Chapter 29

Second Commander Garza didn’t think he’d ever assume a leadership position, especially while Blaze and Shaytan led the Sky Tribe. As the days pass in tense silence while they assess their losses and options going forward, I take advantage of every moment I can spend in his company to better understand his mindset and figure out what drives him.

Had we come to him in the first place, we might’ve been able to avoid so many casualties. It turns out Garza is one of the last genuine pacifists in his tribe, one of the few who constantly advocated against the fighting and the aggressive takeovers. No wonder he allowed us to leave the military base without punishment. He’d been fighting a war he never wanted since he was a boy.

“My father believed in peace between our tribes,” Garza says as we walk together through the gardens outside Opal City’s royal palace.

Signs of battle are scattered everywhere, but there are also signs of the world healing and coming together again. Everywhere I look, I see residents working hand in hand with surviving Sky and Fire Tribe soldiers to clear out the rubble and restore the beauty of their precious citadel.

“On his deathbed, he begged me always to be a voice of reason at the negotiation table,” Garza continues.

“What happened, then?” I ask, shifting uncomfortably. I’m still sore from my injuries, but I’ve been chugging plenty of Sunna’s inner fire since the fighting stopped, and I believe I’ll be as good as new within the fortnight.

Garza takes a deep breath as we make our way toward the palace steps. At the top, Solomon’s widows await our return, accompanied by the Kreek brothers.

“No one wanted to listen,” Garza says. “Not while Shaytan’s voice was so loud above everyone else’s. I don’t know how, but Selina Sharuk really brainwashed that man into submission. He used to pretend her death didn’t affect him and that he was never that devoted to her ideas for Sunna’s future, but we all knew; we all saw the signs. And we all heard him during every single briefing session. Parroting her words, repeating the same nonsense… albeit in a different tone. It was more of the same. Our genes are weak, we’ll never survive the next epidemic, we need human bloodlines to join ours, and so forth. He said it so many times that the others sort of just went along with it.”

“What other choice did you have?” I reply with a tired shrug. “In times of war, we follow our leaders. We followed ours, and you followed yours. They’re supposed to be leaders for a reason.”

“Yes, but I should’ve known better. I could’ve done something.”

“Against Shaytan?” I scoff. “You didn’t see him up there or the speed with which he murdered his own partner. Blaze didn’t stand a chance. Shaytan would’ve killed anyone who got in his way, and he was so determined to push Selina’s plan forward that I doubt you would’ve managed to accomplish anything. He would’ve turned your own platoon against you. Power does that to people.”

“As Solomon proved, huh?”

“Yeah, that was something else entirely.”

“You were right, though,” Garza says. “They wouldn’t have listened. You could’ve come to Shaytan with all the evidence in the world, and he would’ve found a way to spin the story back on the importance of adding human genes to ours.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, however. It’s done and dusted.”

He nods slowly. “Hopefully, for good.”

We both look up at those waiting for us at the top. Solomon’s widows wear brilliant white dresses, and the traditional gold and opal jewelry of Opal City wives—splendid rows adorning their slender necks and delicate chains spun around their beautiful horns.

Yossul and Fadai have matched the widows’ choice of white with elegant, military-style tunics, opting for gold and opal jewelry of their own. They have renounced their tribal colors altogether, pushing for white as a call for peace and unity. Fortunately, the rest of the Fire Tribe have also adhered to this new policy, and from what Garza has told me, so did many of the factions within the Sky Tribe.

“What do you think?” I ask the new de facto ruler of our sworn enemy. “How many of your clans will sign off on a peace treaty?”

“I’m not quite sure, but I dare keep an optimistic outlook. What other options do they have?” he chuckles dryly. “You wrecked all of our starships. We have no other way of leaving Sunna, not in this generation, anyway. It’ll take at least another decade or two for the surviving engineers to learn the science and the mechanics behind building and successfully launching vessels into space. And why would we want to do that when we could focus our resources on what we already have?”

“I’m guessing the three thousand women of Opal City have swayed the scales back in our favor.”

