“Don’t start,” Kira instructed as Tavas placed his palm against the closed door, letting the system read his bio signature.
“Of course, youngest,” Zoella murmured as Kira headed inside.“I’ll be sure to notify you when I get a hold of Luatha’s Overlord.”
“I appreciate it.”
The door slid shut with a quiet groan as Kira stepped into the spacious room that served as the children’s common area.A hallway to her left led to a series of bedrooms.There were enough rooms for everyone to have their own, but the children’s caretakers had noticed they seemed more at ease when they shared.For that reason, only two of the rooms were currently occupied.One for the older children.The second for the three youngest.
Since someone always had to be on duty to watch over the children, Wren’s oshota rotated use of the rest of the rooms.
To the right was another set of doors.One of which led to the unused med bay.
The first time the children saw it they had a meltdown.Since then, it had been shut away and was gathering dust from disuse.
In the common area, someone had arranged several seating and play areas.There were stations set up with activities for the children if they wanted somewhere to draw or paint.Or even play with any of the age suitable toys that Elodie, their healer and caretaker, had procured for them.
On the far side of the room, Harlow had built a jungle gym.It was a warren of towers and tunnels with climbing ropes located on the outside and interwoven rope bridges the children could play on.
A human would have considered it far too dangerous for a child, but for a Tuann hybrid it was a perfect medium through which to shed excess energy so they didn’t become overly aggressive.
Despite the care and effort that had gone into planning the space, the children rarely interacted with any of it.Not the advanced entertainment system someone had been kind enough to set up.The one with access to Tuann holovids in addition to a few human ones that Raider had donated from his stash.Not the play gym and certainly not the toys or art supplies.
Mostly, the children sat—and stared.At the stone walls.At the deep well of the window that overlooked the sea below.
Other times, they simply stared into nothingness.Their features blank.
If left to their own devices, Kira was pretty sure they would never step foot out of their rooms.
It was heartbreaking—and sad.
Time might change that.Or not.
With these situations, it was always hard to tell.
Selene might have advice, but she was busy putting the final touches on the new haven she and the rest of the children in her care had relocated to after the attack on Jettie.Until a new line of communication had been safely established, Kira would have to hold all questions.
Just then, she noticed that the mood in the room seemed a little unusual.The children milled around, their features set in expressions of distress.
Anxiety filled the air.
In the corner, the eldest had been separated from the rest and faced off with Maksym, who while short was still built like a brick wall.His good nature was typically written all over his face.Right now, however, the red-head looked serious as he spoke urgently to the girl in front of him.
Physically, the girl looked like an adult.Her non-Tuann heritage was the most obvious.Scales ran along the edges of her forehead and neck.A tail tipped with a lethal looking barb twitched behind her.
Despite those differences, she also resembled Elise the most.Her features contained her egg donor’s unmistakable stamp.
Whatever Maksym said made her hiss.She exposed fang-like incisors and spat a stream of silk webbing at Maksym that the oshota gracefully dodged.
Before he could get close, she scuttled up the wall behind her.When she reached the ceiling, she dug her claws into the stone and clung.
Kira stopped Elodie as the healer rushed past her.“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.”Frustration bled into Elodie’s tone.“Something set her off during the attack.She’s been combative and confrontational ever since.We thought she was settling down.Then she saw Elise.”
“What do you mean she saw Elise?They brought her here?Why would they do that?”
She was still in a coma and needed care.More than the temporary med bay here could provide.
Elodie looked startled.“Wait—you don’t know?”
