He took her down a narrow passage, then stopped in front of one door among many.“The barracks,” he said.“The scimitar houses ten warriors and one officer.”
“How many stayed instead of going with the women?”
“Five, including myself,” he said, studying her upturned face.
“Which women?”She hesitated, pretty sure he’d mentioned two were on board.The thought of being the only human and facing this experimental fallout by herself… She shuddered.“Or am I alone?”
He faced her, his expression intense.“You, Brenda, Fyca’s Dar Eth, and Violet is Durok’s.”
When the door swished open, he paused in the doorway, blocking any possible attack.The man didn’t know Hiossu, not well enough to risk her life.Or so it seemed.She peered around Cylo and smiled at her ally sprawled on the bed with his fingers laced across his belly.Nothing marred his lemon-yellow skin.Not that she expected Cylo to have beaten him up, but a tiny part had considered it.
Hiossu sat up and smiled at her.“You are well?”
She scoffed.“I’m purple but, other than that, weirdly okay.”When she made to go around Cylo, he threw out his arm, catching her across the stomach.She narrowed her eyes at him.“Hiossu’s had many chances to kill me.”
“Let us not give him another,” Cylo said, his gaze running over her face.
He thinks I’m beautiful.The realization exploded bubbles in her belly like sparkling wine.
“I will not harm her.I vow.”Hiossu clasped his hands between his knees.“You want answers I hope I can give you.”
“First, thank you,” she said, settling into a seat Cylo flipped down for her.When she took it, he stood beside her, close enough for heat to pour off him and summon a shiver.
Hiossu grimaced.“I did not help.Look at you.”He gestured to all of her.
“Do you know what was in those chemicals?”Cylo demanded.
She touched his arm.His drive to heal her flooded her with warmth, but she needed to focus on what Hiossu was feeling.If she could, that was.Focusing this…skill could be like trying to steer a broken cargo barge.“Have there been similar results?As in other purple humans?”
Hiossu dipped his head.A ‘shadow’ stretched out to bathe her in sorrow.“Purple, yes, but they died.You…are a miracle.”He leaped to his feet to pace the small space before sinking onto the bed.“I assume the other females are well?”He held Cylo’s gaze until he nodded.“Which would mean either my uncle’s sample had no effect on you, or the double dose did.Or still nothing until Jniaa injected his formula.Each kuliriji…” Hiossu frowned.“What is the common word in Galactic, Etterian?”
“Scientist,” Cylo gritted out.
“Yes… Each scientist has perfected their own mix in a race to bring Earthians…humans to our planet.”
“Why?”Cylo loomed though how he did that without moving, she wouldn’t be able to explain.“You do not need them other than for slavery or as products.”
“In a way, you are correct.At first.”Hiossu ran his gaze over Wren, summoning a shiver.He liked the look of her.Her skin crawled, unlike her reaction to Cylo’s admiration.“A vid of Lady Ava and Ambassador Barro showed a species softer, intelligent, and capable of such emotional intensity that it piqued the kuliriji council’s interest.When further news reached us that Etterians had found Dar Eths among these Earthians and that Yithians hunted them for the arena… Well, it was a business opportunity we could not pass up.”
He offered her a weak smile.
“How many women?”she asked.Darkness formed a shield around Hiossu’s soul as if he couldn’t share this with her.
“Before I was enlisted, I cannot say.You were part of the third delivery.”He threw out a hand.“I truly am sorry for what my people did…aredoing.”He grabbed his temples.“I would be naïve to think there is only one facility.Yet, I have never heard my uncle or the other scientists mention another.”
“Could you help Qaff figure out what’s happening to me?”She gazed at Cylo.“Whether I am dying?”
He scowled.“Issneen—”
“Is still our destination, but let’s not waste time.Additional diagnostics from Qaff and your machines would better inform your doctors.”She rose, desperate for a moment alone.To be caught up in this when she’d have an E.A.F.shitstorm to deal with?“Speak with Qaff, please, Hiossu.Offer what insight you have.”
“Liaise with Olin, as well.Perhaps you can help him locate other testing facilities.You are free to leave your quarters.”Cylo typed on his O.D.I.
He was hot on her heels when she left.Even his presence, though it had calmed her before, was a little too much to handle.
She faced him, splayed her fingers across his chest, and met his gaze.“I need…a place to just be me.I was taken because I had a habit of leaping into space with only my ankle harnesses tethering me to the station.”She feathered her fingers along the velvety skin below his collarbone exposed by the ‘V’ of his chest armor.“Please, can you help me?”
“I will not allow you to launch yourself out of a bay door,” he said, inching closer to cup her elbows, determination pouring off him.“And the scimitar is traveling too fast to risk it.But I do have an idea.”He caught her hand and laced their fingers with a familiarity that was awe-inspiring.
