Chapter Eighteen: The First
Something was changing, he could no longer deny it. Perhaps it was the evolution of their time spent on the new planet as Pelryn had hypothesized. Perhaps it was something more.
For once Kincaid was truly worried about the threat the humans now posed.
How many others had these strange manifestations?
How many had been Changed in more ways than reproduction?
And how many were on the side of the Rebellion?
Keeping this to himself would be punishable by death, his brother would see it as an act against the throne. Or even worse, a play for the throne. He could not let Merda know. Or anyone from the Council. He had no one to turn to.
Well, Pelryn has proven that his allegiance isn't wholly to the King. That he could be trusted with certain things.
Besides, he was the only one who knew about the others. He could trust him with this bit. Right?
Maybe the fact that one so close would change things. Would he insist on telling the King?
Too many variables.
Kincaid drew in a ragged breath, chest still aching with the action. He hoped the internal bleeding wasn't too bad. He had to avoid the questions, and there would be questions.
Relok be damned! What was he supposed to do now?
He'd have to tighten the leash, obviously, but to what end? Now that he could be harmed, and that the human knew he could be harmed, he could not be careless. He could not assume that the creature in his bed was weak.
Kincaid thought of the cloud of Gemma Crystal dust that floated around his pair like a fucking halo. How it sang in response to him and the utter bewilderment on Reid's face.
Kincaid was well and truly fucked.
He licked his lip, tasting the blood that crested the corner of his mouth. As much of a headache as it was, he couldn't squash his piqued curiosity. His pair continued to surprise him. What would he do now, with this new development?
And would the fire within him rage all the more for it?
Masochistic as it was, Kincaid couldn't wait to find out.
***
Reid was never going to leave that damned bed.
All his hard work was for nothing. He was still trapped, now even more than before. There were guards outside the door now. He saw glimpses of them every time the servants came to drop off his food.
It was clear they didn't understand why Kincaid had assigned him more supervision, most just seeing the weak little redrya they always did. But that was only confirmation for Reid.
He was a real threat now.
He actually had the male worried. Strange though, that he hadn't told anyone. He thought he would have been murdered by now, or dissected at the very least.
Still, none had come to wheel him off to his painful end.
And he had not seen Kincaid since that day. It's been two since.
It was a good thing. Who knew what the male would do? His rage tasted like fire and ash along the bond shared between them. If Reid hadn't pulled back, he'd have been burned all up.
Still, lying in this bed was giving him cramps. He was only given a bathroom break every eight hours and while it was nice to stand, to stretch, to walk, it was very uncomfortable having to do his business with two burly Naerians glaring at him two feet away.
He totally wasn't tempted to miss the toilet and aim at their shoes. But that might end him back in the Belt. He'd had enough of that place to last a lifetime.
While he lay there, lost in his thoughts, he tried reaching deep, uselessly, to trigger the power again. He tried remembering what it felt like when it happened, but that was next to impossible. All he felt was fear.
This power...the one that could harm the Naerians, it was utterly worthless if he could not do it again. He had to figure out how to activate it...if he even could.
It had not escaped Reid's notice that this trick could very well have been a fluke. A one-time deal.
At first, the idea of not having a fighting chance was disappointing, forcing him into a silent depression. But then it occurred to him, that he could still use that to his advantage. So what if he couldn't do it again? Kincaid didn't know that.
He would always be a threat because everyone feared the unknown.
Somehow, he had to get this new discovery into Gabe's hands. He was the closest, the one who could relay it to Dania and the rest of the Rebellion. He may be trapped in there, but they could start the plan.
Reid was grinning to himself, finishing off the last of his broth–no more fancy food for him–when he felt something.
The shock of the sensation shook him, causing him to drop his spoon that clattered noisily into his bowl, splashing broth all over his legs and the pillows he was sprawled upon.
Immediately on high alert, he scanned the bare room. Nothing was out of the ordinary. No sign of Kincaid. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.
The eyes peeled his skin from his bones with their intensity. Raising the hairs on his arms and neck.
"Who's there?" he called out. Like something right out of those old movies his father used to watch when he was a kid. Right before the monster jumped out.
Clearly, he learned nothing.
In the corner of the room, the air near the door began to shimmer. The hazy air distorted the doorframe behind it until suddenly Reid was staring at a young man who had appeared out of thin air.
Man might have been stretching it a bit. He was just barely out of adolescence, not to mention Reid wasn't sure he was a man at all. No man he knew could do that.
Though, no man could do what Reid had earlier either...
"Who are you?" Reid questioned, staring at the...person...whose eyes widened at their discovery.
They were tall, willowy, with lean muscles and limbs that were beginning to fill out. They had long black hair braided back with delicate beads intertwined within some of the strands. Their eyes were large and a beautiful shade of brown. Like amber. Their skin was a mix between a honey brown with red undertones. It seemed like a human shade, but something about it was just a tad bit too saturated. Too unnatural. For a human at least.
But his ears...they were round.
Reid continued to study them, more curious than scared.
"What are you?" Reid asked this time. It seemed like the more important question.
The young and curious male leaned forward eagerly, puffing out his chest a bit with silent pride.
"I am Nayavu. I am the first!" he boasted, in that same accent Kincaid had.
Reid frowned. "The first what?"
The young male grinned wide, showing all his teeth. Teeth that were much too sharp to be human.
"I am the first hatchling."