Page 61 of The Blind Hordesman

Father shoves me and leaps out of the chair. I stumble and fall, but keep watching the screen.

“Place the gate inside the shell,” Father says.

The gate sinks underwater.

“Inside the shell.” Father’s temper rises, and he paces the room. “Bring us closer,” he orders the Telean.

“We are close enough.”

“Do it!”

“Yes, my king.”

The hive approaches the beach, and Father walks toward the screen, extending his hand as if he can grab the gate from here. “Use a magnet and draw it in.”

A Telean moves his fingers over a screen. “Engaged.”

The container pops back to the surface, wobbling as it sails over the water toward the hive.

“Send a drone to retrieve the gate and bring it directly to me. Kill order for anyone who tries to take it before I do.”

“Negative,” one Teleans says. “They still have the controls. We must override theirs with ours, or the gate pulse will burn through the tech.”

“Fine, I’ll get it myself. Release the Swarm.”

The entire hive shakes as shells eject from it straight onto the beach.

A male separates from the group. He wears atiland boots, and I presume it’s a Regha male. But when he lowers the shield, the Telean general reveals himself. I count the Regha males. Four. One is missing. I glance at Father, who is climbing the steps that lowered from the top of the room. One male is missing. One male… Seer isn’t there. That’s Arkin. It’s a twin swap, and nobody called it. Oh, but it’s only a matter of time before the Teleans freak out over the general dressed in atiland boots. They’ll know something’s up.

On the screen, the general places two fingers at his temple, and I swear he stares right at me. In my head, I hear his voice.“Omega, are you well?”

“Are you thinking to me?”I ask, looking around, terrified someone will hear him.

“Indeed.”

“I’m a big fan.”

The general smiles.“I counted seven Telean minds in the room and one Regha male. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me what the Regha male is doing.”

Father hops up, wraps his strong arms around a metal bar, then swings his legs at the opening on the top.

“He’s climbed up to get the gate.”

“Do you think he will retrieve the gate himself?”

“Yes. He has massive trust issues.”

“Excellent. Take shelter away from all entry points.”

“Why?”I scramble away from the oval door and huddle in the corner of the room.

“Because the Horde is here, and they have a new Alpha.”

The screens wobble, and the Teleans in the room step away from them, shouting, “Surveillance breach!”

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