my degree, but I used to find the textbooks and read them. I used to work at a grocery store.”
“Grocery store?” I questioned as I fingered the page of his drawing. He moved his hands away so I could turn it and see the picture he had done earlier.
“It’s where you can get supplies you might need.”
“Oh, a market.” Understanding dawned on me. I had just started cleaning up after dinner when the bell chimed, signaling someone was at the door.
I froze. Dune was lying down in his room after being out all night hunting.
“Is Dune out?” Artemis asked, his eyes going to the bell. I could almost see the pulse in his throat as it sped up from fear. The memory of the soldiers filtered through my mind, and I knew it was on his.
“No.” I shook my head, eyes riveted to the bell above the entrance. Its shiny copper surface seemed innocuous enough, but the chime it emitted sent an icy shiver down my spine. “He’s been asleep since noon.”
“Who could it be?" Artemis lowered his voice. He, too, was watching the bell intently, his spikes lightly quivering in rhythmic sync with his rapidly beating heart.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. My tail twitched restlessly behind me, the heightened tension trickling down my spine to find an outlet in its nervous movements. “Not many people know the bunker is here.”
Artemis swallowed hard, his eyes flitting from me to the bell and back with palpable anxiety. “What do we do?”
Swiftly, I beckoned Artemis to follow me towards the back of the room. “You’re not going to do anything. Come here.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room with Dune. “Dune, protect him. Stay here. Do not leave,” I told the beast.
Dune stirred, growling low in his throat as he peered through half-lidded eyes. The large beast blinked lazily, rising slowly to his feet as I stepped back. His movements were slow but deliberate, and his golden eyes glinted dangerously in the room’s dim light as we heard the bell ring again.
“Brir, I can fight now,” Artemis tried to say, pushing against me. “I can help.”
Gently, I pushed him back onto his bed, my eyes never leaving his. In his, I saw a fire burning. He thought I assumed he couldn’t take care of himself, but the memories of the gun to his head made me dig my heels in.
“No, Butterfly,” I narrowed my eyes, giving him a stern look. “You will stay here. Don’t fight me on this.”
Dune stood up on powerful legs. Artemis tried to come with me as I moved out of the room, but Dune reached out his sharp teeth and snagged his shirt. I heard Artemis cursing the large creature. I quickly turned and picked up my sword as the bell rang again. Pulling it from the sheath, I held it ready at my side. I tore open the first heavy door that protected the main entrance to the bunker.
The bell’s toll echoed through the bunker, each ominous chime driving up my anxiety.
Taking the stairs up silently, I went to the door leading to the outside world. I pressed my ear to the door to try to listen to anyone on the other side.
“Brir, open the fucking door. Come on!” the person on the other side called out.
I knew that voice. What the fuck was she doing here?
I lowered my weapon and pulled the locks free before yanking the door open to see the huge, winged, white being on the other side. Horns erupted from her temples, curved, and met behind her head like a halo. Her three red eyes all looked at me, and a half-smile, half-smirk appeared on her face.
I slammed the door shut in her face and flicked the lock.
“Brir, let me in!” Theodora yelled at me, her voice dulled by the door. She knocked on the outside now.
“What are you doing here, Theodora?” I asked, not wanting to let her in.
“Oh, did you miss me?” she asked. I could hear the smile in her voice, and her happiness soured my mood.
“Not particularly,” I retorted, leaning against the door. My hand was still hovering over the lock, uncertainty coursing through my veins. Theodora was a being of whimsy and trouble, both things I didn’t have the time nor the patience for at the moment.
“Too bad,” she sang. She laughed with a mix of amusement and contempt in her voice. “Unfortunately, my visit is of utmost importance. Arya sent me.”
My hands tightened around the sword’s hilt, and my knuckles turned white from my grip. Reluctantly, I turned the heavy iron lock, a dull groan reverberating from its ancient mechanisms. The imposing door creaked open a sliver, revealing Theodora’s iridescent figure in the fleeting twilight. Her halo of horns shimmered against an apocalyptic backdrop of the mauve sky as the sun set behind her.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever message Arya had sent here.
