Eden: The Galatian Exchange book 6, page 14
“But why was your ship under attack?” Dorf asked. “How did they know you would make your escape during the parley? Our meeting interests everyone in Galatia. I know Amalia made the parlay into a public broadcast so everyone on the planet should have been watching it.”
“Indeed. I will tell you how I came to be chased and under attack by the Queen’s War Council.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Caeda and I had a conversation in which I voiced my desire to attend the meeting. But just as I predicted, she did not think that was a good idea.
“Since my return, Caeda had made extra strides to be…equitable. She made suggestions instead of demands. She made her best attempts to satisfy me sexually, but as Queens don’t find favor in facing one another during intercourse, there can never be a level of intimacy as we have experienced with our chosen ones.”
Haru was quiet for a time before he inhaled and continued. I allowed Caeda to believe it was her idea I not attend the meeting. She voiced concerns others might mistrust my motives—as if that hadn’t been the case for the entirety of my stay.
“Of course, I argued I had more of an investment in the meeting than anyone since I’d turned on my friends and brothers. But the more we discussed it, the more I realized she feared you would change my mind. Which is how we left it; with me assuring her I was where I wanted to be. Not a lie. I wanted to be there gathering the information I needed to help our cause.
“Everyone in the household left to attend a gathering where the meeting was being broadcast—everyone except Honoree, who complained he didn’t like crowds, and the cook who wanted to prepare a beast for dinner. Of course, Honoree only stayed behind to watch me. I turned on the broadcast like a good little captive.
“And just as he was settling down to watch and make his usual disparaging comments against our team, I put that old bastard in a stranglehold, sealed his mouth shut, removed his communicator—which I kept right there by the visualizer, and then I dragged him to the back of the cavern. I knew the cook was an ally, and I didn’t want to do anything that would place her under suspicion. Then I was on my way!
“I left the communicator sitting right there in the same area with Honoree’s and I pretended to make my way to the pool in case anyone was watching. Of course, others were watching. I just didn’t know it.
“The original plan was for me to meet Mizpaki at a pre-ordained point. But obviously, we could no longer use that plan. I had to contact him, though. And there was only one way for me to do that—by using my communicator. Which is how they knew of our plan. It was now a matter of out-racing them. Thankfully, while those who were watching me knew of our plan, they didn’t have Mizpaki’s identity.
Haru looked at Dorf and Rafe. He spoke the question for which he already knew the answer.
“Mizpaki is lost to us, yes?” Both men nodded once. “Eh,” Haru continued. “He died a hero’s death.”
All present knew Haru did not simply mean he died during battle, because any inept individual could be killed due to their own ignorance. No. To die an honorable death meant to die during battle painfully, prolonged, or both. While suffocating in outer space, Mizpaki had certainly achieved both.
“Thankfully, the transport was left in a place where I could easily travel by foot. It was a good model, and I was able to race to the destination. Even without a tracker on me, I had a difficult time keeping ahead of my pursuers. My neighbors were watching me, the neighbor’s groundskeepers were keeping tabs on me, even the human offspring of the neighbors! But I am a Galatian Guard and I outraced them while the majority of the populace was enthralled with hopes of outwitting you!”
Rafe realized Haru had no idea what had occurred during the parley. He’d been too busy racing for his life.
“By the time I reached Mizpaki, an order had been given to fire upon us. I had to lower the shields in order to engage the transport, which is when we took a direct hit to our engines. We lost fuel and air but managed to leave Galatia.”
“They didn’t chase you into space?” Dorf asked.
“No. They weren’t properly outfitted for space travel. But they did enough damage.”
There was a prolonged quiet. “We will get word to Mizpaki’s bound mate… although, she may not want to hear from us,” Rafe stated.
“I can attest to that. Mizpaki stated that while she wasn’t suspicious of him, she was very entuned to his every move. That is important, but just as important is the safety of our parents.” Rafe’s eyes flashed. “The parents of the Galatian Guards are certainly under a great deal of suspicion right now.”
“Haru, Dorf, I have to leave you. I am pleased we are not being pursued, but we are far from being safe—especially our mothers.” And with that, Rafe disappeared.
After he returned to his ship, Rafe looked at his crew—including Tamsyn. He was still sitting in his chair at the command and was pleased he wasn’t sitting on the floor somewhere babbling like a fool. He gave them each grim looks.
“We don’t need to worry about being pursued. But we have to figure out a way to save our mothers.” He stood and relayed the story Haru had told him.
When M got back to the house, the soldier who escorted her knocked firmly on the door. The room was empty. The other women had quietly left after overhearing the conversation between Karma and M. Anyone could tell that things were going to get tense just based on Karma’s expression alone.
“Mistress,” the soldier bowed his head respectfully. “I found your daughter outside of the boundary. I wanted to personally escort her back since we don’t know if the surrounding area is hostile.”
Karma’s eyes moved from M to the soldier. “Thank you. Come inside, M.” M stepped inside, but before Karma could close the door, the soldier continued.
