Page 125 of Hyperspeed
“How long ago was that?”
“Ten years.”
“If you care so much, why has it taken so long for you to meet one of us?”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
I slapped a hand over my mouth. I stood by what I’d said, but there would have been a better way to say it. I hadn’t meant to be so blunt. I glanced up, expecting Talia to be furious. She was a governor, and I’d snapped without thinking.
But she wasn’t angry, and she didn’t scold me for my boldness. Instead, she smiled, her eyes soft with a quiet sadness.
“I’m so sorry—”
She held up a hand, cutting off my apology. “I understand your frustration, Rev.”
“Can I speak freely?” I asked, forcing diplomacy into my voice.
There was so much weighing on me, but I feared my words might sound harsh. I couldn’t afford to ruin this chance; this moment might be everything for the Iskari. Still, silence wasn’t an option. I had to speak my truth.
“Of course.”
“I’m not sure you can understand.” I fiddled with a loose thread on my T-shirt, trying to keep my voice steady. “You’re human, which means you’ve got it easier than most of the galaxy’s species. Plus, you’re a governor.”
Talia placed her hands flat on the table.
“You’re right,” she replied. “I am a human, so my life differs greatly from yours. But . . .” She glanced at her watch. “Maybe it’s better if I just show you.”
Sirellka’s fingers stilled on the keyboard as Talia rose from her chair, her footsteps soft against the floor. She opened the conference room door, slipping into a hushed conversation with someone in the corridor.
When she returned, she wasn’t alone, and I was surprised to see who had joined her.
This man was an Iskari. If I had to guess, he was also in his mid-forties. When our eyes met, his so similar to mine, the lines on his skin flared sunshine yellow, a sign of warmth . . . happiness.
“I haven’t seen that colour since before your mother passed away,” Talia gasped, taking the man’s hand with a smile.
Was this . . .
“Rev, I’d like you to meet my husband, Tharek.”
The man, Tharek, reached across the table. “It’s great to meet you, Rev.”
Yellow flickered across my skin when I clasped his hand, offering a brief shake, and I cast a sheepish look at Talia.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect—”
“Bah.” Tharek waved me off with a deep laugh that reminded me of my dad. “Don’t worry. No one ever does, am I right?”
I nodded, still shocked another Iskari was in the room.
Meeting one you weren’t related to was a rarity, and in the course of a few months, I’d met two. More if I included the brief interaction with Korvi’s parents when they’d picked him up from KFK. I mean, what were the odds?
“I hope you can see why I have such a vested interest in a better life for the Iskari,” Talia explained, leaning in to kiss her husband’s cheek. “If not for Tharek, then for our children.”
“You have kids?” I asked.
Talia tapped the screen of her watch, and the image of two teenagers hovered above her wrist. “Rina and Xiveth are big fans of the ASL, especially this season.”
My skin shimmered orange and violet, but the longer I stared at the picture, the more I realised.
