“Remind me never to irritate you,” Rynez grumbled.
“Noted.” I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to the male scrubbing my legs, not wanting to start another argument with Zyre’s brother.
“Anyway, as I was saying, a few years ago some scientists had the brilliant idea to push our technology beyond simulations and space stations. They wished to develop a smart AI capable of learning emotions and adapting to its surroundings.
“What they wanted was something likeJetsonsorI, Robot, which are ancient entertainment films about a high-tech society where humans are served by highly efficient robots who would never betray you.”
I tilted my head and examined the heartwood of Rynez’s hometree, surprised by the variety of coloration and shapes of its living veins. The map that Zyre explained we had on the wall, and how bare the inside was, were the main things it had in common with ours. It was clear how much effort male guardians put into preparing and maintaining their hometrees to be as basic as possible for their future luwaeri to morph to her liking.
“And I take it, from where we are now, that didn’t happen,” Rynez mumbled.
“Unfortunately, you are correct.” I sighed, lying down on the ledge of the Giving Pool to admire how the stairs twisted along the walls up to the luxury bedroom on top. “Their creation had become too intelligent for its own good, forcing our government to permanently shut down the program.
“At least, that’s what everyone assumed, but obviously, I wouldn’t be here if that were true.”
“What exactly do you mean?” Zyre asked, his hands still on my leg, moss water dripping down my skin.
“It’s clear that the intelligent AI was not killed, and they infiltrated our smartphones and forced a global update.
“I’m curious if it was testing to see if it could alter the timeline in any way or even replace humans, because I could see the AI slipping out of control near the end of the experiment. It makes sense for it to try to enslave us, or to find other intelligent lifeforms to control that aren’t as technologically advanced as us.”
“Or perhaps that was their goal,” Zyre muttered, casting a quick glance at his brother. “What if the smart AI your species created wanted to expand its control by stealing every species’ technology and enslaving the universe with their power?”
“Your hometrees.” I sat up quickly, twisted my body toward Zyra, and wrapped my arms around him, burying my head into his chest. “What if the reason I’m here is to see if your species has anything useful for them to control?”
“We’re not going to let that happen,” Rynez snarled. “I’d burn down my hometree if it meant preventing their virus from spreading.”
“Do you believe you have been compromised?” I asked, glancing over to Rynez, who flinched from the enraged stare he was directing at me.
“No!” he spit, his fists clenched. “I removed it as soon as it touched the Giving Pool’s waters, and it never had a chance to touch the first layer of protection of my hometree’s matrix.”
“My hometree is safe. The Calyzis are safe. X’thyrl is safe.
“There’s nothing to be concerned about,” he growled, his words sounding more like an angry oath. “I refuse to let outsiders destroy what we have and what we have left.”
“Me as well, Brother.” Zyre nodded, his arms tightening around me.
“Then you’ll understand what I’m about to tell you,” Rynez said, his gaze shifting to his brother as if dismissing me. “I need both of you to leave my hometree and land.” Yourluwaeriposed a threat to our planet, and I am unable to forgive her at the moment.
“She’s an outsider, and no matter how many pafeldae she can kill or how natural she is in the matrix, she’ll always be an outsider.”
As we landedon the balcony ledge of our bedroom, the sun was setting.
Zyre had refused to leave my side as we swung home, always making sure he was beside or directly behind me—which was fine and kinda sweet.
It wasn’t like I’d be able to defend myself easily after losing all of my weapons fighting that pafeldae, and with Rynez kicking us off his land, I couldn’t collect them as we left.
Slamming my hand onto our hometree’s bark, I closed my eyes as I greeted it.
I stormed through the threshold as soon as the balcony doors slid open, desperate to get out of this armor.
Perhaps it was the cycle of dark thoughts about our recent discovery and why I was here, but the heaviness of the situation was suffocating me.
I needed to get out of this armor as soon as possible, before I spiraled any further than I already was.
“Viola, what’s the matter?” Zyre asked, and the tone of his voice begged me to respond. “Tell me what’s bothering you so I can figure out what I can do to help.”
“How do you put up with being in the same room as me?” I growled, unlatching my clasps, refusing to look at him because I was afraid he would look at me with the same hatred as his brother. “Do you even want to be with me anymore?”
