Chapter 19

My entire world collapses with those four words. They have been taken. I would have crumbled to my knees if it had not been for Onyx grabbing me. Raya is telling me something, but my mind is reliving the horror in which I found my mother all over again. Except this time, instead of my mother's face, I see Tessa's. Raya, screaming my name is the only thing that pulls me out of my swirling thoughts.

"Father, have you heard a single word I have said?"

Ashamedof myself, I face her with tears in my eyes. "No, please go on."

"Apparently, while we were fighting them in the conservatory, they were invading other parts of the compound. Right now, as far as I know, they only managed to get your pet, Zllera, and if Elexa is right, possibly Wynd. However, we are not sure about the youngling, as she may still just be hiding."

Asnarl leaves my lips as I grab Raya by the arms, lifting her straight up in the air bringing her eye level with me. "Never will I hear that word out of your mouth again. MyAmori is not a pet. None of her people will ever be either, do you understand the words coming out of my mouth, daughter? That female is my mate, and my heart belongs to her … the rest be damned."

WhenRaya shakes her head, I can see it's not because she wants to, or that she agrees with me, but I know that she will not go against my words, even if she doesn't agree with them. "So, right now, they are the only three missing that we know of?" She nods. "Raya, see if you can gather a few volunteers to help with the walls. I will be headed into the deeper caverns shortly."

"Father, we have no idea where they are taking the ones captured. You could be headed completely in the wrong direction. Let one of us go instead, you are needed here with your people. We are disposable, you are not."

"Raya, if that had been you taken, in your heart, what do you believe I would do?"

"You would tear the walls down to get to me."

"Zllera does not have your strength. She is just a youngling, and she has to be terrified even if she is with Tessa. My daughter and my mate have been taken; the world is disposable to me at the moment. One rising you will understand when you have taken one as your own."

"Father, you still don't know where to go."

Upuntil this time, Onyx has been standing quietly by my side. "I have an idea of where they are being held. I just can't get through the crack to get to them. All these risings I have been missing. I have been tracking them through the caverns. At first, I was trying to locate their breeders, to see if there was a way we could somehow destroy them, as we all know they must stay close to a water source. But their numbers are so great I have not been able to sneak past them undetected. However, I have narrowed it down to one area, so that should make it quicker.

"They are able to reduce their body masses and the area I believe they are using as their home is only accessible through small openings. At first, I didn't realize that they were only taking the smallest of us. After watching them, it now makes more sense."

"We will take explosives to make the entrances larger."

"Father, we have no idea of how the section will hold up to that type of attack. You could collapse the entire place. The walls there move constantly. Several times I have been trapped only to be lucky enough to find an alternative route out. The entire area is unstable."

"What do you expect me to do … nothing?" I scream out to everyone around. They all look down and away from me as I have never raised my voice at any of them before.

"I have a suggestion, how about we have your son lead me to these cracks and I will see if I can find your missing kin before we level the place."

Alleyes turn towards the male who is materializing right in front of me. "SiN, I told you, this is of no concern of yours."

"Are you that proud or that stupid, ZoD? I am your best shot at finding them and you know it. And since I am here, I just made this my problem! Now what are we going to do about this pest problem you are having?"

"SiN, you don't understand: we can't kill them. The only thing that has ever killed one is the blood of a human female. You can hack them to pieces, and they just make more of the same. Theyoutnumber us a hundred to one; all I am trying to do is save my people."

"Well, let's even up those numbers a little, what do you say? In the meantime, we will hunt for the ones taken. I understand better than most the feeling of having no one to turn to." He turns away from me and I no more blink an eye that the other human female is standing next to him.

"CommanderZoD, let me introduce you to my mate, Jade. If what you are saying is true and the other female is yours, I understand the pull you have to destroy the entire place to get to her. However, one thing I can assure you is your little human is much stronger than she appears." He reaches down and kisses the female on the forehead. "Jade, my love, I need you to call for backup while we are trying to track the ones taken."

"SiN, there is no reason to bring others in that will only perish or need evacuating as this progresses. This is our problem; the others will not come."

"Commander, I mean no disrespect, but you don't know that until you make the call, and up until this very moment you haven't attempted to ask for help. You have done this your way and failed, let's try an alternative."

"Do whatever you want, SiN, but the Elders do not care about us, nor does anyone else. You are wasting mine and your time." SiN nods down at his female as she has been standing here quietly listening to us and before I can blink, once again she is gone.

SiNmust have seen the confusion on my face. "Jade is part of me, as yours will become part of you if you truly love her."

"I knew there was more to you two than either of you were letting on. When this is over you will tell me why you came here in the first place. Do we have an understanding? I don't appreciate your interference in my world, SiN."

"Fair enough, Commander."

Thesound of someone running our way has me turning. Elexa must have left at some point because she comes back into the room, a few packs in her hands. "Here are provisions and some healing aids for when you find them. Wynd still hasn't been located, so I think it's safe to say she is with Zllera and Tessa."

Onyxand I both grab a bag, strapping it around our waist. WhenElexa holds one out for SiN, he shakes his head no. "It takes me too long to mist if I have multiple things on me. I will be quicker without its aid, but I appreciate your thoughts. When my mate returns, I am sure she will help in any way needed."

Elexa, my sensible, steady child, walks up to me, hugging me around the waist. I have to close my eyes to keep from crumbling along with her. "Bring them back, Father." I kiss the top of her head and she turns away, running back down the hallway.

"I will have the others start repairs on the walls, Father."

"The command is yours, Raya." She stiffens up when I first pull her towards me, kissing her on the cheek. I know she is still upset with me and the circumstances, but we have no time for further discussions. She is my firstborn and every rising she reminds me more and more of my own mother. "Raya?"

"I know, Father, you need not say the words. Go quickly, so that you may return sooner."

Nodding, I turn towards Onyx. "Lead the way, son."

Thethree of us take off towards an abandoned part of the cavern. Soon we are having to squeeze through cracks and crevices. Ittakes forever for us to climb over the rocks and dig our way through the cave-ins. The entire time I am being pulled forward like my very soul is tethered to Tessa and it's trying to show me the way.