“Oh,” he said quickly. “I hope the young Miss understands the importance of staying within the designated areas. The soldiers are spread very thin handling our military requirements without having to also be engaged in babysitting duties.” He gave her a polite but somewhat condescending smile, and then another short nod of his head. “Mistress,” he said before turning.
“How did she get out?” Karma asked before the soldier had fully turned to leave. He stopped and then turned back to look at her again before answering. “I do not know, Mistress-”
“Your military duties are to protect this family. That’s the reason you’re on this planet with us, is it not?”
“Well-”
“You’re a soldier whose only purpose for being brought to this planet is to protect this family. And yet, you don’t know how this child was able to leave your secured boundaries undetected?” The soldier’s face turned red. His mouth parted to speak—likely in order to say the wrong thing…again. But Karma leaned in and spoke softly but distinctly.
“Instead of you making assumptions about what this child knows or doesn’t know, you should be focused on why a child was able to breach your security undetected.”
The soldier licked his lips. “Yes, Mistress.” Karma closed the door and looked down at M, dismissing the soldier.
“Why did you leave the courtyard? Don’t you understand why I told you to only play on the premises? The reason I need to know where you are at all times?” M was nodding but couldn’t answer because Mama kept asking more questions. “Especially now, M, with that insane Ragna on the loose and Rafe on a mission and all of your uncles gone? The soldiers can only do so much. I can only do so much!” Karma swept her hand over her face to calm her emotions. When she spoke again, it was in a much calmer voice.
“You cannot just go wandering around-”
I didn’t, Mama.
Karma paused as she second-guessed everything she had thought about raising this little girl. She loved her with her entire soul, but did she truly understand what it was to be a protector of a girl like M, of a girl exactly like herself?
The first time she’d seen M she’d seen herself, barely surviving a world that wanted to eat you up, disrespect you, hate you, just because you were born a brown child. But what if she’d been all wrong about what M needed…
“M, please tell me why you completely disregarded my directions?” she asked quietly.
I’m sorry, Mama, but I had to follow the boy. He was spying on me and Bain while we were playing. Mama, he was on our property watching us and he was going to tell other people. What if he told about Runnar? Or that you were consorts? Then everyone would know who you are!
Karma frowned. “What boy? The one who was on the communicator with you?”
M nodded. I heard him, Mama. He was going to tell the others just so he could have friends!
“Don’t worry about that boy,” Karma said dismissively. “I will handle that boy. What I want to know is why didn’t you just come and get me, or one of the soldiers?”
I-I don’t know. But she did know. She just didn’t have the words to express herself, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was mute and spoke through a mechanical device on her wrist.
Karma shook her head in disappointment at M’s mediocre excuse. “M, when your father wanted to punish you for breaking out of your sleep chamber in order to kill a dangerous being, I stood up for you and told him to look at things from all sides. That’s because I understand you are not the typical child. You have seen the dirt that lies beneath the surfaces and all the monsters that lurk in the darkness. I see in your eyes you will do whatever it takes to protect yourself from them, but also protect those you love.”
M said nothing as she stared into her mother’s sad eyes.
“You’re not wrong for doing that. You are supposed to do whatever it takes to survive. The problem is, that at nine or ten years old, you shouldn’t have to know about being attacked by Black Masks, being hunted by aliens that are trying to kill your mom and brother. You shouldn’t have to feel the need to protect secrets that are well above your years.” Karma sighed. “I swear all I ever wanted was to shield you from the worst of Earth. Instead, I exposed you to even more danger. But how in the world am I supposed to unteach you everything you’re supposed to know about how to survive?!”
At the sight of the unshed tears in Karma’s eyes, the words M had fought so desperately to find finally came to her.
When I went after Ciprio, I didn’t know he was just a little boy running to tell tales to other kids who didn’t even like him. I thought someone had to see where the attack would come from. Someone had to see their faces, where they lived, who Papa and uncles would have to hunt down when they…came to hurt us.
I followed a person who might have told our secrets. But all he turned out to be was a little boy who wanted some friends.
Karma placed her palms on the little girl’s cheeks. M’s eyes filled with tears as she covered Karma’s precious touch with her small hands.
Mama. I don’t know how old I am. Two fat tears spilled from her eyes and she sniffed them back, her voice making a terrible croak. But Mama, I don’t feel like a kid. I don’t think I ever have.
Karma went to her knees and pulled the little girl into a hug. They stayed that way, hugging for a long time before Karma pulled back. She wiped the tears from M’s face and then from her own.
“When I was about your age, my childhood was ripped away from me. Having structure and safety and regular meals didn’t bring my childhood back. At St. Aloysius, it was like when rich people put clothes on their dogs as if they were people instead of dogs wearing little sweaters.”
M understood exactly what she was saying. She still had a lot to learn, but she hoped her mother would stop trying to squeeze her into little sweaters.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Karma walked into the kitchen where she knew Mrs. Bianchi would be preparing dinner. As expected, the older woman was stirring something bubbling in a large pot which filled the room with the aroma of deliciousness.
“Mrs. Bianchi. May I have a word, please?”
