Page 27 of Keran's Dawn

I recoiled. “A second group? Who are they? Guldans as well?”

Jaek gave me an apologetic look. “I don’t know who they are. They have contacted me through untraceable messages. They claimed that they were forming a hybrid clan on Braxia. Apparently, they have already secured large, premium lands on Braxia, and the construction of the compound is underway.”

“Did they say where those lands are located?” Keran asked with a frown.

Jaek shook his head. “No. The message kept things fairly vague. But it clearly implied the imminent rise of the hybrids and the beginning of a new era. It ended by saying that if we want to know more, we must attend the information orientation meeting they will hold next week. For security reasons, they will only communicate the location on the day of the event.”

“That doesn’t sound fishy at all,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I didn’t get that message. But then, they would have no reason to think they should send it to me as well.”

Keran stiffened, his gaze boring into mine. I smiled reassuringly.

“I just found out that Jaek—and pretty much everyone else—has known about me for a long time,” I said with self-derision. I narrowed my eyes at him when he simply nodded with a neutral expression. “You’re not surprised.”

He shrugged. “I suspected as much. Jaek and many of the others left Braxia fairly old. Quite a few of them would have run into members of your family.”

“Right.”

“That’s not the reason they didn’t contact you,” Jaek interjected. “They didn’t reach out to any of our females, only us males. Or rather, only those of us who met with Jardan Korey.”

“So itislinked to the Guldans!” I exclaimed.

Jaek shook his head. “Not directly. I’m convinced Jardan has nothing to do with it. I think it’s one of the clients he’s recruiting us for.”

“You think he’s double-crossing him?” Keran asked.

Jaek shrugged. “Possibly. Many of those still undergoing Jardan’s training are eager to take on one of the security positions offered. The interest in returning to Braxia is slim. Most of us don’t have fond memories of our time there.”

“So he’s trying to sway them before they sign contracts,” Keran mused aloud.

“That’s what I think,” Jaek concurred.

“We need to find out who he is and what he’s up to,” Keran said sternly.

“Agreed. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear back from him and get the location of the meeting,” Jaek said.

“Thanks so much,” I said warmly. “This could be the break we needed.”

“Any time, Dawn,” Jaek said softly. “I must go now. It’s good to see you so well.”

“And you, Jaek.”

He returned my smile before nodding politely at Keran and his guards. Then turning on his heels, he hurried back to his personal shuttle. The whole time, Keran stared at his receding back until he entered the vessel. As soon as it took off, the Prince turned his dark gray eyes towards me, their intensity making me feel bare and exposed.

Chapter 9

Keran

Amillion thoughts swirled through my mind as I watched Jaek’s shuttle leave. Awe, jealousy, and guilt warred with equal intensity within me. It said a lot that those emotions dominated instead of concerns over his revelation about the second group of headhunters.

I stole a glance at Dawn. The wistful way in which she looked at Jaek’s vessel fading in the distance cut me. As I barely knew this female, the rabid possessiveness she stirred in me defied logic. And yet, the thought of another male touching her set my blood boiling.

“I didn’t think he had made it,” I mused out loud.

“You knew him?” Dawn asked, sounding surprised.

He shook his head. “I knewofhim. But I had seen him from a distance on a few occasions during official visits to his clan. What his clanmates—including his own brother—had done to him was beyond horrifying. They bragged so much the word spread. For a short while thereafter, things got out of control with other younglings trying to one up them. My father had to intervene. But even then, there was only so much he could do. Our people had not been ready to embrace more radical changes.”

I also didn’t mention that Jaek’s sire had been Torvin Sedrak, one of the fifteen males my father had executed for taking part in the gang rape of his first love, Lissy.

---