Page 18 of Sy

“They’re curious about the humans,” he said, his voice rougher than it had been before his transformation. “Nothing more.”

Vraal snorted. “Even if they’re curious enough to tear them apart?”

The beast inside Sy snarled, and he pushed away from the wall. “If a feral wanted to tear anyone apart, you’d be the first to know.”

“Enough,” Kraath growled, but Vraal was already half-rising from his seat.

“We shouldn’t even allow him in these meetings,” Vraal said, glaring at Sy. “He’s compromised. They all are. The fact that he hasn’t been sent into the wilds like the ot?—”

“I’m still more than capable of doing my job,” Sy cut in, feeling the familiar burn of Rage beneath his skin as the black armoring across his chest rippled in response.

“Your job?” Vraal’s laugh was bitter. “Your job is to protect the humans, not turn into one of the monsters we’re supposed to be guarding them from.”

Sy’s claws punched to full length. “You want to find out how much of a monster I am?”

“Enough!” a deep bellow filled the chamber as the holo-projector in the center of the table flickered to life, revealing Raalt, leader of the Izaean, with his son Isan standing slightly behind him. Raalt’s expression was thunderous as his piercing gaze swept across the room. “This petty infighting stopsnow. We face enough challenges without turning on our own.”

Sy forced his claws to retract, each breath measured as he stepped back against the wall. He felt his Rage rise, drawn by the presence of power, and few were more powerful than Raalt and his son.

Vraal slowly sank back into his chair, though the hatred in his eyes hadn’t diminished. The acrid scent of his fear-tinged sweat filled the chamber, making Sy’s nose twitch.

“Now,” Raalt’s holographic form leaned forward, his white hair catching the blue light of the projection. “Report.”

Kraath cleared his throat. “Construction proceeds as planned. We’ve increased patrols along the western ridge after detecting increased feral activity. So far, most have maintained their distance. Those that haven’t have behaved themselves.”

“The humans?” Isan asked.

“Adapting well,” Sy answered before anyone else could speak. “Their lead engineer is competent. Professional.” He paused, considering his next words carefully. “She brought her daughter.”

Raalt’s eyebrow winged up. “A child? Here?”

“The girl is well-protected,” Kraath interjected. “We’ve assigned our youngest warriors to watch over her. It gives them purpose, keeps them focused.”

Isan nodded approvingly. “Sometimes the best way to protect is to give others something to protect.”

“How long will you be gone?” Kraath asked Raalt. Sy didn’t blame him. Since the loss of the southern fortress, they only had the northern garrison and smaller sub-garrisons--- certainly nothing large enough to hold the entire Izaean forces. Hence the need to bring in human specialists. The Izaean were warriors, not builders.

“As long as necessary.” Raalt’s voice carried an edge of frustration as he leaned back in his chair. “The empire grows increasingly… concerned about matters that don’t concern them. Particularly certain factions within the Purist movement. The last thing we need is for them to discover the existence of the ferals.”

His gaze swept over the room to Sy. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him. Here was their leader, discussing the containment of information about ferals while being one himself.

“They don’t need to know what happens here,” Raalt continued, his pale hair catching the blue light of the hologram. “They’re already creating enough problems over our alliance with humanity.”

“Younglings and children who display the mutation have become their latest target,” Isan added, his healer’s voice carrying a note of controlled anger. “They speak of racial purity as if we have any choice in the matter.”

A bitter laugh escaped Sy before he could stop it. “Racial purity?” He shook his head. “Did they forget we have no viable females thanks to the plague?”

Raalt’s holographic gaze fixed on him. “Exactly. Logic has never been the strong suit of fanatics.”

“They would rather see our species die out than adapt,” Kraath said, his fingers drumming against the table. “This is unacceptable.”

“I’m meeting with the emperor later,” Raalt said. “He may not always see eye to eye with me, but he understands the necessity of our choices. However, the Purists’ influence in his court grows stronger by the day.”

Sy noticed how Isan’s jaw tightened at the mention of his uncle, the emperor. There was history there, but it wasn’t his place to mention it. Everyone knew the story… how Raalt had been Daaynal’s closest friend and mated to the emperor’s sister, only to be cast aside when he’d shown the signs of Blood Rage.

What no one had realized until years later was that Isan had already been conceived. Technically the oldest male after Daaynal in the K’Saan line, he’d not only refused the title of prince but also his place in the line of succession.

They all still called him prince. He wastheirprince. The first Izaean prince.

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