“And then some. We’ll need to reach a consensus on what will become of them.”

“We need to complete a census first.”

We reach our hosts at the top of the stairs while the Kreek brothers take a moment to admire me. I’ve chosen white, much like them, in the form of a long silken dress with gold-thread embroidery covering my shoulders and back. It’s a gorgeous work of fashion, woven and sewn in the Opal City tradition, and the fabric flows down my body like a warm liquid, like a second skin. My brown hair is pulled into a bun resting on my nape while gold and opal earrings dangle from my lobes.

“By the suns, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Yossul says, leaning in for a kiss.

Our lips meet softly, lovingly, before it’s Fadai’s turn. He’s hungrier, and they’re both due for one hell of a lovemaking session later tonight. It’s been a while since we”ve been together, as we’ve all had severe injuries to recover from.

“You two are remarkably handsome, as well,” I reply as I gently pull back.

“And Commander Garza isn’t too bad either,” Fadai laughs.

Garza gives him a sour look, prompting an eye roll from Fadai and a chuckle from me as I pat the stern Sunnaite on his back. “Oh, give it a rest, Garza. Let’s put the animosity behind us. It was never personal.”

“Fair enough,” Garza politely concedes. “Thank you for the compliment,” he tells Fadai, then turns to face Sarin, Neya, and Leela. “Might I add, Your Graces, that you make our suns pale in comparison?”

“You are too kind, Commander,” Sarin replies, blushing slightly.

Leela offers a smile. “Shall we expect you to stay for dinner after the peace talks conclude later tonight?”

“It would be my pleasure,” he says.

I’ve got a feeling Garza may have found more than peace in Opal City, but time will tell us more. Until then, I’m determined to see that treaty signed before sunset so we can move forward and rebuild our lives along with what’s left of Sunna.

Hope blooms in our chests for the first time in what feels like eons, and it’s a feeling we must take advantage of.

We follow the queens into the palace. There are traces of violence left here and there and along the walls where laser shots were fired, but it’s nothing a simple renovation cannot fix.

“How many clan leaders are we expecting?” I ask.

“From our side? All of them,” Yossul says.

“What about Garza’s?” Fadai replies.

Garza shrugs as the grand hall doors open before us with a sullen creak. “I’ve called every single lieutenant and captain among us, every name I could think of,” he says. “Some have answered and assured me of their presence, but there are still plenty of loyalists who cling to the hope that Shaytan’s vision might eventually come to fruition.”

“They’ll have to fall in line,” I say. “There is no other way. Egos aside, we have a world to rebuild, and if we cannot learn from the past, then this entire nightmare will simply repeat itself until the Sunnaites do learn or they go extinct.”

But the rest of my words get stuck in my throat as I see the setting in the grand hall. It’s not the luxurious, antique furniture that’s caught my eye, nor is it the exuberant feast laid out on the massive dining table in the middle, either. It’s the presence of more captains and clan leaders than I can count.

Many I recognize as members of the Fire Tribe, and judging by the astonished look on Garza’s face, I’m guessing the others are part of the Sky Tribe. What makes this slightly confusing is the absence of tribal colors altogether.

“They’re all wearing white and gold,” I breathe, standing still as Yossul and Fadai flank me.

Solomon’s widows turn to face us, the three of them smiling broadly. “We wanted it to be a surprise,” Sarin says. “The guests started arriving earlier this morning, and when we saw how many had come, we knew you’d appreciate this moment more if you didn’t expect it.”

“Oh, it’s definitely a surprise,” Garza manages. “Your Graces, I didn’t expect this, I assure you.”

I’m thrilled to see so many familiar faces, and I’m this close to exploding with joy when Amber, Cynthia, and Alicia come forward, joined by their respective mates. Izzo and Binzen Mal. Kai and Maur Hadana. Helios and Kharo Tallas. The whole gang is here, even though I see some of our chiefs were replaced by their sons and nephews. They perished in the Sapphire City siege, and we have been mourning them along with our Kreek brothers and sisters ever since the war ended.