I stepped back, allowing her to pass. Theodora stepped into the bunker, her wings brushing against the walls without leaving a mark before she folded them around herself. The fingers clasped right under her chin, the leathery membranes protecting her body. I knew from experience how powerful those wings were. I had gotten hit in the face from the snap of her wing flinging me across the room.
“Thanks for letting me in,” Her tone was nonchalant as she took another step down the stairs. “It was a long flight.”
“Sure,” I responded dryly, not bothering to hide my annoyance. “Next time, call ahead.”
Ignoring my sarcasm, she proceeded farther into the bunker, her booted feet echoing on the cold stone floor.
“Arya tried for several days,” Theodora said over her shoulder. “You don’t have the radio on.”
She wasn’t wrong. I had the radio off and didn’t want to take it with me when I took Artemis out of the bunker. I hadn’t wanted to be distracted.
“Brir, who is it?” Artemis’s voice came up from the stairs, and I spun around to see his face peeking around the bottom door, Dune’s big head over his shoulder. The Lepot was just as curious about our guest as Artemis was.
Dune saw who it was and snorted, shaking his head before he stepped back into the bunker. He was not impressed with Theodora.
“Ah,” Theodora hummed, striding forward with nonchalance. “So this is the human you’ve been fussing over.” Her three eyes swiveled over and landed on Artemis, raking over his form with an interest that left me grinding my teeth.
“Theodora,” I growled warningly as she descended the stairs towards Artemis. I narrowed my eyes at her, warning her to behave.
Ignoring my protests, Theodora leaned forward, her serpent-like tongue flicking out to taste the air between us. It was a gesture Artemis wouldn’t understand. She was physically tasting if he was edible.
Artemis took a step back, his eyes wide with surprise and a touch of concern. “Brir?” he called, his voice hitching up as Theodora descended the stairs.
“Easy, Theo,” I warned her again, more forcefully this time, as I hastened to interpose myself between them. “Don’t make me hurt you.”
Theodora’s red eyes flickered towards me, her gaze calculating.
“Be at ease, Brir,” she smirked. “I will not eat him.” She held out a gloved hand to Artemis. “Unless you want me to eat you,” Theo said to Artemis, a huge smile plastered on her face. “I’m Theo.”
“Artemis,” he said back to her, placing his clawed hand in hers. She shook it briefly before pulling his arm up to study the scales that made their way over his limbs.
I tore her hand from his, putting myself in the tight stairwell between the two.
“Well, aren’t you a handsome little thing,” Theo purred, her eyes raking over him again. I growled low in my throat. My tail twitched in irritation as her eyes dragged over him. “It’s fantastic to eat you.”
“Theo,” I warned again, stepping forward with a snarl that echoed in the silence of the bunker. I grabbed the bone at the top of her wing and pulled her back.
“I meant to meet you,” she laughed it off. “Human words can be so confusing.”
“They’re not confusing,” I snapped, gripping her wing. “You’re just being an ass.”
The winged Palario merely chuckled and looked back at me over her shoulder. “Calm yourself, Brir,” Her words did nothing to soothe the defensive agitation shaking my form. “I’m not going to eat him.” Her smile was wide, showing her sharp teeth. “I was joking, even if he is fucking beautiful. You’re a lucky son of bitch, Brir.”
“I don’t need your approval,” I retorted, releasing her wing and stepping back. I placed myself squarely between her and Artemis. I knew my posture was protective, but sometimes, a point had to be made.
Theo simply shrugged, ruffling her wings as if they were a cape. She cast an apologetic glance in Artemis’s direction. “No harm meant. I promise,” she said casually and unconvincingly. “I have a message from Arya.”
Artemis looked between us both, a confused furrow in his brow. His innocence was precious, a beacon of hope flickering amidst the desolation.
“Artemis.” Standing beside him, I placed a large hand on his shoulder, hoping my touch would reassure him as he stood in the second doorway. “Let her through, she’s trustworthy. Even if she is an asshole.”
“I’m the asshole?” Theo countered, her three glowing eyes narrowing at me. She gestured a clawed hand towards Artemis. “I promise, dear Artemis, I won’t bite. Unless, of course, you ask me to.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Artemis squinted at her, trying to figure out if she was serious. She was. “I’ll be sure not to,” he murmured.
