Page 39 of Xefe
“Hello?Can we get back to the important stuff? Like them cutting us open and removing our ovaries.” Nieve glared at the aliens.
“Cells. But only initially. Eventually, when they remove the amount of genetic material they need, you will be sold off to another alien as guards or warriors—perhaps if you are truly favored, you will be returned home,” Loxo said.
“What?”
“We can go home?” Nieve asked.
“Wedo notknow that.” Xefe pushed Loxo away from us. “Stop filling their heads with misinformation. Too much would have to happen for that to be a possibility.”
“Why not? That is our reward. The supreme’s warriors. We will return to our home planet after we serve our duty. Only with total honor and dedication will we be reunited with ouralmaxand families.” Loxo’s purple eye swirled as he smiled.
“What’s the point of seeing your family when you’re old and crusty after working here your whole life?” Nieve asked. “Your mate won’t want you.”
“Old? No. We will be returned home in our prime. A few seasons from now, in reward for our devotion and loyalty,” Loxo said.
“That’s right.” I looked over at Nieve and rolled my eyes. “Sunny explained the whole thing to me last night. Sounds totally and completely plausible, right?”
“Earther, my name is not Sunny.”
“Their supreme desperately needs warriors to protect this world from crazy predators and killer tornadoes.” I threw my hands up in the air. “To protect this world full of Oro, a substance better than sliced bread, that literally holds the knowledge of the universe in each drop. Despite all that, the supreme’s going to let them go home, no questions asked. In their prime.”
Sunny hiked up his chin, the alien version of a nod. “Yes.”
“You’ve seen this happen with other warriors?” Nieve asked.
“We are the first. Honored as children and given theGlrtsstllllorogggfor training.” Loxo leaned forward and smelled Querida’s hair.
Nieve shook her head. “Let me explain something to you about dictators, kings…supremes. Whatever title given to those in charge. They care aboutno onebut themselves. And if you’re needed here to protect the thing that allows him to have ultimate power, there is no way he’ll ever let you go.” Her softly spoken words landed like truth grenades.
A huevo!I nodded and studied Sunny’s face.
His sunset eyes blinked faster than usual as if processing what she said. Then the bony brows snapped down in an alien frown.Denial time.“You are wrong.”
That was it. Right there. Nieve understood. The way to sew doubt and mistrust between these warriors and their precious snowflake of a supreme.
“I beg you not to speak of him. Ever!” Loxo balled his hands. “It could mean instant death.”
“Hey, Loxo,” I tipped my head to the side and studied him. “When you left your family to come work here, what did they say?”
“My family? It is hard for me to remember…”
“How about your mother?” I asked, genuinely interested to see if things were as bad as I thought.
“Oh yes, I remember her well. Her words echo in my mind daily, ‘Honor your family with your life. Dedicate yourself to the supreme. Till death. Supreme first!’”
“My mother. Say same.” Nime tipped his chin up in agreement.
Holy shit! My mouth dropped open, and I looked at Sunny. Same exact wording. Warrior creed and all. “Are you brothers? Do you have the same mom?”
“No, of course not.” Loxo rubbed the side of his head, his red eye swirling for a fraction of a second. “I don’t—Do we? We have never discussed it.” He looked at Sunny. “First?”
I watched Xefe closely to see if any of this information was registering.
He crossed his arms, his face dead. “No.” A muscle ticked in his jaw.
I think I’d pushed Sunny enough, so I eased up. “Hey, potato, po-tah-to. None of that matters to us, anyway. We have a race to conquer, and you guys have to teach us the best way to win.”
CHAPTER 17
