"Your threshold for pain is unusually high. I'm quite impressed. Both you and the Phoenix are exceptional specimens. It's a pity the lab and research behind your creation was destroyed during your escape all those years ago. I would have loved a chance to study what they did to you."
"Yes, such a pity, my lord," Elise agreed.
Auntie hadn't been lying about the egg donor's courage. Her ability to stand in front of that monster and not flinch was impressive.
Elena couldn't have done it.
"I advise against further failure, my dear. Next time, I won't punish you. I'll punish them."
The Tsavitee lord nodded at the bank of tanks.
Elise's expression was calm as the lord circled her. A flash of rage crossed her face when he leaned down to sniff the hair at the back of her head. The emotion gone so fast that Elena thought she'd imagined it.
By the time the Tsavitee crossed in front of Elise again, her expression was as placid as it had been before. As if she'd flipped a switch and buried everything that she was feeling.
"You and the Phoenix. Both so distressingly sentimental." The lord tsked. "It's the only failing in your design that I can find. Your handler should have trained that out of you first."
Elise didn't comment, watching the Tsavitee with a blank expression.
He stepped to the side and nodded at the tanks. "A visit is in order, I think. A reminder of what’s at stake and who holds your leash."
A crack appeared in Elise's control as her eyes flicked to the tanks. She swallowed, her throat working.
"Your children have missed you."
Elena jerked back in surprise, the action causing her to bump into a canister. She froze at the small tink.
Please don't have heard that, she begged. Please.
"My, my, it sounds to me like we have another vermin infestation in my lab," the Tsavitee crooned, dashing Elena's hope. To Elise, "Bring them to me."
Elena backed further into her nook, her eyes darting back and forth.
There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.
If she ran, they would see her immediately.
All she could do was hug the wall and hope her egg donor didn't think to look where she was.
Something hit the back of Elena's knees.
"Psst. Down here, Elena mine."
Elena whirled, her mouth falling open at the sight of the lu-ong spawn's head poking out of an air duct cover on the wall. "Uncle Jin?"
"Catch it," he ordered.
Elena barely reacted in time as the cover fell forward. She lurched to grab it before it could hit the ground.
The lu-ong spawn jerked its head at her. "Get in!"
With the sound of footsteps slowly stalking toward her, Elena wasted no time, squeezing into the narrow opening. It was a tight fit. Possible only because of her prepubescent body.
"Help me get the cover back into place," Uncle Jin whispered.
Elena grabbed the cover, pulling it into position as Elise rounded the corner. The spawn flattened its body partially on the cover, the other half clinging to the floor of the air duct. Like that, he held it in place, allowing Elena to draw back her hands so her finger tips wouldn't show.
She'd learned long ago not to question how Uncle Jin did some of the things he did. Instead, taking his sometimes miraculous feats for granted.
