“Creek has killed many.” Saturn stared Grail down. “He had no choice. Not when he killed your brother. Not when he killed you.”
Ah, that explained the man’s hate. Grace had heard enough. She started forward to follow Creek. She hesitated a moment, surveying the faces surrounding her. “He never said a word against any of you. He could have swayed Mercury’s pack against you, but he didn’t.”
She strode toward the door, heart breaking for Creek. Grail stepped into her path. He tossed his head to indicate over her shoulder. “Lady Eve wants you to stay.”
“Lady Eve?” Lady Eve. The name rang in her memory where a simple Eve had not. She spun on her heal to look at the woman. “Lady Eve,” she whispered the name again. She could see it. The resemblance.
“Do you know each other,” Samantha asked.
“No.” Grace shook her head. “I don’t know her, but I know who she is.” She threw back her shoulders to steel herself for the accusation she felt to her bones. “She’s the daughter of Lady Alara Bonita of House Bonita, one of the five owners of Roma.”
Lady Eve didn’t look a bit worried by the announcement. Her head dipped slightly in acknowledgement. “Everyone here knows who I am and that I’m not my mother.”
Mercury and his pack were all growling low. The others started growling in return.
“Not Creek,” Grace said, voice clear and certain. “He didn’t know. He wouldn’t have kept that from us.” He wouldn’t have kept it from her.
Max barked and silence fell. “Eve’s loyalty has been more than proven. And Creek was not with us long enough to be told of her identity. We prefer to reveal it after our new residents have become more comfortable with us. Now, please everyone, sit. Creek was right that we have much to discuss.”
“You don’t need me here,” said Grace.
“But we do,” said Eve. “There is the matter of your identity to discuss. And the problems you and your sister are causing.”
Grail motioned Grace to the table. “I suspect you’ll want to be here for that.”
What choice did she have? With a longing glance at the door, she sat.
“Grace has my protection,” said Mercury. “She is no threat to you.”
Eve spoke placidly. “Did you know her family was responsible for creating the Arena Dogs for Roma?”
Mercury nodded. “Grace told us about our creator, yes. She also told us that her sister is being forced to work for Roma.”
“Do you have news of my sister?” asked Grace.
Eve ignored her question. “Did she also tell you that Roma has a bounty on her. For some reason, they believe Grace could be the answer to resolving the fertility issues.”
The news smacked Grace in the gut. “Me?” Did Jennifer tell Roma her theory that solving the problems of one would solve the problems of the other. No, she never would have told.
Samantha spoke calmly. “Roma was using Grace to motivate her sister’s work.”
Mercury urged Samantha to take a seat. “We’ve already thwarted one attempt to take Grace back after we freed her.”
“I believe it’s more than that,” said a man in a blue medic’s coat. “The Hobbs-Venters used genetic manipulation on their own children. I think it’s more likely something in her DNA holds the key to restoring Arena Dog reproduction.”
Grace’s stomach fell to her knees, and she heeded the sudden need to sit. He shouldn’t have known that.
Eve waved a hand at the medic who’d been introduced earlier as Jon Zachary, part of the guiding council. “In addition to being our chief medic, Jon has been working on this problem for us for years.”
There was sadness in Eve’s eyes and Grace wondered if the woman, probably in the middle of life, had hoped to give her mate a child. A free child.
Zachary quickly took the chair across from Grace. “With your consent I’d like to do a DNA scan while you’re here. Perhaps take a sample or two.”
Fear gripped her. A DNA scan would leave them with more questions than answers. “I assure you, I’ve been tested a million times. There is nothing special about me. I’m the least interesting of my siblings. Genetic or otherwise.”
Samantha came to her rescue. “Maybe if you help us locate Jennifer Doudna she’ll be able to tell us exactly what Roma is looking for.”
Thank heavens, Creek had been right. They, or at least Samantha, had come to the conclusion that her sister was worth rescuing. Grace wanted to leap up from the table and hug her.