Beneath the Twin Moons of Haldae (14 page)

He wasn’t sure if the wolf had trusted her because Kris had started enjoying her company, or if Kris liked and trusted her because the wolf did. Maybe it went both ways, and in the end it didn’t matter. Kris was the wolf, and regardless of the reasons, he trusted Zaren.

And as he watched her press the tube of medicine to Elea’s arm, as he saw color rising in Elea’s cheeks until she wasn’t so pale anymore, as he noticed that her eyes weren’t shining with fever any longer, he knew he had made the right decision, back in the forest, when he had seen Zaren fall into the river and had plunged in after her. He had made the right decision when he had brought her to the village. And he was making the right decision now.

* * * *

“The universal serum was our first clue,” Ilona Brink said as she dropped the leaf she had been twirling between her fingers.

They had been in the gardens for much longer than the fifteen minutes the break was supposed to last, and Zaren wondered what the others thought. No one had come to look for them.

“You said you used it on yourself, but there was no trace of it in your system when you had your medical check up. They tested the syringe for confirmation.”

Zaren felt like a fool suddenly. She should have known. She had tried to anticipate every question she could be asked, but she realized now that her explanation of why the syringe was empty had been less than adequate. She should have thought of a better story. If she had only thought of leaving the syringe behind, she could have claimed she had lost it instead of used it—she would have been reprimanded for it, but at least her lies wouldn’t have been discovered.

Or so she thought until Brink added, “That wasn’t all, of course.”

When Zaren looked at her askance, Brink continued on the same calm tone. “The translang.”

Zaren frowned. “I wiped it.”

A small smile pushed to Brink’s lips. “I’m afraid it takes more work to wipe one of those than the simple hard reset you are taught during training.”

She didn’t explain why the training was incorrect on that point, but Zaren could already guess. In a situation just like this one, the translang had to be the easiest clue of all.

“You knew before I ever submitted my report,” Zaren whispered, her eyes widening in understanding. “Didn’t you?”

Brink gave a simple, unabashed nod. “I did, yes.”

For years, Zaren had thought that Ilona Brink’s role was more to be a head figure that anything else. She was beginning to see she had been mistaken—and beginning to wonder if what the council would say about all this would matter at all, or if Brink was the important person here.

“Are you the only one who knows?” she asked.

“A couple of my aides do. But the council doesn’t know, if that’s what you’re wondering. And neither does your mentor.”

Zaren was feeling more and more confused. Staring at Brink, she shook her head slowly. “Why?”

Taking Zaren’s hand in hers, Brink patted it indulgently. “I told you why. I know, personally, what happens when we intrude on civilizations that aren’t ready for us. I didn’t want it to happen again, not under my watch.”

Although she was beginning to understand, Zaren’s turmoil remained the same. Her fear at having being discovered had transformed into an unvoiced hope in the past minutes, but now she realized that just because others knew, it might not mean she woul
d be able to help Kris’ people.

“But they need us,” she murmured. “Their sickness… we can cure it.”

Standing from the bench, Brink clasped her hands behind her and started pacing in front of Zaren. “Not without destroying who they are,” she said, and she sounded less than the confidante from the past few moments already, and more like the head of the council again. “If we go, if we help them, their culture is at risk of being lost.”
contforp>

Zaren watched her walk back and forth, her brow furrowed as she thought fast. “What if… what if we just gave them the medicine?”

Brink made a dismissive gesture. “They wouldn’t know what to do with it.”

“All right,” Zaren said slowly, still thinking. “What if I brought it to them, then?”

Brink stopped in front of her, looking down severely. “An observer can’t interfere like this, you know that.”

Zaren lowered her head at the light rebuke. “What if…”

Realization struck and left Zaren breathless for a moment. Her head spinning fast, she blinked up and stared at Brink, who looked back at her serenely.

“You knew,” Zaren whispered. “You knew it would come to this from the start, didn’t you? That’s why you told me about that civilization you contacted by accident.”

Brink’s face remained perfectly serene at the accusation. “I suspected,” she said, inclining her head. “But you had to get there on your own. Do you want to do it?”

“I have to,” Zaren said, shaking her head. It was in her power to help Kris’ people; she couldn’t not do it.

“There’ll be no coming back,” Brink cautioned her. “No contact with your family or friends anymore, not ever again.”

Doubt slid over Zaren, darkening everything. Could s
he leave her parents behind?
Her friends? She would miss them so much…

Just as much as she missed Kris.

But probably not more.

Still. Could she abandon her life, everything she knew, to go back to Kris and help save who knew how many people? It wouldn’t be about discovering a new culture anymore. She would learn about his people, but she would never be able to share what she found out with anyone.

When she had dreamed of becoming an observer, she’d had in mind to find a civilization no one had heard of before and to learn everything about it, but she had never imagined she would have to leave her own world behind for that.

She looked up and found that Brink was observing her, her hands behind her, her expression patient.

“Suppose… Suppose I do this.” Zaren’s voice was trembling with all her hesitations. “What if we needed more medicine? How would I let you know if I can’t contact you?”

