Myopia (Young Adult Zombie Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series) (30 page)

“What?” He pushed Wisteria out of his mind.

“My sister. Mina will help her regenerate, so she will be able to travel in a few hours,” Enric reassured him.

“Can I see her now?” Bach had a lot he needed to say to her. He supposed they should talk about the pledge and whether she really wanted to be his intended. But what was at the forefront of his mind was why and how Alba had found about Wisteria.

“Of course you may,” Mina said from behind them. Her eyes shone a glorious green as her fake eye coloring had faded for the day.

He heard a series of shots, and an explosion that shook the building.

Mina laughed. “It seems the Terrans are fighting each other about something.”

“Why?” Bach inquired.

“Why should I care? They are always at each other’s throats. Come on, let us see your intended.” Mina took his arm and led him through the house to Alba’s chamber. “She was very lucky that almost no poison was in her system,” Mina explained, opening the door. “I think she passed out because she was scared more than anything.”

“I thought empirics did not get afraid,” he remarked.

“What do you think we are—monsters?” Mina laughed. “And Alba is still quite young. This was only her second assignment with Terrans.”

The town’s siren sounded. Bach knew something had to be seriously wrong. He clenched his fists. Knowing Wisteria, she’d probably convinced the leaders of the island to panic.

“Didan wants you both now.” Benet approached them.

“She will be there when you return,” Mina promised. “Do not worry. Her brother will keep her company.”

Enric opened the door to the chamber and vanished inside.

*****

When Bach reached the completely black study, Didan was reviewing a message on his far eye. The remaining empirics were assembled in a semi-circle around the large table with their arms behind their backs, waiting for Bach and Mina to get there.

“Thank you for joining us, Sen-Son Bach and Mina.” Standing, Didan looked up from the artifact. “I apologize for sending for you, but we needed your help. Please forgive the impertinence.”

“Why have you asked me here?” Bach demanded. He was Sen-Son and only his father or another Sen could send for him, but he came because he was told it was critical to the empirics’ mission that he meet with Didan.

“Actually, we need your help, Sen-Son.” Didan walked around the table toward him. “The Terran, Tom Hindle, has revealed key locations where we might locate the source of the obsidian crystal.”

“Where?” This was good news. Soon, the empirics would be gone and Smythe would be behind them all.

“One of three hidden laboratories,” the lead empiric continued.

“He did not tell you which?” Bach asked.

“It took weeks for him to understand what we wanted. If I had had one more session, we would know, but the vermin have discovered he was renewed,” Didan continued.

“And the other Terrans on your list, what did they tell you?” Bach inquired.

“Not a lot; most are still recovering from the Sleeping Fever, but a large number are ambidextrous and we cannot renew those kinds of people,” Mina admitted. “It is almost as if RZC hired people we could not influence. Clearly, we were right to infiltrate them and release the virus they created.”

“No, I believe Bach was right,” Didan stated frankly.

Bach didn’t understand what Didan was talking about.

“You said the Family should kill all the Terrans instead of engaging them in stupid games,” Didan reminded Bach of words he’d said three years ago.

“This is not a history lesson. What do you need us to do?” Bach wasn’t going to revisit his past opinions, not that they'd changed. He still believed the Family should've just annihilated all the humans instead of penetrating RZC. No one took him seriously, as the Family had only been interested in acquiring Thayns. They had not seen humans as a serious threat since they didn't understand what humans had done to him and his mother.

“Their laboratories are in the old nursery school, in the courthouse, and underneath Mulberry Orchard. There will be two empirics sent to each location,” Didan continued. “Bach, we need your help. As Alba is sick, we would like you take her place.”

Bach nodded.

“Anfos and Mateu will go to the old school. Mina and Pol are going to the orchard.”

“I would prefer to go to the orchard. I know that area well,” Bach interjected.

“No, you and Benet are going to the courthouse. It is the least dangerous and I need the more experienced to survey the school and the orchard,” Didan insisted. “Check out the location and report back to me.”

“Why do we not just go to the orchard or the school if you are sure we will not find anything at the courthouse?” Benet asked.

“Because it is unlikely, but not impossible,” Didan replied.

“Of course, Eminent Didan,” Benet agreed.

Several gunshots sounded outside, followed by a series of yells.

Didan scowled in irritation. “
D’cara
, animals.”

“Totally,” Benet concurred.

“Let them kill each other.” Mina laughed. “A thousand less Terrans are a thousand good Terrans.”

As the empirics laughed, Didan handed out three faded and chipped plastic cards. “These will get you into the research centers.”

The card he gave Benet read
John Abner
.

“He is one of the new Thayns?” Bach asked.

“He is one of mine. He will show us around the courthouse,” Benet grumbled. “Worse than Narissa.”