Theodora responded with a throaty laugh, her wings fluttering behind her as she made a theatrical bow and waved an arm out around herself in a very dramatic way.
Artemis hesitated momentarily before he turned to push Dune back and move back into our home. I made sure Dune was back far enough. He had a habit of trying to bite her. I pointed to his room and told him to go lie down.
“Alright, Theodora. Come in,” I conceded.
Theodora gave him a triumphant smirk before stepping inside, her wings brushing against the edges of the door. She tossed herself onto one of the stools in the corner. Her giant white wings would be uncomfortable to sit on since they didn’t fold away like the wings of other species from our world. “I bet you would love it if I came inside, wouldn’t you?”
I narrowed my eyes at her, and Artemis snorted, trying not to laugh.
“Stop flirting with him, Theo,” I warned her. “You’re going to push too far, and I will end up hurting you.”
Theodora seemed to take delight in poking fun at me, her lips curling into a smug grin as she watched the interactions between Artemis and me. Despite her imposing size and fierce demeanor, Theo could be disarmingly charming when she wanted to be. It was a trait that had served her well over the years.
“Hm, were you two a couple then?” Artemis asked, looking between us. His cheeks were getting red.
“No,” I answered quickly, perhaps too quickly, as Artemis turned to look at me with wide eyes. Theodora burst into laughter, her wings rustling loudly in the bunker’s enclosed space. Her amusement only fueled my annoyance.
“I told you, Artemis, Brir here is all yours.”
“Fuck off, Theodora,” I snapped, feeling a flush creeping up the back of my neck. The Palario merely shrugged off my anger, grinning widely.
Artemis looked between us in confusion. “I… don’t understand,” he finally admitted.
Theo simply chuckled and winked at me, the corners of her red eyes crinkling. She reached up and patted a horn on her head, amused by Artemis’s curiosity.
“Well, dear human, we do have a past,” she began, her voice softening, “full of dust-covered adventures. This one here”—she indicated to me with a tilt of her head—“has his fair share of battles and war-torn decisions. But lovers, never. We’ve been friends for centuries, and I wouldn’t trade that for all the money in your little human kingdom.”
Artemis’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “You said you brought a message from Arya. What is it?”
Theodora’s eyes gleamed with mischief as if she was about to ignore me and go on, but she must have thought about why she was here, and a heavy sigh fell from her lips. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the table.
My heart sank as her smile fell, and her face became serious for the first time since she had barged into my home. “Arya is calling everyone home.”
???
My heart dropped at the news, and I exchanged a worried glance with Artemis. “Everyone?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Theodora nodded solemnly. “Yes.” Her voice was serious, and her red eyes were dark with an emotion I couldn’t place.
The air in the room grew heavy with unasked questions.
Artemis’s face paled. “What does that mean? Are we in danger?”
Theodora’s eyes, now dark with concern, met mine. “Not you personally, but the city might be.” This was news that I hadn’t expected. I turned and opened a cabinet that held a few bottles of human whiskey I had found in homes around the area. Pulling down a bottle I knew Theo liked, I grabbed three glasses and returned to the table.
“I suppose we’re going to need this,” I muttered, placing the glasses down. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?” I uncorked the bottle, poured the liquid into the cups, and turned to Artemis, still standing nervously by the cabinets.
“Come sit, Butterfly.” I gestured towards a chair.
Theo’s eyes went wide from the endearment. A slow smile formed on her face. I gave her a stern look before she turned her eyes to Artemis. Her lower eyes closed, and the center one studied him before approaching me. She was looking over his aura, seeing how he fit with me. She took a surprised breath as the other two opened and refocused on my face.
I watched as the emotions fluttered across her face from surprise to understanding.
Theo picked her glass up and downed it in one gulp. I followed suit, feeling the burn of the liquor hit my throat and spread warmth through my body. I needed that liquid courage right now; we all did.
Theo set her glass down before pushing it towards me. I wordlessly refilled it as I studied my oldest friend. Worry marked her features as she raised her hands and entwined her fingers before resting her elbows on the table and placing her head on top of her hands.
“We knew this day would come, didn’t we?” Theodora murmured, her gaze boring into mine. “The call… Arya would only send such a message if an unfathomable threat loomed.”
