Page 166 of The Alpha

“No. When I met Philip, he’d already served as a Time Master. That was my first introduction to your time traveling abilities. Why build portals when we could just as easily capture one of you?” She paced. “But we were fools, Judge. Stupid, blind, fools.” She hung her head. “You were never a threat to begin with. If you wanted to wipe us all out, you could have done it centuries ago.”

“True. Yet Dr. Charles captured my son using portals. Was the notion even discussed when you were there?”

“At the Anontist Center? No, not that I’m aware. But Dr. Charles was a smart one. Even Philip had his eye on him for a time. But as far as I know, he never pursued any sort of alliance with him.”

Zerbe’s eyes narrowed. “Who was Philip working with, Julia?”

She heaved a sigh. “How many times are you going to ask me that? I have no idea. In the end, Philip went insane. He… talked to himself. One side of him was Philip, the other, someone else entirely. I’ve told you all this.”

Zerbe shivered. “Let us go into the other room.” He motioned her toward the door. She made a beeline for it, opened it, and almost ran smack dab into a waiting Shaveer. He held a cleaver in his hand and stared her down.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she snapped. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Hmmm,” Shaveer mused as he let her pass followed by Zerbe. “Shall I bring refreshments, Judge?”

“Please do.” He shut the door to the freezer and fought off another chill. Julia probably hadn’t been in there long. She couldn’t survive for one, and two, Shaveer had strict orders not to harm her. Too much.

Julia went to a table in a corner of the room and sat. Zerbe joined her. “What would you have me do?” she asked.

He sat across from her. “We captured one of the doctor’s minions. His assistant.”

“What’s his name?”

“Peter Oswald.”

Julia shook her head. “I don’t know him. You have him here, in the palace?”

“We do; he’s in a holding cell.” Zerbe sat back in his chair as Shaveer reappeared with a tray laden with hot drinks and food. He had no idea where he got it so quickly and didn’t care. Hepicked up a cup and took a sip of the hot sweet cider they’d been served.

“What do you want me to do?” Julia asked after she took a drink to warm herself.

“Question him, find out what you can, then I want you to find this doctor.”

She half laughed; half groaned. “You want me to do what?”

Zerbe leaned across the table. “Find him, Julia. He is a threat to us and you.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Do you really wish to be freed from the place? Then earn your freedom, and stay with us. We may even find you a mate compatible with your heart.”

She sucked in a breath.

“But yours can have no trace of corruption left in it, do you understand?” Zerbe slowly sat back, his eyes locked on hers.

She nodded. “Yes, Judge.”

“Dr. Charles is much older than you remember him. At least according to his assistant.”

She took another drink then shook her head in confusion. “How did Dr. Charles manage to capture Melvale?”

“Dallan and Kwaku were sent out on assignment, Melvale was with them and discovered… his mate.”

She smiled. “Your son, the one that Shaveer tells me straightens pictures on walls and loves to dress others?”

“He likes fashion,” Zerbe said stoically. “Or did. I’m not sure now. He is… changing. Suffice to say, this Dr. Charles set his sights on him and hunted him down using Melvale’s mate. We rescued them, brought back the doctor’s assistant, and here we are.”

Julia smiled at him. “There’s so much you’re not telling me.”

---