He then takes a deep breath, grabs the communicator, and walks up the stairs into the living room. There he finds Kaden, his Isarian Protector, and Nicole Harper, Kaden's human mistress, standing in the middle of the room, staring fixedly at the TV. "Is everything OK?" he asks, as he walks toward them. Kaden turns around, approaches Bane, and hugs him.
"I'm so sorry," he whispers.
"Why? What's happened?" Bane looks over Kaden's shoulder, and sees the strolling caption on the TV: "EUPERIAN KING UPHU IS DEAD." The news is like a spear through his heart, not so much for his brother-in-law's fate — after all, it was Uphu who exiled him to Earth — but for his sister. He knows that Liaj loves the King deeply.
He moves Kaden away to get closer to the screen. He hears the journalist report that sources are speculating that Prince Zec and Princess Odilia have perished as well. "There is no news about the Queen yet. Don't lose hope," Kaden says, trying to comfort Bane.
Both men turn their heads towards the sound of Nicole's watch ringing. She glances at the notification on her watch screen and taps to decline. "I think that's my cue to head out," she says as she grabs her purse. She hugs Bane. "I'm so sorry for your loss." Bane nods. She kisses Kaden and rushes out the door.
"Her fiancée will find out about you two, you know. It's wrong for her to be with you and him at the same time," Bane tells Kaden. "It's just a matter of time before he finds out," he adds after a slight pause. "Humans aren't stupid."
Kaden turns his back on him in disregard. He surmises that his friend's admonishments have less to do with qualms of conscience than with the simple fact that Nicole is human. More than a bit irritated, Kaden heads to the kitchen counter, grabs two glasses and a bottle of whiskey, and pours Bane and himself a drink.
"Your sister is a tough warrior. Don't lose hope," he says, as he walks into the living room and hands Bane his drink.
"She is. I spoke to her earlier," Bane says, and takes a sip of the whiskey.
"What. You spoke to her?" Kaden asks, surprised.
"It was brief. She said that my nephew and niece were poisoned and had died. Well, died in conventional terms, because she also said something about transplanting their Essences into human embryos. Now, it seems, they are headed here to Earth."
"Transplanting someone's Essence? The Queen is coming here?"
"I know it sounds preposterous. I remember rumors back in Euperia that some members of the King's scientific council were experimenting with transplanting the souls of some of their soon-to-perish family members into human embryos — but as I said, those were just rumors, something that I never confirmed. And no, the Queen is not coming here. She would never leave her people."
"So what's the plan?" asks Kaden.
"We must prepare to receive the children. At least everyone believes that they're dead. We have to make sure it stays that way — until the kids are ready to reclaim their rightful places back home."
❖❖❖
Aaron stops and leans against the trunk of a bur oak. He peeks around the tree and sees bobbing flashlights gaining ground. "We need to keep moving. We can still make it," he says to the other three Euperians.
Bright lights from drones suddenly illuminate the area. "This is the United Nations Special Task Force!" an augmented voice booms. "You are surrounded and ordered to surrender. If you do, you will not be harmed."
"Get ready to fight!" Aaron shouts. "If we surrender, they'll kill us!"
Aaron sees red glowing eyes moving in the darkness; he lifts his arm and sends a powerful wind blast that slams the Cheetah drone against a tree. He turns to his right and sees Janice punch another drone with enough force to tear it in half. "I only have the power for one more punch like that," she tells him, panting hard.
"Stay behind us," Aaron says to the other two Euperians. "We'll be safe once we cross the river."
He dashes forward and the rest follow. They zigzag through the forest, trying to stay away from the lights from above. As they approach the river, Aaron sees an individual standing between them and their destination. He signals the group to stop. "We can do this. Full force with everything we have left." He sprints forward, pulls his arm back, and extends it forward with an open hand, evoking the most potent wind blast he can muster. The force bends the trees halfway over, but the individual stands in place, unfazed.
A Cheetah drone tackles the Euperian behind Aaron. He tries to get loose, but it's hopeless. Aaron, too exhausted to help, turns to Janice and shouts, "Now's the time to use that last punch of yours!"
Janice sprints and leaps at the individual waiting ahead of them, sending a mighty punch into the face of her target. She shrieks as the bones in her hand shatter. The man grabs her neck and picks her up with one hand. She scratches and kicks to get loose from his grip, but as Aaron rushes forward, he realizes why the stranger has been unfazed by their attack — he's an Azhalian with organic steel skin. "Leave her alone, you scum!" Aaron shouts.
One of the other Euperians leaps from behind the Azhalian and strikes the back of the man's head with a huge rock. The Azhalian drops the Euperian woman, turns, and shoves the male Euperian to the ground, where he strikes another rock, smashing his own skull with a sickening crunch. Aaron picks up Janice and turns to see vehicles from the UNSTF arriving. He wraps one arm around her body and uses his other arm to call the last bit of his power to send a wind blast against the ground that propels them upward, aiming himself to fall into the river.
Chapter 12
