Chapter Sixteen

There was a knock at my door, followed by Zafir’s muffled call of, “I’m coming in” right before my door swung open. I lowered my book with a sigh. He could’ve at least given me a chance to grab something other than a tank and panties. My mild irritation shifted to one of curiosity when I caught a rather pleasant scent from him.

“Are you wearing cologne? Got a date tonight or something?” I watched him close the door, seemingly steeling himself before he turned to face me—but my question made him falter.

“I’m not wearing anything… Never mind that.” Zafir shook his head and placed one hand on his hip. “We have much to discuss. One moment.”

A small smile pulled at Zafir’s lips right before I felt a sensation akin to static sweep through the room. Though I didn’t hear it, I certainly felt it.

I watched as Zafir shut his eyes briefly, concentrating. The air around him appeared to swirl, glitch, and fade. When the air settled, I found myself staring at…well, a Syldrari. But he still looked like Zafir. A few years older than me in appearance, though his hair was still pewter. His skin, however, was greyish lavender and his eyes a piercing rich, deep topaz blue. A long tail uncoiled from his waist, and a moment later he stretched his arms above his head as if working out the kinks.

Finally, he focused his eyes on me and I noticed his pupils dilate slightly—but he said nothing.

I set my book in my lap. “You’re trusting me?”

“Yes. I need to.” Zafir nodded, taking a step closer. “For your safety and for mine. I’ve observed enough to believe that I can trust your interactions with other Syldrari aren’t merely an act.”

“ Need to trust me?” I raised an eyebrow. “Not sure I like the sound of that.”

“Yes…well…” Zafir hesitated as if searching for phrasing. “We need to discuss the results of your blood tests, this offer I hear Xilen gave you, and…”

I raised an eyebrow, watching Zafir’s glowing bits swirl through too many colors and shades to track. “You wanna sit down first?”

“…thank you,” Zafir answered with a small sigh.

However, he staggered and dropped to a knee on his way to the chair. Taken aback, I hopped off the bed and moved over to help him, crouching down to see what was wrong. “Zafir? You feeling alright?”

“It’s been a while since I could drop the illusion,” Zafir answered, a bitter edge to his tone. “It’s…a bit more of a relief than I expected, and a drain.” I went to help him stand, but he finally seemed to notice that I wasn’t exactly dressed. “Oh…ah… I suppose…I should have asked if you were presentab—”

“I’m presentable enough. Up you go.” I pulled him to his feet and deposited him in a chair, then grabbed a robe from the end of my bed. Admittedly, it wasn’t much more covering than my underwear was. “How much time do you have before you have to leave? I’m assuming you knocked out the cameras, so—”

“Amara has a replacement loop running. We can take our time.” Zafir shook his head. “You and she are the only ones here who know that I’m a Syldrari—and I would appreciate it if we can keep it that way.

“But we need to discuss your options, Elara. Your blood tests have come back with an alarming detail, and our superiors are now discussing the method of your…‘retirement.’”

“Retirement? Really? I figured they’d wanna keep me around for murdering a while longer.” I narrowed my eyes at the uncomfortable Syldrari, watching the way he shifted under my gaze. He was a lot more fidgety and…colorful, than I was used to. “You know, I’m going to need a ‘Handbook to Syldrari Mood Colors’ at the rate you’re going.”

Zafir flushed blue and his glow rapidly shifted to a deep yellow. “I-I’m afraid it’s been quite some time since I had to consider controlling my display of color. Hopefully, I haven’t offended—…” he paused and adjusted the glasses he was still, for some reason, wearing. “…I suppose even if I have displayed an offensive color, you wouldn’t be aware of it. This is more troublesome than I anticipated…”

“ Zafir ,” I sighed at him, “can you please elaborate on this retirement thing before giving me a lecture about Syldrari colors or anatomy?”

“Anato—? Ahem.” Zafir cleared his throat, his glow shifting from yellow, to bright pink to a more neutral sage green. “According to the tests, the human brain chip isn’t the only human tech you’re incompatible with. You…are incompatible with all their prolonged life technologies.

“They want to test you for compatibility with Syldrari equivalents—which they can’t acquire. since they can’t guarantee they’ll be able to make you live for centuries or longer…they’ve returned to discussing the idea of a breeding program.

“I’m doing what I can to convince them that they need you alive, happy, and healthy, but there are many who believe you could be able to bridge the gap between human and Syldrari strengths. Several have posited that you may be biologically compatible with both species.

“I’m pushing for them to keep you on this project to train other fighters, but we need to have options for if they don’t—”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on. Slow down.” I raised my hands to stop him. “They want to turn me into breeding stock to produce powerful, potentially hybrid soldiers? Seriously? Hey, don’t give me that look. You think I don’t know my blood is more than red? Huh?”

Zafir gave me a half smile. “Sorry to dump so much on you.”

“So, what, you’re concerned about how to keep their distasteful plans from happening?” I murmured mostly to myself, tapping my fingers against one arm. “No. There’s more to it, isn’t there? Otherwise you wouldn’t have revealed yourself.”

Zafir let out a slow, shaky sigh. “I’ve taken it upon myself to make certain you and the other Resonance victims remain safe. That said, in the worst-case scenario, I’ve only been able to secure passage off this planet for you thus far. Xilen took quite a liking to you but is disinterested in the others.

“I am negotiating with other sources…but, taking my roles into account, I will need to leave with you if you evacuate.”

“You will?” I raised an eyebrow at him, but he glanced away. “What exactly is it you want me to do, then? Be a good girl and keep quiet while you negotiate, and avoid pissing off our superiors?”

