Elena struggled to ignore the tacky feeling she suspected was blood.
"I love you and your father more than anything in this world."
There was such pain and agony in those words that Elena found herself swayed for a brief moment. She forgot the crimes this woman had committed and the cruel manner with which she'd killed the mantis.
All she saw was the mother she'd dreamed about every night since Uncle Jin and Aunt Kira started telling her the stories.
Elise's features lost their gentleness, smoothing into lines of detachment and disinterest as a door formed behind her. She rose, imparting one last piece of advice. "From this moment forward, you’re not to believe a single word out of my mouth or trust me in any way."
What did that even mean?
Elena was still wondering as Elise withdrew to face the Tsavitee general who stepped inside the room.
"Lothos, you're late," Elise said lightly.
The general didn't look up from his study of the mantis's body, taking in the slaughter with impassive yellow eyes.
Like most of his kind, the general was tall with skin as black as the void of space. Red, glowing symbols were etched into the left side of his torso, arms and face. Only a few appearing on the right side of his body. His immense rack of horns showed his age spanned centuries and that his status belonged in the upper ranks of the Tsavitee horde.
He treated Elena's existence like air. So unimportant it didn't bear acknowledgment as he focused on Elise. "You were not supposed to return in this manner. Your presence suggests your mission did not go as planned."
Elise's lip curled. "Blame your contact for that. He was useless. Not even able to arrange a proper distraction. He tipped off not only the Phoenix but the Tuann as well. Because of that, I was compromised. It was either abandon the planet or face capture."
"Our masters won't be pleased to know you've once again failed in your assignment."
Elise's scoff was scathing. "They should have let me do things my way. Targeting anyone in Kira's vicinity was bound to alert her to our presence. You know the lengths she'll go to protect her own."
The general looked unmoved. "That is why we suggested you kill her."
Elena's small sound of protest attracted the general's intimidating stare.
Elena fought the urge to duck her head and hunch in on herself. Auntie always said when up against a bigger predator you couldn't show weakness. You had to bluff so they didn't decide you were prey and attack.
Elise made a restless move, somehow making it seem like an accident as she blocked his line of sight. "We had an agreement. Touch the Phoenix and this alliance is over."
Lothos made a noncommittal sound as he moved his attention back to Elise. "This reflects poorly on your record. They will punish you."
"Nothing I haven't faced before."
"Where is my nephew?" Lothos made a show of looking around the room. "I do not see him with you."
"You'll have to talk to him about that the next time you see him. I broke him out of the prison where he was being held. He is the one who decided to return to their custody."
Lothos pinned Elise with a penetrating stare. "That's difficult to believe. Aeron knows the stakes."
Elise's shrug was careless. "I created the opportunity as you requested. His subsequent decisions are his own responsibility."
"Aeron is of vital importance to our cause. My other brothers won't look kindly on his continued absence. You want them on your side."
"You're not telling me anything I don't know."
That response seemed to satisfy Lothos as his attention shifted to Elena. "Who's this?"
"She's nothing. Nobody important."
Heat flooded the back of Elena's neck as embarrassment and something worse filled her.
She’d spent years yearning for the woman in front of her. Nights and days dreaming about their first meeting.