The woman’s back was so crooked she had to turn bodily to look at Karma. Her ruddy face sagged with what Karma took to be a perpetual expression of discontent. She was tiny at barely five feet, although her bent form and height should not fool a person into thinking of weakness. Karma had seen her carrying a side of lamb over one bent shoulder!
With silver hair which she pulled back into a bun and covered by a scarf whenever in the kitchen, Karma thought she was easily in her mid-seventies. Still, she was a seventy-year-old who could probably whup the ass of someone half her age.
“Yes, Mistress?”
“It’s about your grandson.”
Mrs. Bianchi’s brow lifted. “Ciprio. What about him? Has he misbehaved?”
Karma, who had been standing at the entrance, walked into the kitchen, thinking how sad it was this was her first response. But maybe she knew her grandson and his penchant for spying on the guests. Still, she hoped that would never be her first response if someone should mention her children.
“My daughter told me your son has been spying on her, and while I understand that children will be children, we require anonymity and discretion—two things my-” She was about to say husband when she caught herself. Here she wasn’t an ex-consort but a group of women who were being guarded by Galatians. “…we were assured we would receive that here.”
Mrs. Bianchi didn’t take her eyes off Karma, but she put the large wooden spoon down on the stovetop and moved to the back door.
“Ciprio!” she yelled in a surprisingly strong voice. She addressed Karma again, who noticed a thick Italian accent. “Your daughter, you say?”
“Yeah, I can get her-” Karma gestured to the entrance.
“CIPRIO!” The woman bellowed louder than Karma could have expected from such a small woman.
“I just wanted you to please remind him not to spread our business amongst his friends.”
But Mrs. Bianchi’s sour expression had grown even more unpleasant. “I will get to the bottom of this!” She craned her neck to look out the door. “Where’s that boy? Ah! There! You come here right now!”
Karma raised her communicator to her mouth and summoned M to the kitchen. She didn’t want a situation of “he said, she said”.
When the boy hurried into the kitchen, his eyes widened at the sight of the guest. “Have you been spying on these people?” The older woman asked sternly.
Ciprio’s face seemed to pale. He opened his mouth, closed it, and when he reopened it, his grandmother grabbed his ear and gave him a shake.
“Don’t you like to me!”
Karma reached out as if she wanted to save the boy but stopped herself. “Uh…I just wanted him to know not to speak about what we do-”
The grandmother paid Karma no mind. “Well, boy? Did you tell anyone about the alien baby with the human face?”
Ciprio was obviously in pain, but he looked at his grandmother in confusion. “No, ma’am.”
“What about the Galatian men that sleep in this villa?”
“Ow, grandmother! No!”
Karma stared at the old busybody. Mhm…she had her picture. That old lady probably knew more about them than the little boy ever would.
“Well! What stories have you been telling?” She gave the ear another twist and the poor kid made another pained cry and nearly dropped to his knees.
M entered the kitchen then, and Karma hated her to see the boy being abused like this. She placed an arm over M’s shoulders as Ciprio cried out what he had told his friends.
“I just said I saw the little girl playing with a ghost boy, grandmother! OW! And I said she had a robot voice!”
Mrs. Bianchi dragged her grandson over to a fireplace, where she grabbed a slender piece of a branch from a small bin of wood. When Karma saw he was about to get a switching, she could no longer hold her tongue.
“Mrs. Bianchi! Please don’t. I just wanted to make sure our family was free of gossip.”
The old lady paused to look at Karma. “Mistress, I can assure you if others gossip about your family, then we are not the source of it! Now, begging your pardon, I will attend to my grandchild.”
Karma looked at the poor kid, still stooped in an awkward position to relieve the pain of having his ear wrenched. When the old lady began whupping him with her switch, she turned.
“Let’s go, M.”
M hastily followed her mother but craned her head to catch the last glimpses of Ciprio’s grandmother tanning his hide as he hopped around, trying to protect his backside.
When they were safely out of the kitchen, Karma gently lifted M’s face. She could see the shock that was plastered over it, just as she knew hers was probably filled with shock and guilt.
“I did not intend for that to happen, and I don’t condone causing physical pain to children! But,” she sighed. “I won’t lie, my own Mama whupped me with a switch once or twice.”
M’s eyes widened in shock. But Karma just smiled.
“Yeah, I remember I was playing one of my Mama’s vinyl albums without permission, and I scratched it. I didn’t tell her but later she found the scratch. I got spanked for being sneaky and for doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing.”
Did your papa ever spank you?
This time, Karma’s eyes widened. “No! My dad would never lay his hands on me or my mother.” She smiled grimly and looked off into the distance before sighing, pushing back old memories. She placed her hands on M’s shoulders. People needed to touch more. It was the one thing she missed once she lost her parents—not having anyone to hug or just touch her with kindness. It was something she swore never to deprive her children of, and she knew Rafe felt the same. He always held their hands, enjoying the feel of human skin.
“Anyway, I didn’t want you to think I wanted Ciprio to get a whupping.”
I feel bad for him. He must feel pretty bad getting whupped in front of us.
“Yeah, baby. The next time you see Ciprio, be sure to be nice to him. It seems like he’s got it bad.”