“I’m less worried about my human superiors and more concerned about the attention you’ve been drawing among the Syldrari…” Zafir sighed, holding his temples. “With any luck, I can direct your missions to sectors where certain individuals will know better than to test you. However, with this development where someone attempted to poison you…”

“Any progress on that front?” I prompted. “Being under house arrest sucks. I’m more bored than I was back in my cell at Abel’s facility, for fuck’s sake.”

“Ah, if your accommodations and entertainment are unsuitable…” Zafir’s eyes glassed over briefly as he reached up to the buttons of his shirt. “Perhaps I…can…be…” his gaze flickered, and clarity returned. In an instant, he turned away and his glow swirled with chaotic colors again. I narrowed my eyes at the suddenly embarrassed man. That was nothing like the Zafir I was getting to know. “Forgive me. As a Syldrari, dealing with women is…a struggle.”

I tilted my head briefly, before walking over to get a better look at him—though he promptly shifted to continue hiding his face. Given that that tips of his ears had turned a solid navy blue, I had a good guess as to why.

“Is that so?” I inquired with an amused smile. “And somehow this has only become an issue in the past however long since you dropped your human disguise?”

“The device that disguises me also dampens Syldrari instincts, so we don’t…” Zafir hesitated when he glanced at me, his pupils dilating even further. “Syldrari Lun’iri, what you would call men… Women and queens hold a certain power over us. Those I serve are attempting to break free of the cycle of suppression we’ve found ourselves in, but…”

“Uh huh. Is that why you’re so chatty with me?” I leaned over to meet him at eye level, though his eyes snapped to my cleavage instead and he flushed. This time, I could see his visible struggle to return his gaze. Sighing, I grabbed him by the chin and tilted his head up. “Hey. Snap out of it. I’m sure I look nice, but let’s discuss the issue at hand—keeping the humans from turning me into a human cow.”

In an instant, full clarity returned to his gaze as if my ‘order’ had actually worked. He stared at me in silence, mouth agape for a moment, then reached up and gently moved my hand from his chin. “…Elara, we may also need to discuss how you phrase things when speaking to Syldrari. If you were to command one of us in public—”

“I’m not really the commanding sort, but I’ll do it when I have to.” I gave him a pointed look. Though I kind of wanted to tease him, my curiosity was winning more. “This…‘innate subservience,’ if I can call it that, would that be why one of the rescued prisoners thought he needed to go down on me to show his gratitude properly? Ah, although, he did mention it was how he was expected to repay queens…”

“Someone… Did you let him?” Zafir asked, aghast.

“Hmmm? Hell no. I had no idea what was going on, and it would’ve been in front of all the others. Plus, damaged person and all that.” I shook my head and crossed my arms over my stomach.

“Ah…Queens…get whatever they want, from whoever they desire.” Zafir slowly shook his head. “He likely mistook you for a queen because you were able to save them singlehandedly. As Lun’iri, we are expected to give a queen her every desire—regardless of if she saved us from something or not. We’re meant to be grateful that she’d pick us out of the millions of others she could choose—especially when competition is so fierce.

“Of course, intimacy, pleasure and adoration are both valuable currencies. If I must offer any of them for you to keep my identity a secret, or to earn your cooperation—” Zafir cut himself off and raised a hand to the side of his head, wincing.

“Uh huh…” I raised an eyebrow at the struggling Syldrari. “Well, fun as I’m sure it would be, I’m not exactly in the market to be breeding with anyone . I’d rather remain fit to kick ass, if it’s all the same to you.”

“I apologize. This is more of a struggle than I anticipated.” Zafir’s shoulders slumped. “To be more concise—we need to prove to our superiors that they need you as a soldier or as a trainer. To that end, you will be taking on more responsibilities as Lethe. Calder, Nikolai, and Maelor should be cleared for service by next week.”

“And the training angle?” I nodded.

“Pending the release of more victims, I’m afraid. I’ve put in several requests, but none have been approved yet.” Zafir paused, frowning slightly. “Wait a moment. You have qualms with ‘breeding.’ If I recall…” he conjured a data pad out of nowhere and pulled up a document. “Hmmm…they tested human contraceptives on you but not Syldrari…ah. it was during Abel’s era.”

“Do you want to fuck me that badly?” I asked bluntly. That he seemed to take offense to.

“That isn’t what prompted this search!” He snapped back. “If Syldrari prevention methods work, then we can guarantee interference with any meddling or…”

Zafir faltered, clearly uncomfortable with voicing the numerous things the humans might try to do to me.

“Right. I get it.” I tapped my foot against the floor, thinking. “Well, what’s involved with Syldrari prevention measures? I’m down to ruin the government’s plans—and those if anyone who wants to get out of line.”

“Then I will contact Xilen and arrange for the two of you to meet.” Zafir stood abruptly, adjusted his glasses, and resummoned his human disguise. “I should be returning to work. You’re remaining under house arrest for the time being—Amara is trying to pinpoint who may be attempting to kill you.”

I moved to block his way out of my room and gave him a playful smile. “If I’m stuck in here, then there’s something you can do for me after all.”

“Elara, I—” Zafir stuttered.

“If I’m going to be stuck here, then you can send someone to get me food from the Syldrari Sector!” I informed him cheerfully. As I moved out of his way and past him, I smirked. “What, did you think I was going to say something else?”

There was a rather long stream of agitated Syldran words coming from his mouth before he adjusted his glasses roughly and took his leave. I laughed to myself, bringing a finger to my lips. Oh, this could be so much fun…

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