I sighed heavily, reaching out to refill all our glasses. The amber liquid shimmered in the dim light of the bunker as if mocking the gravity of our conversation. “We did,” I admitted quietly.
My heart pounded in my chest. The severity of her tone only magnified the gravity of the situation. I looked over at Artemis, who was seated now, his face pale and drawn with worry.
Theo’s eyes flickered to Artemis and then back at me. It happened so fast that I didn’t think he had noticed, but I did.
“What’s going on, Theo?” I asked her, taking a drink from my glass.
Theo sighed deeply, her wings shuddering slightly as she did so. Her usually vibrant eyes were clouded with worry and uncertainty. “We don’t know exactly, but the human military has set up camp outside the city.”
“Do you think they figured out how to overcome the barrier?” I asked, trying to tell if Theo was censoring what she was telling me. The worried look that flittered toward Artemis again told me she didn’t know if she could trust him. I narrowed my eyes a little at her.
She shrugged, turning her eyes back on me. Her gaze filled with uncertainty. “I don’t believe so. Not yet, at least.”
“Truly, I’m surprised it lasted ten years,” I took a drink of my whiskey.
The words hung heavy in the air.
“I didn’t think they had the technology,” Artemis’s voice wavered slightly as he looked between Theo and me.
“You know about the barrier?” Theo asked.
“I told him, Theo. Put away your claws.”
Theo blinked, her initially guarded expression softening at my words. She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair, her white wings folding neatly behind her. “I see,” she murmured, her gaze wandering towards the empty glass before her. “Well, let’s hope our trust isn’t misplaced.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” His hands balled up into fists.
I placed my hand on Artemis’s arm, my thumb rubbing back and forth over the scales. “Calm, Butterfly,” I murmured. Theo would make an enemy of him if she weren’t careful. “She’s trying to get under your skin.”
The room became tense, an unspoken power dynamic playing out between Artemis and Theo. The middle eye on Theo’s forehead narrowed, the corners turning down as her gaze fell to the bottle in my hand.
“Fill my glass, please,” she commanded, holding it out without breaking eye contact with Artemis. I grabbed the bottle and pulled it closer to me. I waited. When her eyes found me again, her smile told me she wasn’t done. I heard her sigh. “Please, fill my glass, Brir,” she tried again.
I twisted the cap off slowly and picked up her glass. We eyed each other. Maintaining that stare, I poured the liquid into her glass very slowly. “Really?” Her jaw ticked. “Okay, I’ll play nice. Can I have my glass now?” I finished the pour and pushed it towards her.
“I trust very few, Artemis.” Theo’s voice was ice-cold, her tone final. “But Brir,” she tilted her head towards me. “He has been my brother-in-arms for centuries. If he trusts you…” she paused for a moment, taking a sip of the whiskey. “I will trust you, but you must understand that what we are discussing would benefit the other side. It makes me…” she gestured with a hand. Trying to come up with a word to explain her feelings. “Nervous.”
“Do you have any idea what those fuckers did to me?” he said through gritted teeth. “I would rather die than tell them shit.”
She lifted her glass in a salute before taking a drink. Theo held his gaze for a moment, her eyes searching his. Then, with a ghost of a smile, she tipped her glass towards him. “I like him, Brir,” she offered.
The mood in the room was perceptibly lighter. Artemis reached out and clinked his glass against Theo’s. “So do I.” I gave Artemis a wink. I was impressed he had won Theo over so easily.
I could not help but smirk in satisfaction at the unexpected camaraderie blossoming between my two companions.
“Good.” Theo met my eye over her glass's rim before returning to Artemis. “Then we might just stand a chance.” Her wings ruffled nervously as she looked back to Artemis. “The human military has been making surprising advancements lately. Too fast for our liking.”
“Advancements like the illness that Artemis caught?” I asked.
“Yes.” Theo nodded, her gaze hardening as she studied Artemis before looking back at me. “Mutations like this don’t happen overnight. Someone created it. It’s most likely a biological weapon. Humans don’t evolve like this. A mutation like this would be as if earthworms grew wings and learned to fly.”