“Ah, so you three made it, too,” I quip, grinning at my best friends, my human sisters. “Where are the kids?”

“In Sapphire City with their nannies,” Cynthia replies. “We had to be here, obviously.”

One of the Sky Tribe captains comes forward and offers Garza a solemn bow. “Greetings, Commander. I’m glad to see you’re still alive.”

“Captain Luka, it is an honor to see you, as well,” Garza replies, then glances at the entire crowd of tribal leaders with a warm, pleasant smile. “An honor to see you all, for that matter. May this lead somewhere better and brighter.”

Captain Luka nods slightly. “We have adhered to the queens’ demands upon entering Opal City. All weapons were left at the northern gates.”

We did the same as a sign of respect. Not a single laser weapon is left active inside the citadel, and it will remain so until a peace treaty is signed. I, for one, don’t mind it one bit.

Some of our men moaned about it, but in the end, they had no choice but to agree that it helped enforce this temporary ceasefire. I’m glad the Sky Tribe is also on board with this.

“Good. It will make our conversations infinitely less tense,” Garza says. “I don’t expect us to sign a peace treaty today, but I do want us all to sit down and discuss our options for the future. Clearly, a lot has changed since we last sat down.”

“The last time we tried to negotiate something with the Fire Tribe, we ended up losing Sapphire City,” another Sky Tribe captain scoffs and crosses his arms. I’m guessing he’s a Shaytan loyalist.

“You didn’t give us another choice,” Yossul replies bluntly.

“All of that must be left in the past,” Izzo speaks up, raising his voice and drawing every pair of eyes to him. “I agree with Commander Garza. We need a resolution, and I, for one, won’t be leaving this grand hall until we have one. The queens of Opal City and our human partners have agreed to bear witness and take notes, making sure that no one’s voice goes unheard. Does that seem fair to all of you?”

He looks around and smiles upon seeing nod after nod in return.

“Then it’s settled,” Sarin declares and motions for everyone to sit at the giant feast table. “Let us eat first. Some of Opal City’s finest meats and pastries were prepared for this auspicious occasion. Let us break bread together and forge new bonds of trust and loyalty for tomorrow. Yesterday shall be a lesson, not a habit.”

My heart skips beats as Yossul and Fadai gently escort me to my seat. Garza sits across the table from us, along with an even pairing between Fire Tribe and Sky Tribe leaders on both sides. The queens made sure there would be no true separation over the course of what looks like a lengthy but delicious meal.

I’m practically drooling at the sight of plum confit jars and black wheat cakes. The fresh fruits look fantastic. My God, I’d eat the whole table if I could.

A thought crosses my mind. Something I didn’t even think about until earlier. I give Yossul a soft smile, my hand resting on my belly. Could it be? I didn’t keep track, but it’s been a while since my last period, and the three of us were quite careless in that sense. I decide, however, that now is not the time for this particular conversation.

The conversation between the tribes is tense at first, but there is enough spiced wine going around the table to take the edge off as the hours pass quickly, and we offer assessments from both camps. Izzo and Kai lead the conversation from our side, while Garza and Luka lead from theirs. The others are given their turns to speak while the rest of us listen. Naturally, the Sky Tribe’s concerns remain the same.

“There aren’t enough women on Sunna; that is the bottom line,” Captain Luka says. “Everyone here has said the same thing in different ways for the past hour or so. That is our conclusion, our biggest problem.”

“We cannot force the three thousand women of Opal City to take one for the team here either,” Cynthia mutters. “The ladies of Sapphire City are split on this, as well. Some wish for mates, while some have agreed to participate in our artificial womb trials. All will be donating their eggs for this. A few will be carrier mothers, having chosen to surrender their future newborns into a foster system designed to place them in the appropriate care.”

“What do we define as appropriate care?” I ask.

Cynthia lights up at the sound of such a highly anticipated question. I know she had notes prepared precisely for this. She’s been working on a responsible program for the past couple of months.

