CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

 

 

- Bren

I try to send Matthias away. He must go with Hannah! She can have escorts and protectors. She needs someone but Matthias points out the old laws are clear. He quotes them calmly. Explaining that he has researched and she is only allowed family. Blood relatives to her only.

The old laws need to fucking change! This whole entire situation has made me stop thinking. I just have a heavy, throbbing pulse and roaring in my ears. Always the voice of reason, Matthias yells to keep me sane. “These situations were not common, but they did happen. Once this is over, there can never be any question or dispute.” He holds me and keeps me in the room.

We stumble to the floor as my legs give out. “Calm, brother.” Holding my head, I double over and try to focus. “Breathe.” I start my noisy inhale and exhale, but I sound like I’ve been running for years.

“Are you sure? Positive there isn’t anyone that would qualify to go with her. Stay with her?”

“No. I tried.”

“She’s going to be all alone in there. You know what is in there. The animals and danger. She’s not a warrior Matthias!”

“I know, but we will leave as soon as we can. You are going to find her so fast. She will only be there a few minutes alone.” He’s placating me, but I eat it up like an infant. I just can’t bear the thought of Hannah chained and alone in the dark.

I have no idea what kind of immunities she has built up in her system yet and if she can even stand the bite of one of our sheeva’s. But in addition to smaller insects, there are often larger animals that live in those caves. All kinds and forms with the larger ones able to remove a limb with razor sharp teeth.

“Stop dwelling on it. You will get there in time. She will be fine. Relax and stay focused. Being new to this, you will need to concentrate so you can get there as quickly as possible.”

I pop up into a sitting position, almost flinging him totally off me before looking at him. “Find out how close we can get to the catacombs before the signal is given that we can go in. Can we sit right outside?” Matthias hesitates. “What? Tell me!”

“We can go down to our vehicle, but I thought we should wait until we are actually leaving. They are going to be archiving all of this. As soon as you step out the door they will be there. This is big news for everyone.” His voice drops, and he leans in. “I’m the one that tipped them off to what was going on. When the council was asked, they had no choice than to let everyone know. It’s a trade off really. If people know you exist, you are more likely to stay alive. You wouldn’t want to be a secret, right?”

Standing quickly, I head to the door. “I don’t fucking care about that. They can watch all they like. As long as we don’t all watch her die because she doesn’t have family on this planet to stay with her during the mating trial.”

When I swing the door open, I almost trip over all the people waiting for me to come out. Drones buzz in the air and as I put pressure on the crowd and start through them I yell to Matthias, “Where am I going?”

He’s right behind me but answers by pointing. “Follow the crowd.” Yells and questions are thrown at us from every side, but I ignore them all as I push through to get to the hover vehicle. The commentator and council member Kirley Pelack is standing by the entrance to the catacombs. I will take my time killing every single council member slowly and painfully if Hannah is not alright at the end of this. But not right now in front of all these archiving machines.

“Bren Khar, I see you are early. We can’t leave yet.” Well, I certainly don’t want to talk to her. Turning away, I grab my brother and pull him away.

“What do the people of the planet want to know? Why are they here? Should I talk to them?”

My brother looks eagerly at me. “They are curious about Hannah and what’s happened between you. It gives them hope that the future may be different for us all. Let me talk to them and you can just interject if necessary.” Matthias moves away to address the crowd while I wait and concentrate on what I can feel of Hannah.

No panic, which is good.

“My brother is trying to send warm, comforting thoughts to his mate while she waits for him to come locate her. With no family on the planet, she will be alone and chained inside the dark catacombs.”

“Is that unusual?” The loudest question gets his attention.

“Yes, in all the records I reviewed, which detail out the previous mate trials, every one had the maximum three family members with the mate at the pick up location. This was for protection from wild animals and to keep them company. Hannah Becker from Earth doesn’t have that. And as I am Bren’s only brother, we will be traveling out in the hover vehicle with councilor Kirley Pelack and my friend Chevepak Dall. It will all be archived and available so you can keep track of our progress. Please pray together that Hannah Becker from Earth will not be harmed during this. My brother will be shattered but also, none of us will know whether this is a true mate compatibility and whether we are able to successfully, naturally produce offspring.”

He has been thinking about this quite a bit. His thought provoking words start a murmur through the crowd.

“If that’s the case, how do you think this will impact our family structures in the future?”

Acting like this is the first time he’s thought about that at all, he looks earnestly at them. “Well, we can only hope that our family structures will be revisited in the laws by the councilors so that more mate pairing can potentially breed new blood and a new future for Quasar.”

Councilor Kirley had obviously heard enough. “It’s time.” Her voice is a combination of stern and annoyed as she goes ahead and climbs gingerly into the back seat, effectively cutting off any more communication with the news suppliers.

I quickly follow her, hopping into the front. Glancing back at Matthias before dropping inside, I see him heading over to follow me. Finally we will be on our way.