“But why would they test it out on their people?” Artemis questioned.
“Perhaps it was an accident. They didn’t mean to release it in the cities, but curiously, it targets humans. No one from our world has gotten it.” Theo’s gaze was unfocused as she thought. “But we don’t know for sure. Not all of us stay in New Pharia.”
“Vale?” I asked, wondering about his city.
“I’m heading there next,” Theo said. “We can’t reach him either.”
“It’s definitely in the human cities,” Artemis told Theo.
“Arya sent someone,” Theo confirmed. “It’s there for sure in all of them. But not everyone’s getting it. Most people who do are dying. There is a refugee camp in some old theme park. They are hiding the hybrids, but that won’t last long. Arya got word to them and sent a team to get them to Vale. They have a Magi there. Maybe she will be able to help.”
“A Magi lived?” I asked, taking another drink. Magi were dangerous healers.
“Just the one,” Theo answered. “Leonovus’s Magi.” That Magi woman had tortured Leonovus.
“Arya let her live?” I knew the woman had once been on Arya’s kill list if she ever got close to the Ellid again. “That’s shocking.”
“Vale has her on a very tight leash,” Theo said with a feral grin that made me feel bad for the Magi. “She has little freedom. Nothing like the old king. We all know who she is now.”
“Will the Magi be able to help in Pharia with the barrier?”
“No. Arya won’t let her in the city, even though she has also called Leonovus home.”
That was surprising. “Where is Leonovus stationed right now?”
“Close to the Washington border in Canada.” Theo picked up her drink and took another sip. “I will head there after Vale.”
“She is calling everyone home.” I shook my head. Fear was starting to course through me.
“She’s worried, Brir.” Theo’s jaw ticked. “There are a lot of them. Military flying things have been circling the last few days, and if Arya has to hold the barrier…” Theo trailed off.
“It might kill her,” I finished for her. If Arya expected trouble, I didn’t want to take Artemis to the city. He had just finished healing, but I didn’t think I had a choice. If Arya was worried about what was going on in Pharia, we would need to leave, and I’d promised him we would leave in two weeks. It was just a few days ahead of our timeline.
Artemis must have sensed my doubt because he turned to me, a determined gleam in his eyes. “I’m not going to hide here while things are going on over there.”
“You’re still injured.” My eyes traveled to his leg.
“It’s only a scar now. I’m barely limping.” Artemis crossed his arms over his chest, his anger evident. “You’re not leaving me here. You promised we would go together to talk to Arya about Apollo.”
I swallowed hard, and my throat suddenly felt dry. Artemis was right. I did make a promise. And it wasn’t just about Apollo, but it was about us as well. Sensing my silence as denial, Artemis frowned at me.
“I know I did,” I responded reluctantly. “But the circumstances have changed. You could be in danger there.”
“Listen,” Artemis cut me off, his voice hardening, “I’ve been in danger before. We both have. If something is happening in New Pharia, they need all hands on deck. I won’t sit this one out. I’m not stupid. I might be able to help.”
I could see the fierce determination in his eyes, the same spark that had drawn me to him in the first place. The same spark that had allowed him to survive when so many others had not. It was one of the things I loved about him, but it also scared me to death.
“Artemis,” I started to argue, but he cut me off.
“Don’t,” Artemis snarled. “I mean it, Brir. You leave me here, and I will never forgive you.”
I cringed at the raw emotion in his words, which hung heavy between us. His gaze bore into mine, a palpable threat. I could see the stubborn tilt of his chin and the set of his shoulders. This was not a battle I would win. I sighed heavily and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of our situation bear down on me. “Alright,” I said finally. “Fine.”
Artemis smiled in triumph. He looked back at Theo, who looked smug as hell. She was loving this. I felt my jaw twitch.
“What exactly is Arya planning?” I asked, my voice steady and devoid of emotion. I knew that Arya had a way of getting herself into precarious situations.
Theodora sighed, running a clawed hand through her fiery hair. “I don’t know what she has in mind, but she’s always one step ahead of everyone else. She’s a cunning strategist, and I trust her instincts implicitly.”
“So do I.” I studied her face, searching for any sign of doubt or uncertainty, but all I saw was resolve.
