Insurrection
Page 9

Not to sound selfish, but… “What has that to do with me?”
He gave her a look that questioned her intelligence. “Think about it, Daria. Your maternal grandmother was fully human. She wasn’t able to blend in with the Matens. Ever. So when your mother wanted to leave behind the colony where she’d been sheltered as a girl, it was my mother’s family who forged your mother’s papers and took her in so that she could adjust to, and enter, Maten society.”
Which meant that as soon as the authorities began investigating his family and their history, they would have uncovered that connection to her mother, and immediately homed in on her and her parents. Something Frayne wouldn’t have known, and a fact Daria hadn’t thought about.
One that terrified her even more as she realized what she’d been spared. The Dawners were merciless in their pursuit of the humans. Ruthless to a level that didn’t bear thinking on. They’d have shown her no pity, or any restraint, because of age or gender. Not even her high-ranking family ties would have been able to spare her their torture as they sought information about Josiah and his followers. Her Maten family would have all distanced themselves as best they could, and thrown her and her parents to the wolves for the feast.
And because she knew nothing, they’d have eventually killed her and put her remains on public display.
I owe everything to Xared’s psycho uncle.
But she’d never admit that out loud.
And as she sat there, mulling it all over, another truth slapped her hard. One she couldn’t deny and it crushed her soul beneath the weight of its shame. “I did this to us all. I’ve ruined our lives!”
Murdered them, in fact.
“Don’t you dare start whining like a human.” Xared used the Maten phrase he no doubt knew would shock her out of her fragile state. “Frayne was behind this. It’s his burden to carry. Not yours.”
She glared at him for his insult. “I shouldn’t have taken my position in HELL.”
“Stop it, Daria. This had nothing to do with that. Frayne used you as a means to get under my skin and cut me deeper. Had it not been you, he’d have gone to someone else.”
“How do you know?”
Xared sighed heavily. “I was an obstacle he wanted out of the way. Nothing would have stopped him from removing me. Had he not found my necklace, he’d have fabricated something. I just happened to make it easy on him.”
“Why would he hate you so?”
“Because I found out what’s being done with the humans they round up, and Frayne wanted to make sure I was discredited before I told someone the truth behind his family’s wealth.”
A chill ran down her spine at his ominous tone. “What are you talking about?”
His gaze burned into her with a sincere honesty that was haunting. “Last night when Frayne was supposed to meet you ...”
“He said he was sick.”
Xared scoffed. “Yeah, he had that part right enough. Only, it’s more mental than physical.”
His angry disdain confused her as a sick feeling of dread rose up. “Pardon?
He ground his teeth before he answered. “They got in a new batch of humans to review. He wanted me along so that he could brag and show-off his importance.”
Her stomach tightened at the way Xared said that. He was both hiding and trying to reveal something. “What do you mean?”
His skin had a greenish cast to it. “The Dawners raided our colony in Phoenix, Daria. What do you think they do with the people they find?”
Honestly, she’d never given it much thought at all. But there was one obvious answer. “Execute them.”
Xared laughed bitterly. “That would be far, far kinder. But it’s not that simple. Humans they deem attractive are a viable commodity. A highly valuable one. Exotic attractions they keep for their private clubs and collections.”
She shot to her feet as she struggled to hold back a wave of nausea. What he was talking about...
No. It was outlawed! Trafficking of Materians had been illegal for centuries.
But then, humans weren’t Matens. To her race, they were animals, unprotected by their laws ...
No one would care what high-ranking officials did with their human captives.
Her stomach pitched violently at the thought. This was sick and disgusting! Not even humans should be subjected to such a thing!
“And the ones they don’t find attractive?”
“They’re biologically compatible to us, and most Matens consider humans to be nothing more than mindless animals. Unfit even for menial work. There’s only one use our people would have for them.”
Spare body parts.
This was more than she could handle or accept. Her stomach pitched violently, and she heaved faster than she could blink.
Out of nowhere, a bucket appeared just in time for her to give in to the sickness she felt at what her race was doing to the humans.
Mindless, animals, or otherwise, the humans didn’t deserve to be enslaved or worse, used as inanimate replacement parts.
While she’d heard of Materians who sold organs and limbs they’d scavenged from felons or impoverished donors they’d underpaid for the service, those practices were frowned upon and often brought up for prosecution.
What Xared was talking about...
She looked up as her stomach finally settled down. “You’re serious?”
Xared nodded glumly. “They have no qualms about it. My mistake was having a reaction only slightly more violent than yours.”
“What did you do?”
“Punched Frayne in his smug, arrogant face and left before I throttled the rank dog.” Somehow Xared made the bucket vanish as he sighed. “I was caught off guard by the sight of the survivors and their wretched state, and Frayne and his crew laughing about their plans for them. Normally, I can hide what I’m feeling. Just as I can hide who and what I really am. But last night . . .” His skin tone faded until he was the same tawny color as Josiah, and his thick curly hair turned a deep, dark brown.
Talk about being caught off guard! Daria gasped at the last thing she’d ever suspected about someone she’d known the whole of her life. “Xed?”
He bowed his head sheepishly. “I’m what’s called a Shif, Daria. I can change some of my appearance at whim. My hair color, eye color and skin tone. But I have to keep a rein on my emotions or I default back to my birth appearance.”