“You wouldn’t need more.” Brink’s voice held no trace of doubt. “Our doctors analyzed the cells left on the injection needle and identified the sickness. They made a specific cure and we can give you enough to immunize the population. Their children will inherit the resistant strain.” Her lips curled in an almost teasing g
rin. “Or should I say, your children?”

Zaren’s cheeks felt very warm all of a sudden.

Could s c="+nt he really do this?

The memory of Kris’ smile, beaming when Elea had started getting better, attempted to pierce those lingering clouds of doubt.

Chapter 14

The Circle

Sleeping in an actual bed, even if the mattress didn’t adapt to Zaren’s body for maximum support, felt delightful after the past few nights spent on the ground. Even with so many questions bouncing through her head, with excitement flowing through her like blood, she fell asleep only moments after Kris had showed her to the room and left her there, after he had repeated yet again how grateful he was for her help with Elea. His beaming smile was the best thank-you gift he could have offered Zaren.

When Zaren awakened from a dreamless sleep, muted light was shining through the shutters covering the windows. She sat up, disoriented for a few seconds, trying to figure out what had woken her. Another soft knock on the door gave her the answer.

“Yes?” Zaren said. When she realized the translang was still on the floor next to the bed where she had left it before lying down, she repeated the word in Kris’ language. She wished she knew more than a few simple words.

She was still tying the translang around her throat when the door slid open and Elea peeked in.

“Hello. Can I come in?”

Zaren smiled. “Of course. How are you feeling?”

Elea was smiling when she entered. If the previous night she had been pale as death, her cheeks were now pink, her eyes gleaming with life.

“I feel so much better! I was sick for such a long time, but the past few days were really bad, I couldn’t get out of bed anymore. I thought…”

A shadow passed through her eyes. It was obvious what she had thought: that she would die. It must have been hard for Kris to leave her and go to the woods for his final shift, as he had explained. Zaren was even more grateful for the time Kris had spent helping her now that she knew.

“I’m glad I could help you,” Zaren said softly, and she really was.

Elea seemed to waver a little on her feet suddenly. Without thinking, Zaren held her hand out to her and drew her to sit on the bed.

“I guess I’m not as strong as I thought,” Elea said with a small shrug, then reached out to touch the translang with a finger. “What is this?”

“It helps me understand your language.”

Piercing blue-gray eyes that were exactly like the wolf’s—like Kris’ eyes—peered at Zaren curiously. Elea touched Zaren’s arm, wher f="+nt blue the fabric was torn, then her hair.

“You come from very far, don’t you?”

Zaren had told a lot to Kris during their journey, pushed by some sense of obligation since he had helped her so much. She wasn’t sure how much to tell this child, though.

“You are very smart,” Zaren replied noncommittally.

“Mother and Father used to say so all the time,” Elea said, grief flickering over her features. She looked around, now wistful. “This was their room before they died.”

Zaren’s throat tightened, and she could only let out a quiet, “I’m sorry,” but she didn’t know if Elea heard her.

Elea had risen from the bed and crossed the small room to stand in front of a wooden chest almost as long as she was tall. She lifted the lid and rummaged inside for a few moments. When she turned, she had clothes in her hands, a short-sleeved tunic and a long, wide skirt.

“Would you like to change clothes?” she offered.

After having spent the last few days in her travel suit, the thought of getting out of it was heavenly. Zaren quickly pulled on the clothes while Elea waited with her back turned. The fabric felt very soft against Zaren’s skin, woven so finely she could barely see the threads.

Just as Zaren finished tightening the string that held the skirt, a soft knock echoed in the room, and Kris pushed the door open.

“There you are,” he told Elea with a smile before looking up at Zaren. “There’s food if…”

His voice trailed off, and he blinked twice, the sliver of a frown pulling at his brow. Zaren felt very self-conscious suddenly, and she tugged at the skirt a little awkwardly.

“Elea said I could wear these. Is that… is that all right?”

After blinking a couple more times, Kris nodded. “Yes. Of course. I just… It looks nice on you.”

His face reddened as he finished. Elea laughed, and turned a grin at Zaren. Somehow, Zaren’s cheeks also felt warm suddenly.

The three of them had just sat down at the table when two quiet knocks on the door announced a visitor. The same woman Zaren had seen leave the previous night—a neighbor, Kris had said—entered without waiting for an invitation to do so. Her gray hair fell in a long braid over her shoulder, and her face was heavily lined.

“Elea!” she exclaimed at once, rushing to the table and resting one hand on Elea’s shoulder, the other on her forehead. “You shouldn’t be up! Come, you need to be in bed.”

She tried to help Elea to her feet, not listening to Elea’s claims that she was fine, her gaze and reproaches turning to Kris instead.

“Don’t you know better?” she said with a cluck of her tongue. “You may be a man now, but you are acting like a child!”

For the first time, she seemed to notice Zaren’s presence. Her m kese/font>outh fell open and her eyebrows climbed high on her forehead.

“Who are you?”

Zaren looked at Kris, silently asking what she should say. Kris grimaced and answered for her.

“This is Zaren,” he said slowly. “She is a friend.”

“She’s a medicine woman!” Elea added at once. “She healed me!”