“I’m glad you ask, Jewel,” she says. “So here’s how we’ve categorized our options, at least for Sapphire City, and it’s a model we recommend for the whole of Sunna. First, there are the women who wish to have two mates of their own and start traditional families.

“Then, there are the women who may wish to remain independent. They will either donate their eggs or will carry children to term. They may choose to raise them themselves, or they may pass that torch onto our foster system,” she continues. “Then we have the artificial wombs that can be used in the absence of a traditional surrogate.”

“And these will work?” Garza asks.

“We currently have five wombs implanted with donated eggs and sperm. Once we know the process is safe and as close to a natural pregnancy as possible, we will build more wombs and start working with more eggs. I know the men of Sunna are more than eager to donate.”

“As far as we’re concerned, the women of Sunna will retain their bodily autonomy,” Sarin says, commanding everyone’s attention. “It’s the only term of our deal and the most important. Opal City will return under Sunna’s tutelage only if our women and all the women of Sunna are granted their full civil rights.”

“Which seems more than fair,” Commander Garza replies. “I wholeheartedly agree. That’s the one aspect of the Sky Tribe that ultimately set us back and made the war worse: when we decided that our surviving women didn’t have the right to agree or reject a child growing in their womb.”

“Good, so we can add this to the peace treaty,” Amber says, adding another line to her notes. “Okay, we’re getting somewhere.”

Alicia leans forward while Helios adds more meat to his and her plate, and Kharo refills their glasses with spiced wine. “What about territories? Will Sunna be whole again, or are we still holding on to cities and towns based on the outcomes of the war?”

The Fire Tribe and Sky Tribe leaders exchange glances over the course of a rather quiet and unsettling minute before Garza and Izzo nod at the same time.

Garza takes the lead as a show of good faith: “We will renounce our claim on all the cities and territories we conquered during the civil war as long as the Fire Tribe does the same.”

“Agreed,” Izzo says. “Sunna will be whole again, all of us living together under the two precious suns.”

“And the people of Sunna, regardless of their tribal affiliation, will have freedom of movement across the kingdom,” Maur adds while Amber keeps taking notes.

The queens are pleased with the conclusions thus far, and it gives me a sense of peace to see the conversation headed in the right direction. I’ve been tossing and turning for one too many nights about this, worried the meeting might devolve into a blind brawl from either side of the aisle, yet these men seem eager to move forward despite the tribal animosities.

“The cure has already been dispersed across the realm,” Kai says after a while. “The queens of Opal City have been kind enough to keep granting us access to the precious pools of Sunna’s inner fire that glow on the peak of Mount Kaos. We’ll use that liquid for the cure itself, as it has already proven significantly more effective.”

“There is something about the inner fire that amplifies the healthy mechanisms of any living organism,” Cynthia says. “The cure itself is viable, but the inner fire makes it work faster. It even reverses the advanced symptoms of infection, so anyone who catches it can be saved. Eventually, the virus will fade; it will go dormant. In the absence of living organisms in which to mutate, its evolution will be halted.”

“And what if another virus pops up?” Luka asks, voicing the concerns of many among the Sky Tribe.

Cynthia has an answer for that, too. “We’ll continue our research and experiments,” she says. “We’ll keep testing and developing new strains in controlled environments in our labs, along with effective cures. Whatever nature might want to throw at us, we’ll be ready. Our human genes were added into the vaccine for the plague, and we’ll work to develop that angle, as well.”

I can’t help but chuckle dryly. “I guess, in a way, Shaytan Hull and Selina Sharuk’s perverted dream has come true, after all. Our human genes will play a role in keeping the Sunnaites safe in the future.”

“Just not in the insanely oppressive way they envisioned,” Alicia mutters.

“It means we’re getting somewhere,” Commander Garza joyfully states.

And it is true. To my surprise and relief, we’re getting somewhere. We’re not trying to kill one another, for starters. We’re actually preparing to work together to rebuild this world and restore its former glory. We’re looking toward the future, and we are laying the foundations of a real and everlasting peace.

Once that treaty is signed, everything will change.