Olivia ran to Hernando's arms as he exited the bunker.
"How are you feeling?" She put an arm around his shoulders so he could lean on her.
"Much better. The drug is wearing off." He blinked and stared at the surreal vision. "What's going on here? Am I dreaming, or is there a tower of mechanical locusts standing in front of me?"
"Yeah, it's Valori's doing." Olivia lowered her voice. "Do you know where she is?"
Hernando shook his head. "No, I don't. She disappeared soon after the majority of our people left on foot or transport. North didn't want too many hostages, so he reactivated the robots to chase you all away."
"I thought so." Olivia gazed up at Colonel North's kicking legs high above the ground. "Wherever Valori's got to, she's using her powers—for good, I hope."
The last of the hostages exited the command center. The more able-bodied helped Annara and her new admirer to rock the transport back into an upright position. Exhausted by their traumatic experience, the hostages filled the benches, many demanding to be taken back to Penumbra City at once.
"The driver must have gone on in another transport to the mountains," Annara announced as the last seat was taken. "You want to drive these unhappy persons to the mesa to meet the others, Olivia?"
Olivia scanned the remaining hostages. Caveman and several councilors conversed with the Earth soldiers while Dradix, Moreau, and some Pure Blood scientists held an intense discussion with the Earth technicians. She gave Hernando's shoulders a squeeze.
"It appears we can't all fit into the steam-powered transport. I guess we'll wait here until one of the airships comes for us. Can anyone else drive the thing?" Olivia asked. "It should be easier now the nanobots are out of the way."
"If you stay here, I will stay as well to make certain our ruling council is safe." Annara glanced over at Corporal Tennant and blushed as they made eye contact. "Let me check if anyone else is willing to drive."
There were plenty of volunteers.
Annara chose a driver, gave him a quick pep talk, and waved as the transport sped away. "Less heads to keep track of... So, what now?”
"We're going to ask Drucinda if she has any idea where Valori is."
Annara nodded. "I'm going to ask the corporal about our date."
Olivia winked at Hernando, and they both laughed. Taking his hand, they crossed to the Clan Alpha matriarch, who was sitting on a supplies crate near the command center door. The priestess appeared lost in thought.
"Maybe we shouldn't disturb her," Hernando advised. "I have a very strong feeling..."
"Valori is already here?" Drucinda's voice sounded peculiar, and Olivia realized it sounded like Valori's. Drucinda raised a jet-black eyebrow and smirked. "Perhaps Valori is everywhere?"
Chapter Fifteen
A shiver of nervous anticipation tingled down Olivia's spine. She looked Drucinda straight in the eyes.
"If Valori is here, tell her it's time she lowered the poor Colonel to the ground. It's impolite to keep him dangling for so long."
"Very well." Drucinda nodded to the nanobot structure. "It is done."
The tentacle retracted and shifted shape until it became more of an elevator than a rope-like arm. North was still confined within a web of interlocking nanobots, but Olivia thought he looked relieved to have something under his feet again.
The colonel's relief turned to anger, however, once he realized the nanobots weren't going to free him.
"The hostages have been released. Let me go," he barked.
Drucinda stood and strolled toward the captive North, straight-backed and with a regal tilt to her head. Olivia watched with awe as Drucinda's form blurred into the form of two women walking side by side, one tall and dark, one petite and silver-haired.
"It's like Valori and Drucinda are one person," she whispered.
Hernando nodded. "They are, or at least they have been. Look."
The two high priestesses divided into their two separate selves—albeit still fuzzy around their edges—upon reaching North's position. "Tell your soldiers to put down their arms and stand where all can see them." The unison voice held hints of both Drucinda's and Valori's personalities.
North furrowed his brow. "Am I speaking to one or two individuals?"
"You are speaking to many. Do as we ask. No one will be harmed."
Annara and the two remaining security personnel disarmed the soldiers and lined them up with their fellow technicians.
"Good," Drucinda-Valori said, nodding and smiling. "We will separate fully now, as we can tell our present joining causes you much confusion."
"You can say that again," Olivia murmured. Just when she thought she understood the people of BloodDark, yet another fantastical surprise unfolded in front of her. I'll never grow bored living here.
Hernando squeezed her hand. I'm glad BloodDark intrigues you. I wish to retire here after my days as ambassador are completed.
And you want me by your side? Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. Always?
He pulled her into his arms and gazed deep into her eyes. Always.
A shocked gasp rose from the crowd and a cry of "What is it?" interrupted their romantic moment. Olivia clung to Hernando as she turned her head to see what had caused the commotion.
Standing beside Valori and Drucinda was another creature, grayish and bipedal, long-armed and flat featured. Its shortened torso and legs bespoke of a very different evolutionary process. Its clothing consisted of a sleeveless robe made from a shimmering black material. The three figures appeared separate and unique now with no blurriness to their images. When the creature spoke, its voice sounded raspy and strained.
"I am of old. My race came to this world many of your centuries ago. We survived our enemies, and we survived this harsh environment, adapting as we could, from interaction with other sentient life forms from Earth. I was placed into a stasis chamber as I grew older so my knowledge of the old ways would not die. The priests and priestesses were instructed only to awaken me in dire times. Those times have arrived."
Olivia gulped. "Did you know about any of this?" she whispered to Hernando.
"No, I don't think anyone
