Finally, the leader’s lips curve into a faint enigmatic smile. “Interesting,” he says, his tone unreadable.
Great. Just what we need—more cryptic commentary. But at least we haven’t been eaten on the spot. Plus, he’s still smiling, and not in an “I wonder if you’ll taste like chicken or beef” kind of way.
“Welcome to the Riftborn,” the leader says, his deep voice cutting through the room’s low hum of activity. He rises from his seat with deliberate grace, the faint glow of his silver eyes never wavering from me. His towering frame seems to fill the room, the curved horns on his temples lending him an almost-regal menace.
Shanae steps forwards, offering a tight nod. “This is Solan, Calythra, Jack, and Jamie. The humans arrived during the latest merge.”
“I know,” he replies smoothly, his lips curving into that faint enigmatic smile. “Their arrival was… notable.” His gaze locks onto mine, and for a moment, it feels as if he’s looking through me, peeling back layers I didn’t even know I had.
Solan shifts beside me, his imposing frame stiff with tension. I suspect he’s not used to being measured up like this, especially by someone who radiates confidence and control.
The leader’s smile deepens just enough to make it clear he’s noticed. He turns his attention to Solan, the weight of his piercing gaze palpable even from where I’m standing. “Pyronox,” he says, the single word rolling off his tongue like an old secret. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one of your kind.”
Solan’s eyes narrow. “And you are?”
“Commander Varek Zathrian,” the leader replies, inclining his head slightly, a gesture that feels halfway between respect and amusement. “I lead the Riftborn.”
Jamie tugs at my sleeve, his wide eyes fixed on Varek. “He’s huge,” he whispers, earning a faint chuckle from Shanae.
Varek’s sharp hearing doesn’t miss it. His silver gaze flicks to Jamie, softening just a fraction. “You have courage, little one,” he says, his tone almost… kind. “But courage without understanding can be a dangerous thing.”
Jamie shrinks back slightly, and I instinctively place a hand on his shoulder, stepping forwards to shield him.
“Why don’t you tell us what you mean by ‘notable’?” I ask, keeping my voice steady despite the tension coiling in my chest.
He studies me a beat before his attention shifts to Jamie, then back to me.
“I know why you’re here.” He takes a step closer, his towering frame somehow even more intimidating up close. His smile sharpens, a predator’s grin, as he says his next words. “You’re running from the crown. You’re searching for allies. What you don’t yet realise is that the Riftborn aren’t just your best chance of survival. We’re your only chance.”
My breath catches in my throat. There’s no way he could know that. None. Plus, talk about not answering my damn question.
Varek’s gaze shifts to Jamie, who instinctively moves closer to me. “The boy too,” he adds, his tone darkening, though it’s hard to tell if it’s concern or something else entirely. “You brought him here… but do you even understand why?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, my voice sharp. And brought himhere? As in, to the rebels, or to this other world? Because fuck him if that’s the case. I had zero control over anything that happened.
Varek chuckles, a low rumble that sends a shiver down my spine. He turns his back on us and strides towards the window overlooking an incongruous building looming in the distance.
He says over his shoulder, “I’ll give you one piece of advice—keep a close eye on your little shadow.”
Jamie flinches at the word, and I pull him closer.
Varek turns back to us. “It’s interesting, don’t you think?”
Fuck it all to hell with his cryptic bullshit and his nonanswers.
“What is?” Solan asks, his stance protective, his voice brooking no shit.
“Almost every human who’s been dragged into this world has found themselves bound to someone—or something—not of their kind,” Varek finishes, his piercing silver eyes scanning me, Jamie, and Solan with unsettling precision.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I demand, holding Jamie tighter.
Varek tilts his head, his oil-slick skin catching the dim light of the room. “You know exactly what I mean. What do you humans call us? ‘Monsters’? You may as well call us your destined mates.”
The words slam into me, a weight I wasn’t prepared for. I open my mouth to protest, but nothing comes out. It’s not like I haven’t already accepted that Solan and I are connected, bound by something more than choice or circumstance. But hearing it so bluntly, so universally applied to every human who’s come through a merge, makes my stomach churn.
Solan stiffens beside me, his flame-kissed hand brushing mine in silent reassurance. “You’re saying this happens to all humans?” His voice is taut, like a bowstring pulled too tight.
“All humans we’ve encountered,” Varek clarifies, his tone calm, almost academic. “Every last one.”
