He put his hand on her thigh under the table. "You should try to eat a little more, love."
"I can't." She pushed her plate away. "I'm too anxious."
He wanted to say something encouraging, but Jade had chosen that moment to stand and make an announcement. "If you'll follow me to my office, we can discuss what happens next." She gestured toward a doorway.
As he and Tamira pushed to their feet, he took her hand and tugged her close against his body. She was trying to project calm, but even if she hadn't admitted to him just moments ago that she was anxious, he could feel the nervous energy thrumming through her like a plucked string. Five thousand years of captivity didn't evaporate with a single meal, no matter how symbolic that meal might be.
"It's all right," he murmured. "We are among friends. They are good people."
He'd touched Yamanu during the extraction, pretending to lay his hand on his shoulder to steady himself as they'd climbed from the water. It hadn't been long enough for a full vision, but it was enough to get his essence. The Guardian was like a beam of light; his energy was clean, purposeful, untainted by deception or malice. He was a male on a mission to save as many people as he could, and this rescue was just one among many.
When Eluheed touched Anandur, he got the same vibe—a savior with a clear conscience and a sense of purpose.
It was rare to touch such brightness, and it made him feel optimistic about the future. If the rest of Annani's clan was like these two representatives, he might risk revealing who he was and asking for their help.
When they got to Jade's office, he wasn't really surprised that it was stark. She didn't look like a female who appreciated luxuries or bothered with personal touches. She was the no-nonsense type who valued efficiency and decisive action, and this room reflected her personality. It was an efficiently organized, decently sized office with a large desk dominating one side and a conference table in the center of the room. Even the chairs were utilitarian, simple and stackable.
They filed in and arranged themselves around the table. Jade took the seat at the head, with Anandur and Yamanu flanking her. Drova leaned against the wall near the door, those unsettling black eyes of hers tracking each person with predatory focus.
"First," Jade said, "I want to assure you that as far as you are concerned, Safe Harbor is exactly what its name suggests—a refuge. We're equipped to defend against any threat, but since,at the moment, Navuh is in no condition to threaten anyone, we can pretend to be a resort."
Jade smiled as if that had been supposed to be a joke, but when no one reacted the way she'd expected, the smile slid off her face.
She probably knew that the island they had just escaped from masqueraded as a resort for rich men who wished to get their kinks in complete privacy, so referring to the clan's sanctuary that way didn't reassure anyone. Evidently, Jade's people lacked empathy.
"What's his condition?" Beulah asked. "Is he going to live?"
She sounded more frightened of the possibility that he would live than of the alternative outcome.
"He's holding on, but just barely," Yamanu said. "The medical team is working to stabilize him for transport."
"You mentioned transport," Sarah said. "Where are we going?"
"California," Anandur said. "To the clan's hidden village." He glanced at Jade and smiled apologetically. "I've misspoken. The village is no longer the home of just Annani's clan. We welcomed the Kra-ell and even some former Doomers to join us."
"What or who are Doomers?" Liliat asked.
Anandur winced, and Eluheed tensed. The Guardian was going to say something the ladies didn't want to hear.
"Doomers is what we call members of the Devout Order of Mortdh for short," Anandur said.
"And you claim this place is safe?" Liliat squeaked.
Yamanu lifted both hands to stop that line of discussion. "They escaped the Brotherhood and joined forces with us. They pose no threat to any of you. Let's keep the history lesson to a minimum, people. We are just covering the basics."
Rolenna lifted her hand. "Can someone please explain what is this clan everyone is mentioning?"
"The clan refers to Annani's descendants. I assume you all remember Princess Annani."
Rolenna swallowed and tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. "We weren't sure she was alive. There were rumors of her plotting against Lord Navuh by helping humans, but we didn't know if they were true."
"They are," Yamanu said. "Annani is very much alive, and she and her descendants have been fighting Navuh's global domination plans for thousands of years. Princess Annani is the mother of our clan. In fact, we call her Clan Mother."
Some excited murmurs followed, and then Tamira lifted her hand. "Who are the Kra-ell?"
"I can answer that." Jade smiled, revealing small fangs similar to her daughter's. "Drova and I are Kra-ell. We come from the same planet as the gods, your ancestors. Our people and the gods have a complicated history, antagonistic at times, but here on Earth, the Mother of All Life brought our people together. The gods' descendants and the Kra-ell live together in the village, and we cooperate to protect each other against the Brotherhood and other threats."
"What other threats?" Eluheed asked.
