The Hyreno said, “What now?”
“Yeah, the Uraddan survivors have about twenty-five percent omega genes.The Hyreno were an easy source of material.”
He tensed.“You are proud of that?”
“It is a fact.I haven’t been allowed to even converse with another active until I was rescued.”
“Wait.What?Are you an omega?”
“I would be, but everything has been disconnected.It was their favourite move.”She flipped the baby onto her shoulder and rubbed his back as he fussed and then settled.“That and keeping family hostage against our good behaviour when we left the city on assignment.They tortured them in front of us just to remind us what would happen if we tried to act out or get away.”
She looked over as Kessie, Baola, and Lii were putting their horses away with the stable hands.Salat was still standing with the alphas and nodding as he explained something.The guys were all staring at her.
“You are a psychic?”
The man near her chuckled.“Most Hyreno are to one extent or another.Not the same for Uraddans?”
“No.They restrict that when we are in our early teens.They only select the most malleable for psychic duty.They were used to interrogate us after our assignment to make sure that we hadn’t slipped information to anyone.”
“Oh.”
She felt the touch on her mind, and he swiftly started rifling through her memories.
She swayed with pain and nausea as he looked for evidence of what she had been talking about, and she started shaking violently.“Vallu!”
Hands took the baby, and the seizure took over.Hemma felt herself thrashing and smelled blood.
Hemma opened her eyes to Kessie’s worried expression.“Hey, shortie.”
Kessie looked upset.“You had a seizure.”
“Yup.That’s the reaction when outside psychics delve into my Uraddan memories.They planted a lot of stuff that they didn’t want anyone to find.The seizure is a failsafe.An emergency switch.I am guessing he stopped looking as soon as I flopped over.”
Vallu’s voice spoke from behind her.“Yeah.You could say that.Salat tried to beat him into the turf.The other Hyreno stopped Salat, but a few of them had to be healed.After you, of course.”
“Thanks.”
“That happens every time?”
“Well, you know the alphas, they go too deep without warning.”She chuckled and slowly sat up.“Salat went home?”
“Yeah, just for the day, he will be back to take you back to Aksalla later today.Your brother says that Sorooth and Keska are still going fine.No signs of them yet.”
Hemma nodded.“Good.I am sorry to have put you out.This is Friday?”
“Yes.Salat will be relieved that you are here.That’s an amazing necklace, by the way.”
Hemma touched the necklace and exhaled.“It’s an emergency beacon.If I need her, she’s there.”
“You didn’t need her yesterday?”
“No.It wasn’t going to kill me.At this point, only going to Uradda would kill me.”
Vallu nodded.“We are a similar size, so I put you in a spare nighty.Kessie slept in Lii’s pyjamas at her insistence.”
She looked at the heavy silk and smiled.“I will pay you for dry cleaning.”
“Don’t worry.Etgar tears them all the time.”
