Page 6 of Heart's Keeper

"It's been a year and a half since you've returned and heard of this," Lana said. "How do we know these hunters haven't already found other humans?"

"I've been staying in contact with my friends since then," Xilya explained. "Through Xolis networks and spies, they have been keeping a close eye and ear out for any news of the hunters and Vesra. So far, none have yet to return with any humans. We thought perhaps they had given up for the time—that either they had failed to find any or that the unrest in the cities turned their focus away—but a few cycles ago, several new ships were reported being sent out with a small army of Vesra's men. They have been out searching for some time and may be near to Earth's systems as we speak."

A low grumble rose in Xerus' chest. "What do you propose we do?"

"Those women I left on a human base were told to warn others about the hunters," Xilya said. Reaching her hand out, she turned the map over the fire so that the beads of light drew in closer. She pointed to one spot of light within a small cluster. "This planet is where I left them. It was a small military base, they said. From there, they were to talk to the heads of the base after making contact with their leaders from Grayhart. Unfortunately, though I kept a way to contact them, I have not heard anything from the women since I dropped them off. But I am confident that they would have warned the others, giving them time to prepare. Despite that, humans are not well equipped to deal with those from Xolis. The empire's technology far exceeds their own. If they do find them, it could be very bad. I had hoped that when I found you here, I could persuade you both to assemble a few soldiers, and we could stop those from Xolis before they had a chance to get close to any human settlement." Xilya turned the map again, bringing the systems back into view.

Lana rubbed her fingers over her temples, thinking. "Only one problem with that. There are dozens of planets in Earth's systems. The territory spans pretty far, probably even farther since I've been gone. How do we possibly track ships from another civilization and keep them away from planets spread across several solar systems?"

Xilya scratched idly at the side of her jaw. "I worried about that too and thought it over for some time. Eventually, I spoke with those still in Xolis and asked them to send me a blueprint for a tracking device to hone in on a specific energy source. The ships in Xolis are run on a mineral called Ionx. The ship I brought here was one of these and carried some left in its engine bank. For several cycles, I worked on this tracking device so that it could detect Ionx bursts in space which would indicate a driving ship. If we were to gain close proximity to Earth's territories, the tracker would have a wide enough span to detect ships from a certain distance."

Lana's eyes widened. "That's rather impressive," she said honestly. "And would make it a lot easier."

"I have my ways," Xilya said with a proud flick of her tail.

Lana looked to Xerus, who sat quietly in deep thought. If they left, if they gathered a group of soldiers to take with them and try to bring down these hunters from Xolis, by vrisha law, it meant they were taking on another mission. A mission outside their home.

Lana was one breath away from saying “no.” But she swallowed the word down hard before it could be free from her lips.

"Allow me and my mate to discuss this privately," Lana said instead. "We would like a night to think over everything."

Xilya watched her with interest for a long second, then quickly reached out and grabbed the floating map. The beads of light went out as she placed the device in her inner pocket. "Of course. You will need time to prepare." Xilya stood. "I will wait for your decision."

Lana rose after her. "You may take a guest room here if you wish. We will call on you in the morning."

Xilya's eyes shifted between her and Xerus before she bowed her head and turned to leave.

When she was gone, Lana looked back over at Xerus, who gazed back at her. She took his hand, and he rose to stand beside her. He searched her eyes for a long moment, and Lana could guess what he was thinking. She didn't want to speak more of it in the central chamber, so instead, she tugged him gently to follow her.

Chapter Three

When they entered the garden, the sky was a pale orange as the sun fell closer to the horizon, and a few wisps of pink clouds covered its yellow light. Steam rose in tendrils along the ground, climbing up walls to disappear. The garden was situated in an eastern courtyard surrounded on one side by walls of dark brown rock from the mountaintop, and the rest closed in by sections of their home, specifically the housekins’ quarters and one of the kitchens. Lana had planted many of the flora there herself back when they had only just moved in and were taking time to make the place their own. There were large purple flowers in the shape of starfish and plants with long leaves covered with red spikes. Druumils—large bee-like insects with wide wings like a moth—fluttered about between the flowers and crawled along the body of a well-kept statue of Queen Epris and her predomis, Servus, the haven's first, at the garden's center. Below their feet was a bench, but neither Lana nor Xerus took a seat. Instead, Xerus stood in front of the statue and watched as Lana paced before him.

"This news troubles you," Xerus said after a moment.

"I don't know what to think," Lana replied. "It's all so sudden." She let out a small, frustrated laugh. "I haven't even thought of what might be happening back...back on Earth and its bases. I was so wrapped up in everything here. I never thought...never thought something like this would happen."

"It was only a matter of time," Xerus said, "till the humans started finding other races. There is much in the universe that even vrisha know little about. And we've been traveling much longer."

"Maybe if humankind realized how unprepared they were to go poking their noses far outside their own territories," Lana muttered bitterly, "this wouldn't have happened."

"Perhaps, but it couldn't be helped." Xerus tilted his head, his eyes traveling over the garden and back over to her. "And they've learned a dire lesson. Regardless, they may need our aid."

Lana sighed as she continued to pace. It wasn't fair. They had only just returned home, and who should muck things up but her own kind. It wasn't fair.

But for all their problems, not all of the human race could be to blame. Though she'd been content to not return home ever since Lazris, to let the human race go on without her, she knew there were still innocent lives that could be harmed if she didn't try to help. The vrisha were the most powerful and ferocious fighters she'd ever known. And she had the ability to utilize a small portion of their forces. Could she really say no and turn her own kind away just so she could stay and hide in her home with Xerus and never look back? Could she live with herself if she said no and let innocent people be taken from their own homes?

No. As badly as she wanted to stay here with her mate, her conscience wouldn't allow her to shun all of humankind. She thought of Dahlia and Nicole and those on the base. She and Xerus had saved so many back on Lazris. And saw just as many die. If these hunters found a human settlement, there would be bloodshed; men slaughtered, and women torn from their families. She knew she couldn't ignore the threat any more than she could have ignored their enemies years ago.

Lana stopped pacing and turned to face Xerus. "We have to help. I can't let them just be taken. Not when I have you and other warriors who could stop them."

Xerus' mouth twitched as he moved toward her, connecting the distance between them. He placed a hand on her shoulder, then let it fall along her arm, fingers trailing down her skin, until he had her hand in his, and he set her palm to the center of his chest. "Where you go, I go."

"It will be dangerous. We might face a species we've never met."

Xerus snorted. "I fear no one."

Lana studied his face and pursed her lips. "You're actually excited about this, aren't you?"

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