Alterant (Belador #2)(15)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

“I didn’t want to do that—”

“Tell it to someone who’ll listen.”

She was tired of constantly taking the blame for everything. He had some responsibility in all this. “You were the one who sided with the Medb and Kujoo. If you had helped our side I might have been able to talk Brina into not sending you back.”

“Right. Brina sent me here the first time before I ever shifted into beast form. I’m sure she’d want me walking around telling everyone how she’d screwed me from day one.”

Evalle drew her knees up and dropped her chin down. That was what Tristan had said the first time she’d met him, and she could tell he believed what he said, so had Brina really put him away without reason?

“I understand, Tristan, but I wasn’t there when she sent you to this prison, so I can’t argue with you. I do know other Alterants have killed humans and Beladors after shifting into beasts. Maybe Brina was trying to get ahead of the problem before you shifted. I don’t have answers for any of that.”

“Then why didn’t they lock you away?”

The shade of hurt in his voice caused her to lift her head so she could look at him when she answered honestly. “I spent my entire life in a basement because I have a lethal intolerance to sunshine. An old druid came to me there when I was eighteen and told me of my destiny to be a Belador warrior. He didn’t know my eyes were an unnatural Alterant green because my eyes are so sensitive I always wear sunglasses, even in the dark.”

“But you could leave the basement at night, that’s more freedom than I’ve had here.”

She never talked about her life growing up, but Tristan had seen his own share of misery, and he was talking to her. “No, I couldn’t leave that basement. I was adopted by my father’s sister, who kept me locked up. If I can believe anything that hag told me, when my mother died in childbirth and I had a severe reaction to sunlight the hospital ran tests that exposed that I was not her brother’s child.”

Tristan didn’t look at her, but the stern angles in his face softened some. “What’d your father do?”

“Basically, sold me to my aunt, who believed her brother could do no wrong. She offered to be the martyr and take me on. She didn’t want some mutant child to embarrass her beloved Army officer brother, so she legally adopted me, but, as she once put it, I was her retirement nest egg.”

Ironically, the hag died before she could retire.

Tristan asked, “What happened when you met the druid?”

She’d never been much for dredging up old pains, so she was glad to move on past family hour. “He offered me a chance to train as a Belador if I was willing to swear an oath to uphold their code of honor. I would have signed on with the devil to escape that basement and my aunt, but I am loyal to the Beladors.”

At that she got an eye roll from Tristan, but Evalle finished explaining. “By the time the Beladors got a look at my bright green eyes, I was already training with them. They figured I might be different because I’m a female Alterant. That I might not shift involuntarily.”

She wasn’t sharing the fact that things had changed a few days back when another female Alterant had surfaced and killed humans. That was more of a need-to-know detail.

Tristan said, “I never saw a druid. Never got an offer to choose my destiny.”

“That just means you weren’t expected to be a warrior. Trust me, it’s not all fun and games.”

“Neither is this place.”

What could she say to that? Nothing.

She had to move the conversation back to finding the Alterants. If those three were together, she’d risk burning one of her Tribunal gifts to find them, but not if they were separated since she could only use a gift one time. “Are the three Alterants all in the same place?”

“Maybe … maybe not.” Tristan shrugged. “Tell me about Beladors. What made them send a druid to you?”

“They didn’t specifically send one to me. The way I understand it, Belador warriors are born under a star called PRIN, but I know nothing about astrology. A druid meets a child around age five to make contact, then goes away until that person turns eighteen. The druid that appeared in my basement said he was Breasel and that he’d met me when I was a kid. I told him I didn’t remember meeting him, but the weird thing is that I did recognize him when he spoke to me in an ancient language. He said he’d told me the same words when I was five.”

“Was it Gaelic?”

“Sort of, but older than that, a secret druid language. That’s when I recognized him as the guy I’d seen working in my basement on a hot water heater or something when I was little. I watched him from where I hid in a corner and remembered him talking some foreign language out loud, then leaving. When he offered me a chance to escape that basement at eighteen, I was in. I’d been afraid for years—”

Tristan cut his eyes at her, which she ignored, because she was not sharing why she’d lived in terror for three years.

“—but I had this moment of knowing for sure that old druid was no danger to me. I told him I’d go anywhere to get out of there but I couldn’t be exposed to sunlight. He smiled and said to hold his hand and close my eyes. Next thing I knew, I was in Alaska, wearing animal skins and heavy boots with a group of new Belador recruits being trained.

“We lived in a barn with little heat during the shortest days of the year, which worked for me. We had to fend for ourselves and learn how to live off the land in a frigid climate, but for the first time in my life I was free to go outside whenever I wanted.”

Tristan said nothing, just stared straight ahead.

She searched her mind for a way to find common ground with him. The more she learned about him and how they were possibly connected as Alterants, the better chance she had of proving Alterants were more than a bunch of mutant mutts.

That we deserve to be a recognized race.

She asked, “How did you know you had Belador blood if you didn’t meet a druid?”

His smirk tilted arrogantly when he shook his head, refusing to answer her. He spit out bitterly, “I don’t think having Belador blood counts for shit.”

“It might if you’d help me figure out what else plays a part in our genetics. You told me in Atlanta you had an idea what had bred with a Belador to make an Alterant and what we have in common with the other three Alterants.” Her stomach growled loudly.

Tristan arched an eyebrow at her.