“What about Merrick?” I asked. If I was getting called back by Theo, I knew she would have stopped by his territory first. He was closer. “He is a skilled fighter. We might need him.”
“Merrick is already back in the city.”
That was odd. Merrick hated being around others as much as I did, and it wasn’t the cold season, so he shouldn’t be in the city at all. “Why is he there early?” I asked as I tossed the rest of my drink back before pouring another.
“Merrick has a new Keala. A human, Soren. He almost died. Arya had to give him her blood so that he would live.” Theo’s smile told me that there had been drama. Drama that she had loved to gossip about.
Merrick’s Keala and child had lost their lives the day humans tore into our world. He wasn’t a bad guy but was a grumpy bastard most of the time.
“Is that a bad thing?” Artemis asked as he looked over my shocked expression. “Humans get blood transfusions all the time.”
“Not like this. He would have to drink her blood or eat her flesh.”
“Gross.” Artemis’s nose wrinkled in disgust.
“Oh, he didn’t know he was drinking it,” Theo said. “He was pretty much dead when she found him.”
“I’m surprised she would have chosen to break that law.” This wasn't the Arya I knew. “She made that law.” Theo nodded in agreement.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Theo muttered, looking into her drink.
Artemis looked between us, his brow furrowed with confusion. “What’s the big deal?” he asked. “It’s just blood.”
Theo snorted, shaking her head. “It’s not just blood, Artemis. Not when it comes to Arya.” She fixed him with a look that told him he had much to learn.
I stared into the fire, my thoughts racing. Arya must have seen something in this human named Soren. Some potential. If she believed this human was significant to our survival, she would go to great lengths to ensure his.
“I can’t believe Merrick allowed it,” I muttered, still trying to wrap my head around the news.
Theo laughed then, a rich sound that was oddly bitter. She wasn’t happy with Arya.
“He didn’t know,” Theo told me. “He didn’t find out until he made it back to New Pharia. Arya has kept the whole situation very tight-lipped. She hasn’t even told me all the details.”
That made my head shoot up to look at her mid-pour. In my shock, I splashed some of the alcohol on the table and my hand.
“I still don’t get why it’s such a big deal,” Artemis looked between us both.
“Arya’s blood would have changed the human,” I explained to him. “It would have changed his DNA.”
“Like me?” Artemis asked.
“No.” Theo cut him off. “Whatever illness you have gotten has introduced new DNA into your system. Arya’s blood just alters certain pieces of it, like your lifespan. Soren will live much longer than the average human. He may even have similar abilities to her, but nothing like what you went through.”
I knew more about Arya than most. More about her abilities. Very few had seen what Arya could do, the beast inside her. Ellids were dangerous creatures. There was a reason her species had been hunted to extinction. They were more monsters than people. Arya had been doing an outstanding job of changing everyone’s view of her species.
Theo found her that horrible day after what she had done to save everyone. My mother, the village matriarch, had refused to take Arya, so Theo and Calea had brought her to me.
She was just a child, and she had refused to speak. I was already banished. She had been in such a state of shock, covered in her people’s blood. Her own horn was just a few inches tall, barely able to be seen over her matted hair.
It had taken me weeks to get her to eat, let alone speak to me. My sister had taught me everything about her kind, what she was—something from ancient times, hunted and enslaved. Arya was now the last of her kind.
If she had given this human her blood, she had indeed saved his life and most likely allowed him to live several lifetimes, but her blood would change him. He wouldn’t be human any longer.
I looked at Artemis. He had remained quiet, but I could see the questions turning behind his eyes. He wanted to know more. I watched his tongue wet his lips before swallowing his nerves and asking,
“What is a Keala?”
My breath hitched as I began to explain, “A Keala…” I paused, my mind whirling with thoughts on simplifying it for him. “It’s… it’s a term from our language. It means… soul-bonded.” My gaze drifted away from him, lost in the memories that his question had stirred. Each Keala shared an unbreakable bond, their souls intertwined in ways that defied comprehension. It was very rare for one to live without the other. Madness normally consumed the living partner.
“Gateros can imprint on a mate. They would bond instantly,” Theo explained to Artemis.