The woman’s expression was still surprised, but now a hint of fear was creeping through.

“A medicine woman?” she repeated, unconvinced. “But no medicine man or woman has ever cured the sickness. And what is that thing?” she asked, gesturing toward Zaren’s throat. “Where are you from? You are not from this village, are you?”

Zaren touched the translang with a finger. “It will not hurt—”

The woman shrieked and all but jumped back. “Witchcraft!”

She stumbled backwards until her fumbling hands found the door handle. She threw it open and ran out before Kris, could talk to her or hold her back.

Kris closed the door. When he turned to look at Zaren, his expression was very grim.

“Zaren. Listen closely.” Walking over to her, he clutched the top of her arms and squeezed gently, as though to underscore the seriousness of his words. “You’re going to be brought in front of the Elders. I will ask to talk for you, but when they question you, do not tell them you saw me shift. Do not let them realize you know about shifting. It’s very important. Do you understand?”

Fear took hold of Zaren, but she tried not to show it. “I’ll be very careful about what I say,” she promised, her voice wavering a little.

Next to him, Elea frowned. “Zaren healed me,” she said, sounding confused. “Why would they question her?”

“She’s a stranger,” Kris said quietly. “You saw how Lili reacted. They might question you, too, and if they do just say you don’t know anything, all right? Promise me, Elea.”

Elea huffed quietly. “Of course. I’m not an idiot.”

He squeezed Elea’s shoulder before looking back at Zaren. “The less you tell them, the better. I’m not sure what—”

Loud banging on the front door interrupted him. The next second, four men walked in. Judging from the way they were dressed and the weapons they carried, they were soldiers of some kind. Guards, Kris called them, as he hurriedly told Zaren not to be afraid, and that he would see her soon.

Zaren kept his forced smile in her mind and tried to retain her calm as she was led to the center of the village, while people gawked at her from the sides of the road. The guards led her inside a large building, then to a small room that couldn’t be anything other than a cell. All she could do was wait, and try not to be too scared.

* * * *

With hurried words, Kris told Elea to stay behind. Just the previous night, Elea had been too weak to even sit up. He didn’t want her to leave the house now—he didn’t want her to tire herself, but also her sudden recovery would raise enough questions without flaunting it for all to see.

He quickly changed into more formal clothes, putting on an embroidered tunic that left his arm and the new tattoo there exposed. He would have needed to go to the Elders that day regardless, to be recognized as a grown man—as one of them. At least, he ought to be able to talk to them before they interrogated Zaren. Maybe he would be able to make things easier for her.

H
e reached the c
ircle building at the same time that Elder Sarly did. Kris pressed his hands to his chest, bowed lightly, and said on a formal tone, “I request to talk to the Elders.”

Sarly eyed the tattoo on Kris’ shoulder, and his hand rose to rub absently at his own arm, where his tattoo was hidden beneath cloth. The design was a bird, Kris knew, though he had never seen Sarly in his animal form.

“I see you accomplished your final shift
at last
,” Sarly said gruffly. “About time, too. You can talk to the Elders later. A stranger was found in the village.”

Kris nodded. “I know. I brought her here.”

Sarly’s eyes widened until they were as round as his mouth. “You? How could you betray—”

“I did not betray our village,” Kris cut in, allowing his tone to reflect the outrage that a member of a First Family would be accused of betraying his people. “And I will talk to the Elders now, as is my right.”

Sarly’s expression turned sour, but he couldn’t deny Kris’ request. Sarly led the way to the Elders’ chambers, and as Kris followed, he could only hope that he knew what he was doing.

* * * *

As they ran away from the village, Zaren kept expecting to hear the sounds of pursuit coming after them. How long would the guard really wait before he had to give the alarm or risk getting into more trouble himself?

Try as she might, though, she never heard a thing, and when they reached the gleaming edge of a lake and stopped running, Kris said they would spend the night there.

“Aren’t you afraid your people will find us here?” Zaren asked, readjusting the earpiece of the translang, which she had taken off while running.

“If they come this way, we will hear them long before they’re close enough to see us,” he said, and the words that came out of his mouth were just as toneless as the translation spoken directly into her ear. He had been in a somber mood ever since they had stopped to rest a little while earlier and she had told him she would soon leave the planet. “How long until your people arrive?”

Zaren had been wondering the same thing while they ran. She couldn’t be sure, but she didn’t think it would take much longer.

“Maybe a few more hours?” she said, uncertain. “It will probably be best if we stop moving. They’ll find me more easily.”

Kris nodded and looked away. “Then it’s decided. We’ll stay here until my people or yours find us.”

Before she could add a word, he shifted to his wolf form and trotted away. Zaren sighed. She should have told him about the rescue mission earlier. She wished she had told him. Maybe she wouldn’t feel like she had betrayed him if she had.

Coming close to the edge of the water, she washed her face and arms. She longed for a shower, but the cool water was vivifying, and the afternoon sun was warm enough that her skin dried in only moments. Looking around, she couldn’t see Kris or the wolf, but she hid behind low bushes to change back into her travel suit. They’d almost left the village without it, but she had insisted Kris go get it from his home before they ran.