Page 19 of Heart's Keeper

"So...it's true then," Lana started slowly. “What Xilya said...you and others were taken to Xolis."

Aly's smile turned sad. "Yes." She explained about Grayhart and their mission to explore advanced civilizations and how she and her team ended up in Xolis and what followed after. "Then Ryziel brought me here," she said. "We hid for a while until others started contacting us. Then we started to act, trying to follow the workings of those hunting humans for Xolis. Waiting in hopes that we would hear back from Xilya and eventually from you."

"You never tried to contact Earth?" Lana asked.

"We did but..." Aly frowned. "It's been difficult. My team was told to warn them of hunters from Xolis, and I'm confident they've told everyone they could, but lately Earth and its territories have been silent about their plans. I'm not sure they fully trust us. But there are rumors they've been gearing up for a possible confrontation with the Xolis ships."

"So they have been preparing?"

"We think so, but they don't know where or when the ships might strike. The territories are vast, as you know," Aly said.

"Which is why we hope to find them first," Xilya replied.

"It's good that you do," Aly said. "As far as humans have come, I don't think our military is as ready as we think. Xolis' is far more advanced."

"We will...do our best to keep them from others," Lana said.

Aly had opened her mouth to respond when something tugged at her skirt. She looked down and grinned. "Come say hi, Tarzil."

Out from her skirts, a pale bluish child poked his head out. Though the small boy had features just like Ryziel’s, his eyes were like his mother's—a bright blue-green.

"Is that...yours?" Lana asked, stunned.

Aly smiled up at her. "My son, yes." She gently coaxed the boy between her and her father. Ryziel squeezed the boy's shoulder, looking down at him with pride.

Lana felt the sudden need to sit. She glanced up at Xerus, who met her stare as she sat at one of the chairs by the console. It was one thing to hear the story from Xilya about humans giving birth to another kind's offspring, but actually seeing it was completely different. Because for all her years of scientific research, the data told her that it was impossible, yet here was proof right before her.

"There is another here. Sarah," Aly continued. "She has a son as well, a little older than mine. He wasn't feeling well, so they are sleeping."

Lana nodded her head as if she understood. As if alien hybrids were just a thing one expected. "And your boy, he looks to be five or six," Lana heard herself say. "But you'd only fled Xolis a little over a year ago..."

"They grow at a much faster rate than humans," Aly answered.

"Ah...that is...honestly quite fascinating," Lana said. "I would be interested to see any data on his birth and growth."

"I would love to give you more detail on that when we see each other in person."

Lana's eyes widened. "You’re going to come to Tryth?"

Aly and Ryziel locked eyes, and Ryziel took her hand and squeezed it gently. Aly looked back at her and said, "Well, we aren't sure yet but...eventually we would like to leave Elestyl. As good as the Yurzans have been to us, we want to find our own home." Aly shrugged. "And with the people starting to fight Xolis' rule and looking to get out of the empire, it would be nice to find a permanent place for all of us, as far from Xolis as we can get. A place where everyone is safe. Sarah and I hoped to see a few familiar human faces too. If possible. It might be a pipedream, but with Grayhart and many Xolians being open-minded to other races, it would be nice to find a place where all are welcome. There are so many planets in this universe, there has to be one...or even a few in the same solar system..."

Lana blinked and looked to Xerus then back to Aly. "It's not a bad dream. I don't think Tryth is the right planet but...somewhere."

Aly nodded and smiled. "Somewhere. But even if it's not Tryth or Earth or one of its many planets. I hope we can meet someday."

Lana looked down at the child, then back at Aly and smiled. "I would like that too."

A light from the console blinked on and off, followed by a low ping. Xilya turned to the terminal and checked a map. Her eyes widened.

"We have to let you go. Something has come up," Xilya said. "We will talk again soon."

"Of course. Until next time," Aly said. She waved goodbye, and Ryziel bowed his head before the light at the center went dark and their images disappeared.

"We have a problem." Xilya brought up the map to the center point of the room where, from a vast number of stars, one star, in particular, blinked bright red. "My tracker is getting a reading from a planet in this system." She pointed. "It says it's human."

Lana looked at the red dot and frowned. "That's nowhere near Earth's territories."

Xerus also studied the spot curiously. "A lone human. Stranded perhaps?"

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