Artemis remained silent for a moment before pressing further. “And what does it mean if Arya gave her blood to this man… Merrick’s new Keala?” The innocence and curiosity in his tone tugged at my heartstrings, and for a moment, I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of his voice, its sweet notes washing over me like a soothing balm against the bitter dread gnawing at my insides.
“It means life,” I started, meeting Artemis’s eyes again. “Or, more in terms of many lifetimes. Merrick’s new Keala may even outlive Merrick.” It was a gift and had been a great honor for an Ellid to give its blood to someone. My sister had told me it was mostly only done for soulbonds for that person. She would not have done that lightly.
“Do all your species imprint?” Artemis asked.
“No. For my species, it’s called a Savase. Savage thread bond. Each species can have its version of a Keala, but each would have a different way of recognizing a soulbond mate. They are very rare. I have only heard of another instance where someone found another after losing their first.”
Artemis seemed to mull over this information, his brow furrowing in concentration. “I assume this is different from a human marriage?”
I chuckled lightly at his question. “Yes, Artemis,” I began, leaning forward and resting my forearms on the table. “A Keala bond is much more profound and binding than any human marriage could ever be. It transcends physical realms, connecting two souls on a spiritual level. That’s why, most of the time, a surviving mate will follow their bonded into the after.”
Theo added, “It’s a bond that lasts eternally… beyond death even.”
“But why?” Artemis asked, his voice barely above a whisper, "Why would she do it?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I leaned back in the chair. “I don’t know.”
“But when she brought that human back, she pissed off the military—charged right through them. One of her Rizugae took out a truck. They have been gathering numbers since,” Theo said.
Artemis looked horrified. “Gathering numbers? For what?”
“They fear her," I explained simply, folding my arms over my chest. “Humans tend to fear and hate what they don’t understand. And they certainly do not understand Arya. So the easiest solution for them is systematic elimination.”
The room fell into a silence filled with tension and belied horror. The truth was always a bitter pill to swallow.
“But they can’t get past the barrier, right?” Artemis asked.
“They haven’t been able to so far,” Theo answered him.
“Shouldn’t we be leaving then?” Artemis asked me. He wanted to leave to start looking for his sister. “I’m going to help.”
“Yes, and we will, but not tonight. We will leave tomorrow morning.” I picked up my glass. “Theo needs to rest, and I must get us ready to go.”
“You’re taking me,” Artemis said in a tone that left no argument. He was going to refuse to be left behind. I could see the fear that I would leave him here.
I could detect a thread of unease in his voice, laced with a hint of excitement. His eyes glinted with anticipation, like a child on the cusp of an adventure despite knowing the dangers ahead.
“I will.” I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. I wouldn’t leave you here alone anyway. I would worry about you, and I promised I would help you find your sister. Arya is the best place to start. She might know something; if she needs help, we will be there.”
“That’s the second time you have mentioned a sister. Who is she? Where is she?” Theo’s smile was so big it showed all her sharp teeth. She was just eating this up. I narrowed my eyes on her but stood up and grabbed the file. I placed it in front of her.
The color drained from Theo’s face as she took the file, flipping it open with trembling hands. I watched as her eyes scanned the first page, her brows furrowing in confusion, then widening in horror. The file detailed everything—the cruel experiments, the relentless torture, and the absolute disregard for life.
Artemis shifted restlessly in his seat beside me, his gaze flickering between me and Theo. An evident dread was etched onto his features. He had read that file before; he knew what was written down in those cruelly factual pages.
“Brir, this is not good,” Theo said, looking up at me and then back at the file. She flipped to another page. “Why the fuck haven’t you told Arya about this?”
“Yes, I know,” I responded, my voice grave. “But I couldn’t risk Artemis to go to Arya when we found out. He got shot in the leg. Needed to heal… and there was no way I would talk about it over the radio.”
“No, don’t use the radio. Arya has wondered if the humans have been listening in,” Theo said as she turned to another page.
Artemis wrapped his arms around himself. I could hear the thud of his tail flicking back and forth in fear.
I grabbed the edge of his chair, scooting him closer to me until I could reach under him and lift him. I placed him on my lap, wrapping my arms around him protectively and pulling him into my body.
