“I regret getting caught,”I confessed, my mental voice tinged with bitterness.“But I don’t regret saving you. You deserved a second chance at life. It was the right thing to do.”
Her companion had managed to make it up to the ledge. I tensed, but she raised her hands in surrender as she approached us, and the tension in the air seemed to ease slightly. She turned her attention briefly to her companion, exchanging words before refocusing on me.
“Tell her that I mean no harm to you,”I requested, my telepathic message clear and resolute.“Let her know that I come in peace and only wish to engage in conversation.”
I watched as the female in the white coat kneeled beside her, her gaze shifting between my face and the spot where my hand grasped her companion’s wrist.
“This is my mentor, Dr. Violet,”she explained, both vocally and telepathically introducing her to me.“She works for my grandfather, who purchased you. We’ve been tasked with attempting to communicate with you and obtaining answers to any questions my grandfather may have for you.”
Dr. Violet nodded and offered me her hand in a gesture of goodwill.
However, something within me hesitated.Dr. Violet had not abused me, and yet, she didn’t possess the same peaceful aura as the human I had saved.My instincts were directed by a complex blend of experience and caution, and right now, they solely trusted the one I had saved.
I declined her offer and kept my distance for the time being. My attention returned to Dr. Violet’s student, the one I was touching.
“What is your name?”I had a genuine desire to learn more about the female who had ignited a flame of hope within me.
Her eyes met mine, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.“Isla,”she replied, both her vocal and mental voice soft yet brimming with a quiet strength.“It means ‘island.’”
The name held poetic beauty. Isla, like an island, generated visions of tranquility amidst turbulent waves. It seemed appropriate for this woman who had become my beacon of hope, my refuge in a world of uncertainty.
“Isla,” I said aloud, relishing the sound of her name as it rolled off my tongue. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I repeated her name. It held a certain melody, an assurance that resonated deep within me.
“Thank you, Isla,”I replied, my mental voice soft, tinged with appreciation.“Your name fits you.”
A small smile played on her lips, and my hearts swelled with warmth.
Though there was an undeniable connection between us—a shared longing—a mutual desire to learn more about each other—it was also tinged with uncertainty and fear.
The promise of trust and acceptance hung heavy in the air, tempting and terrifying at the same time. Was it worth getting to know her for a chance at solace?
Or was this why was there a hesitation hidden in the depths of her eyes?
“What’s your name?”
“I am Ky’rn, a Makezu commander.”My chest swelled with a sense of accomplishment and responsibility as I spoke, my mental voice betraying hints of both pride and obligation.“My unit was tasked with a mission to study Earth and its vast waters, to see what the IPA can do to assist with its poor conditions, and to ascertain whether there was a chance for aquatic species to settle in your waters.”
“Ky’rn.”Her eyes shone with genuine concern, and she leaned in slightly, her tongue briefly darting out to moisten her lips.“You can trust me.”
Her words reverberated deep within me, igniting the spark of hope that had long been smoldering within my heart. The flicker of hope that had been barely alive suddenly roared to life, threatening to consume me entirely. After a year of captivity and torture, her declaration was a lifeline for my shattered soul. In her eyes, I saw a glimmer of light amidst the darkness that had engulfed me for so long.
“I owe you a life debt, Ky’rn,”she declared, her mental voice steady as her expression softened.“And I intend to repay it. But you must trust me and give me the answers that I need.”
“I will answer whatever I am able to.” I understood the weight of her promise, the magnitude of the debt she sought to repay. “Your trust in me is not misplaced.”
CHAPTERSIX
ISLA
Dr. Violet’s inquisitive gaze met mine. “What is he saying?”
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to disclose. The weight of keeping secrets from my mentor tugged at my conscience, but the knowledge that she was still tied to my grandfather’s employ lingered in the back of my mind.
Nevertheless, I owed it to her to provide some information. Hopefully, all she would tell my grandfather was that I was communicating with the sharkman as he’d asked me to.
“He introduced himself as Ky’rn,” I said, trying to keep my voice professional. I didn’t want her to know how thrilled I was to be able to communicate with the creature who had saved me. “He was sent here by the IPA to study Earth’s waters.”
“Why would the IPA want to study our waters?” she asked skeptically, side-eying Ky’rn, her mistrust visible in her narrowed gaze. “Have they been monitoring Earth this whole time?”