She hadn’t realized she was hungry until he’d started eating, and her mouth had watered at the smell of fresh bananas.

Breaking off a banana, he held this one toward her in offering, but not close enough for the fruit or his hand to pass through the barrier.

She’d passed through once, so she should be able to put her hand back through.

Evalle reached over and took the banana. “Thanks.”

He grabbed her forearm.

Every muscle in her body tensed, ready to fight.

She stayed very still, watching the fingers of his free hand slide down to curl around her wrist snug as a handcuff. He turned her arm toward him and gently lifted a leaf-shaped bug off her skin, placing the critter safely on the ground.

Then he released her arm.

She expelled a breath she’d caught in her throat and started peeling the banana. Act calm, as if nothing has changed. “You were going to tell me what else you were besides Belador.”

“No, I wasn’t. I’m not sharing anything I know about our origin as long as I’m stuck in here.”

Who could fault him for holding back? In his place, she’d have done the same, which meant she had to offer him something he might be willing to trade for.

A chance to fight for his freedom.

Evalle weighed everything and believed Brina could hold her own if what Evalle suggested came to pass. “I got the Tribunal to agree to let the three missing Alterants plead their cases.”

His eyes flicked with surprise, but he only said, “If you find them.”

She sighed and moved on. “You said you were unfairly caged. I won’t make promises I can’t keep, like saying I can get you out of here, but if you’ll help me I will promise to ask the Tribunal to let you plead your case directly to them, too.”

First, she’d have to get Brina to ask Macha to allow Tristan to be released, but one step at a time.

He polished off another banana, asking, “Why would you try to convince Brina to do that?”

“I took an oath of honor, and I consider that an honorable choice. If Brina had good reason for having you sent away—which I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt about as well—then she’ll have no problem explaining her actions. I’m going to let truth play out.” And hope like the devil Brina did have a sound reason for locking Tristan away.

“But you said you couldn’t ask Brina about the location of the Alterants.”

“If we can hand Brina the origin of Alterants, I think she’ll talk to Macha about giving the Alterants who have their beast under control a chance to join VIPER, and maybe the Beladors.”

“I don’t know.” Tristan scratched his shoulder.

“VIPER and the Beladors need us right now. Alterants are shifting all of a sudden everywhere.”

Tristan cracked a smile. “No kidding?”

“Not funny. People are dying.”

He rubbed a hand over his chin, losing his smile. “Let’s say I consider what you’re suggesting. What did the Tribunal offer in return if you brought in the three missing Alterants?”

He wasn’t going to like her answer, but then neither did she. “My freedom.”

“Guess you didn’t come with a conscience, huh?”

Guilt hammered at her soul every time she considered taking those three back with her, because she didn’t trust the Tribunal. But she believed in Brina, who had promised that those Alterants would get a fair hearing while being held under Macha’s protection in the meantime.

“Of course I have a conscience. Did you not hear me when I told you I got a deal for each of them to prove their innocence? If those three can stand in a Tribunal meeting and truthfully say they did not murder anyone, then I believe the Tribunal will release them to work with VIPER, like I’m doing. I have Brina’s word that they’ll be safe until they meet with the Tribunal.”

“I can’t hand Brina that kind of trust.”

She understood, but Tristan needed to know all the possible pitfalls if the Alterants he shielded remained on the loose. “If I don’t return with those three, the Tribunal is going to turn VIPER loose to hunt down and kill all Alterants on sight. No chance to plead their cases. No chance for real freedom.”

Tristan grew still at the news of all Alterants being hunted.

“You may not like being here, but if they’re out in the world on their own, they’re vulnerable.”

“And you think they’ll be safe walking into VIPER?” he asked with no small amount of sarcasm.

“I’ll be perfectly honest, Tristan. If any of the Alterants have killed an innocent human, they have to pay the price, but if they killed in self-defense, that’s a different story. With so many Alterants shifting everywhere in the past twenty-four hours, me, you and those three may be the only ones who have a chance to survive.” And if this worked out, Evalle wouldn’t be dragged in every time an Alterant committed a crime.

“What do the Alterants that are changing look like?”

She lifted her shoulders. “I guess like us. I haven’t seen any of them … which reminds me. Why were your eyes black earlier when you were, uh, shifted?”

“Think it has to do with being in here. I thought black eyes were normal as a beast, because I’d always seen my eyes that way in water reflections, but they stayed green constantly once I left here the last time. Now they’re back to black when I shift in here.”

“Oh.” That wasn’t helpful.

Tristan nodded to himself and stared off into the jungle as if he pondered what she’d told him. “Gods and goddesses are sneaks,” he said under his breath. He glanced at her. “You sure if you return the three Alterants they’ll let you walk away?”

His question surprised her, especially since he’d asked in a civil tone lacking ridicule.

She answered carefully. “That’s what the Tribunal told me, but I’m not walking away unless those three do, too. Convincing them to come in with me would beat them having to live with targets on their backs. And as soon as I return with them I’ll lobby for you to plead your case.”

She swatted a fat mosquito drawing enough blood off her midriff to feed four normal-sized mosquitoes back home. That was saying something, because Georgia grew hefty insects.

“I don’t know. What exactly did the Tribunal say?”

“Let me think,” she grumbled. She hadn’t taken dictation, for crying out loud. “The Tribunal said, ‘Let the one who returns the three escaped Alterants to VIPER be cleared of prior transgressions.’”