Theo watched my actions, and I knew they puzzled her, but she didn’t comment. She only looked at me with curious eyes.
I downed the rest of my drink, setting it down with a thud that echoed ominously throughout the silent room. I reached for the bottle to pour another and offered the bottle to Artemis. He just shook his head.
“I shouldn’t. I’m already tired.” I noticed for the first time that his eyes were drooping closed.
“Ooh, I’ll take more.” Theo pushed her glass towards me.
“Nope, none for you. You have to fly in the morning. I don’t want you dropping out of the sky like last time.” I pulled the bottle close to me. Her eyes narrowed.
“One time,” She turned kind eyes to Artemis. “I drank too much. No one lets me forget it.”
Artemis smiled. He turned and pushed his mostly full glass towards her. I frowned at him, and he smiled back at me. “She did come all this way, and it wasn’t like I was going to drink it,” he said, resting his head on my shoulder.
Theo merely laughed at my evident annoyance, her eyes sparkling with mischief. But I could see the flicker of understanding in her eyes; she knew the reality of our situation as well as I did. Perhaps better.
“Yep, I like him. Keep that one, Brir. He is a good one," Theo said as her gaze rested on Artemis.
“I plan on it.” I nuzzled the top of Artemis’s black-green hair with my nose. The scent of his peace calmed me.
“Good, because if you don’t…” A feral grin pulled at her lips, her sharp teeth glinting in the candlelight. “I will take him from you.”
“I would like to see you try, Solvoltar,” I spat back, my arms going around Artemis.
“Please, I haven’t spent decades in isolation,” Theo said with an eye roll. “I would win.”
“How long have you two been friends?” Artemis asked, looking between us.
“I actually met Arya because of Theo,” I told him. “Theo is a Solvoltar. She saw me taking care of Arya, so she brought her to me when she lost her parents.”
“What’s a Solvoltar?’“ Artemis asked, looking between us.
I didn’t know a human word to describe it, but Theo did.
“For humans, it is a future seer. I can touch things and get visions of what happens to people,” she explained.
“Does it only work with people, or can you see the future of anything?” Artemis asked, looking curiously at Theo, who was swirling her drink around in its glass.
Theo shook her head, locks of fiery red hair dancing about her pointed ears. “Not anything. Living creatures mostly. And sometimes artifacts with a strong emotional connection or history.”
Artemis seemed pensive, and he continued to glance between us, his bright eyes reflecting the candlelight. He was reminded once again of the strangeness of this world, of how the laws of nature were so different from how they used to be.
“Is that why you wear gloves?” he asked.
“He is brilliant, Brir! I like him.” Theo looked over at me. Then her eyes went back to Artemis. “It is. I don’t like to touch people unless I have to.”
“So, if you saw Brir taking care of Arya, you touched her?” he asked.
“It was a letter. One sent by her mother.” Her tone was sad as she looked back at her drink. “I don’t have to touch things to get visions, and I saw her in one. So I went to check on their village. I found her surrounded by the bodies of her people. She was barely alive.”
“What happened to her people?” he asked.
Theo smiled at him, a sad smile. “That is her story to tell, pet. All I will say is that they are dead.”
“Do you know?” Artemis asked me.
“I know some of it, but not all. Like Theo said, it is Arya’s story to tell. I would not betray her trust to tell you, Butterfly.”
Theo was studying us. Her gaze lingered, a mixture of curiosity and concern on her face. I felt she expected me to disclose what Arya had gone through, but I didn’t want to get into it. Arya had made a horrible choice, one that even I didn’t think I could have made, and she had done it as a small child. She knew more than she let on, her eyes holding a depth of knowledge that hinted at experiences far beyond what we could fathom. I shifted uncomfortably under Theo’s scrutiny, feeling the weight of unspoken truths pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.
Artemis’s gaze flickered between us, a wash of perplexity soaking into his features. The enormity of the situation was seeping into him, yet his eyes were unwaveringly firm. “So, we leave tomorrow,” he affirmed with a nod, changing the subject.
“Tomorrow,” I agreed quietly, my gaze falling to our intertwined hands. The weight of his trust in me hung heavily, and I found myself pouring another drink, the amber liquid reflecting the dim candlelight.