Page 56 of The Blind Hordesman

I shouldn’t exist either.

Nature should take her course in all things, but Father didn’t like the course nature took with him. Particularly the part where he grew up with no father. He resented Grandma for not accepting her rapist and falling into the gate. He hated humans for capturing him and experimenting on him. And most of all, he hated Seer’s dad for entering the facility and not rescuing him along with the general and the Alpha female named Sidone.

Father hates the world. But I think he loves me, cares for me, at least sometimes, like now, as he takes my hand and leads me between his ranks into the narrow dark hallway.He doesn’t care for you,my brain supplies.But he does,my heart answers. The two, mind and heart, war with each other, and I wonder which will win.

Father enters another room, well lit but much smaller. A white-uniformed Telean male stands next to a single bed. He dips his head. “Etin Reg, Omega.”

I reply in kind.

The Telean points to the bed. “Lie down here. I will perform a wellness check.”

I obey and lie down, my hands shaking. I fist them, staring at the bright light above me while the Telean moves a portable scanner starting from my forehead down to my toes. When finished, he waits a few seconds and glances at Father. “Her egg has been fertilized.”

Oh! I have a baby. Smiling, I angle my head to catch Father’s smile. I prop myself up on my elbows, then sit up.

He approaches me and strokes my face, then addresses the Telean. “A Sewa male?”

“Too early to tell,” he says.

“How long before you know?”

“After birth, I will be certain. Before that, it is speculation.”

“You ran the genetic possibilities with her and the Blind Hordesman. You told me she and he would produce a Sewa male.”

“Um, no, my king. I said given how she was made, if mated to the strongest Hordesman with a dormant Sewa bloodline, the possibility of a Sewa offspring was ninety percent, but there is still ten percent of having either a Regha male or an Omega female.”

“I don’t need more Omegas!” Father shouts, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

“Yes, my king.” The Telean stares at the floor.

“I risked my hive to retrieve her, so you will tweak and twist and do whatever you have to do with her egg and his seed. I want a Sewa male heir. You understand me?” Father grips my chin, pinching it. “I’ve always known you were my strongest weapon, but I wouldn’t have guessed it would be so easy to trap the Blind Hordesman.”

“How do you know he’s blind?”

“I know everything about that bloodline. Come.” Father takes my hand again and pulls me, harder than before. I stumble forward and land in the arms of the Telean, who catches me and sets me upright, eyes on Father.

“A pregnant human Omega, one who will carry a large Alpha,” he says, “is at high risk for miscarriage. Any damage would jeopardize the baby, thereby jeopardizing our mission. Consider this.” He bows his head. “My king.”

Father lets go of my hand and opens the door.

I follow him outside, and a few steps away, he stops by another door, then faces it. A tiny red light comes from the middle of the door and projects onto his chest. Father rattles and the door opens. Inside is a single bed, a bathroom, and a wall with holes, which I recognize as a Telean dry shower. It’s right next to a toilet.

“You’re imprisoning me?” I ask.

“I am securing you.”

“Father.” I take his hand and kiss it. “I will do anything you want if you leave them all be. You can coexist, Father, you can. They will agree. Hell, maybe they’ll let you settle in Sewa. It’s empty anyway. They’re not bad people and—”

“Let me settle in Sewa?Letme? Regha should be mine by law.” He slaps me.

I hit my head on the wall, crumple, seeing stars playing over my eyes. I cup the side of my face, look up, and spit blood on the floor. “Seer’s gonna kill you, and when he’s killed you, I will carve your eyes out and eat them while sitting on his throne.”

“His throne.” Father laughs.

I wipe my mouth and come away with bloody fingers. The vision in my left eye darkens, and I think it’s because of the swelling. “You’ve proclaimed yourself King of Earth. It gave them an excuse to take another throne and extend their bloodline.”

Father laughs, then crouches before me. “You will deliver me a Sewa male and die in the process. I made you.” He hits his chest. “I made you, and I will end you when you’ve served your purpose.” He stands. “Get some rest.”

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