After the brief, Bach and the empirics had a few moments to prepare to leave.

The noises outside were getting louder and more frequent.

As much as he tried to focus on the mission ahead, Bach’s mind went to Wisteria.
Was she safe? Should he go back for her?
No, she was no longer his concern.

“Alba wants to see you.” Enric interrupted his thoughts. “Do not look so concerned. She is fine.” He was standing at the base of the stairs that led to her chamber.

Bach paused, unsure what to do. He’d trusted her and while she hadn’t betrayed him, she’d deceived him and that made him unsettled. “How is she?” he finally said.

“Shaken, but fine. I swear, your hideous Terran will pay for this.”

“An ugly Terran?” Benet walked up. “They are all nasty.”

“This one is extremely ugly,” Enric sneered. “The most repulsive you have ever seen. We were just debating who looked worse, a leviathan or this particular Terran.”

Although, Bach’s feelings for Wisteria were fading, he was still irritated by Enric’s remarks about her. With Benet a few feet away, he couldn’t say anything to Enric, but he made tight, angry fists at his sides.

“A Terran or a slimy-scaled bloodthirsty monster that makes grown men run away crying? No, leviathans are much better,” Benet joked.

Clenching his fists so tight his nails cut into his palms, Bach seethed. “I am going to see Alba.”

“You better,” Benet remarked. “Before I convince her to come my way.”

“In your dreams,” Enric teased. “She might settle for the leviathan over you.”

Bach left the two teens bantering about dragons and girls and found his way to Alba’s chambers.

Sitting dressed in white on a white sofa, Alba had her knees pulled up to her chest. On her cheek were the red scars from Wisteria’s scratches. They were already beginning to fade as a result of the regeneration. Smiling weakly, she waved to him as he walked in. “Bach.”

“How are you feeling?” He remained by the door.

“Better, but embarrassed. Mina told me I panicked more than anything and that I will be able to fully regenerate in hours.”

“So why are you talking to visitors instead of regenerating?” The last time he’d been ill, the only thing he wanted was to sleep in order to let his body repair and rebuild.

“I will, but I needed to see you and to tell you not to be angry with Wisteria. The girl was confused. You know how Terrans act when cornered.”

Bach was struck suddenly by a feeling that there was something off about her and he couldn’t seem to place it. “Why did you pretend that you liked Terrans?”

“You have been talking to Enric, I see?” Weakly, she moved her long, slender legs from under her short white dress.

“He did not tell you about Wisteria and our Mosroc, did he?”

“No, I never said he did. Is that what you thought?” She studied him, bewildered. “If you wanted to know how I found out, I would have simply told you. Seriously, I thought we discussed it.”

“How did you know?”

“When you first came to Jarthan after your Great Walk on the bridge, we talked about it. Felip told me just before you arrived.”

“Felip.” He groaned. “You believed
him.
”

“No, but when you and I spoke, you pretty much confirmed it. As for the other thing.” Slowly, she staggered to her feet, wobbling to remain upright.

“Rest.” He rushed to help her back to the sofa.

“No, I need to say this to your face.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “I do not
understand
Terrans. They are very strange, but I have been trying for you.”

“For me? Is that why you came to Smythe in the first place? To be with me?”

Her large green eyes dropped and her pale face blushed.

“Why?” He wanted to know.

“You really want me to say it?” Forcing a laugh, she ran her hands down the sides of his arms. “I remember when we were younger and you used to steal my clothes when we went swimming.”

“I—that was a while ago.” He smiled as images of them together flashed across his mind.

“And when we got older, we ran off to the moon desert for a month. Just you and me? Our fathers were furious.”

“Yes, you stranded me there and returned to the city with one of the Sen-Sons of the Second Pillar.”

“Like I said, I was young, but we had fun out there.” She made small circles on his chest with her soft fingers.

“That was the first time anyone kissed you.”

“Enric told me you feel you were not really bonded with Wisteria. That must be confusing for you.”

“A little,” he admitted, but he felt angrier more than anything. He still didn’t understand what had happened between him and Wisteria.

“Do you want her?”

“I need to go home.” Bach couldn’t want her, not when he had someone as stunning as Alba of the Third Pillar.

“I am glad you have realized that. I had secretly hoped you would. So come home with me. In time, it will be clearer how you feel.” Her finger rested on his lips.

“Alba, this is not—” Gently, he removed her fingers, but Alba simply rested her palm on his cheek.

“I can see you are still as drawn to me now as you were then. You are heating up just by my touch. Tell me I am alone in this?” Her rosy lips touched his.

As she kissed him, he felt his stomach turning and his heart racing.
He was going to be sick
, so he cocked his head back. “Later.” At that moment, he didn’t know how he felt about anything.