Page 43 of Kissed By the Alien
“To discourage infanticide, the government created the Center for Eeshone. A home for those younglings.”
“We used to judge based on skin color here. I hate to say it but being invaded and occupied pulled us together as a species. But then things fell apart for women.”
“The Coalition is run by males who subjugate females on every world they conquer. This is not our way on Zyan. But the eeshone… I’m not sure how to explain this…”
Hunzu pauses, to think and chooses his words carefully. “Zyanthans are a people with few differences and very few outsiders. Outsiders are accepted for who they are. But when one of our own is born…different… it is seen as a bad omen. That is why the few eeshone in the population are often shunned. That was not the case with Narzan. Not at first. His mother took care of him, nurtured him no differently than she did Lutan. Treated them as equals. But his father, Warrior Bequin Tannis, never accepted Narzan. One day, while Lutan was training with his knives, Bequin took Narzan away. He never gave the brothers a chance to say goodbye, and he refused to tell Lutan where he’d taken Narzan.”
“That’s awful.”
Hunzu’s horns lift. “It is typical in regard to eeshone. Lutan feared his father had killed Narzan, especially since Warrior Bequin would not answer any of his questions, except to say Narzan was dead to them and they would continue their lives without an eeshone to destroy them.”
“What of Narzan’s mother?”
“She died a few months earlier. He blamed Narzan for his sholani’s sickness. That too, is not uncommon, but Warrior Bequin had promised her he would never harm their son. It was this promise which ultimately convinced Lutan his brother was still alive, that his father had taken and abandoned Narzan instead of killing him.”
“I can’t see Lutan accepting that.”
“He didn’t. Lutan vowed he would find and bring Narzan home, but he would not let me join him on his journey. I was to stay and cover for him. We both told our parents we were going on a hunting trip. Something we did often during the summer. After three days, when we did not return, our parents searched for us. I avoided them, but Warrior Bequin excels at tracking. They found me a day later. I refused to answer their questions about where Lutan was.”
Hunzu’s horns lift in what I swear looks like extreme pride.
“A week later, Lutan returned with Narzan. He stood before their father and vowed he’d find Narzan and return him home if their father took him again. No matter how many times, he’d always find his brother. Warrior Bequin was not a male that people opposed. But he noticed something different in Lutan that day. We all saw it.”
“Determination,” I guess.
Hunzu nods. “Warrior Bequin told Lutan that if he cared so much aboutthe eeshone—and that is how he referred to his youngling, asthe eeshone—from that point forward Lutan would be responsible for him. It was a responsibility Lutan never faltered in, never shirked.”
“How old were all of you at the time?”
“Narzan was eight. Lutan and I were twelve.”
“Twelve?” I’m shocked and impressed. “How far did he travel to find him?”
Hunzu pauses as he calculates in his head. “The Center for Eeshone is roughly two hundred miles from our village, but I do not know how many leads Lutan followed before he found him there. I believe it is Lutan’s persistence and heart which make him so good at tracking.”
“And now he’s tracking a bunch of criminals who will try to kill him if he gets in their way.”
“Or you. Which is why he locked you up. To protect you.”
“I get that he wants to protect me. Probably like he did his brother. But I’m not a child. And I have free will. I should be allowed to make mistakes.”
“And so should Lutan.”
Hunzu can be quite direct with his words, but he’s right. I’m not sure I’m ready to let go of the hurt. “He shouldn’t have locked me up.”
“It’s not how I would have handled the situation, but it is also not my place to come between a sholan and sholani.”
“How can we be heartmates when we barely know one another?”
“Heartmates are destined by the gods, but that does not mean their goals always align at first. You will understand one another better in time,” he says casually, as if it’s a done deal that Lutan and I are officially a couple.
“Don’t count on it.”
“Do not be too angry with him. It is in Lutan’s nature to protect those he cares about. Despite the fact that Narzan was eeshone, no one touched him. Ever. Those who did suffered for it, at Lutan’s hands.”
“And you backed him up?”
“Lutan rarely asks for backup, but, yes, I was there for him. It’s why I’m speaking with you now. He needs you, female. Which is why I’m interfering now. I will not let him turn on his future because of his past.”
