Spilt Secrets (A Talnarin Novel Book 2)

by D. E. Chapman

  Abel’s hand flies to his mouth as his eyes dart back to the girl. “You know what this means, do you not?”

  “Yes Abel, I do.” I know very well what this means, and what this means for the girl. She’ll never be able to live a normal life again.

  “But how did this happen? How did the rogues accomplish this? None of it makes sense, brother.”

  He’s right, it doesn’t make sense. Our hypothesis isn’t adding up as we expected.

  Abel gently pushes the hair from her face. He cares for the girl. In fact, he cares for her more deeply than I had anticipated. Even Zeke has grown rather attached during their time together. Unlike Abel, though, he’s not as open about his affection. If I hadn’t grown up with the man, I wouldn’t have noticed the change myself.

  I shake the thoughts from me.

  Looking up, I find Abel staring intently. “I don’t know.” I rack my hand through my hair, frustrated. “But we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

  Abel nobs solemnly before pulling up another chair on the opposite side of the bed. He stares down with so much sympathy, it’s hard to watch. Zeke leans against the wall next to the bed, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “I have Orion and Drako out gathering intel as we speak. I sent them back to that village in the woods to scope things out and search for any evidence we might have missed in our haste to leave.” I rub my tired eyes. “They’re due in for a report tomorrow. I also sent Mikhail for the results of the tests on the serum and equipment. We’ll get our answers soon enough.”

  “That is not to say that-”

  A loud groan echoes through the room. Her small frame writhes on the bed for a few moments before stilling. “That is not to say that the tests even come back conclusive. The data we pull, if we even manage to pull any, might not connect, brother.”

  “It’s our best bet, Abel.”

  Zeke speaks out, voice low. “What about her eyes? If she is what we think she is, then why silver? Why not gold?”

  Abel shakes his head. “I do not know. The blood work results were inconclusive. Only part of the DNA matches us. The rest of the data does not match any records we have in the database. We’re working blind.”

  More questions with no answers. I’m losing my patience.

  A knock at the door interrupts us. Without waiting for a response, the door is pushed open. Orion and Drako walk in and pass me a sealed letter. They then carefully set down the items I requested of Freya on the end table by Alanna’s bedside. I carefully tear it open and read the details. Good, looks like a rogue has been spotted. Without looking up I say, “You’re early.”

  Silent as usual, it’s Drako that speaks instead. “Sir. There was nothing left in the rubble or in the warehouse. I searched underground as well, but nothing turned up.”

  I glance up at my men. “How far down did you search?”

  “As far as I could.”

  I nob my approval. Good. Drako is one of the best Flokil manipulators we have. He’s mastered the ability to extend his energy through the roots roughly 50 heads down. This allows him to ‘see’ his surroundings underground. If their search tuned up emptyhanded, the rogues truly left nothing behind.

  “Now, this rogue location. The scout says there are no more than ten talnarins present. Did you two confirm?” I give them a hard stare.

  “Yes.” I allow a small smile to form. If they had told me no, I would have sent them through the training regimen again.

  “Very well. Easy enough to dispose of.” I look to Zeke, who’s already moved off the wall and stands at the ready. I will my voice to stay hard. “I want as many alive as possible. I want answers.” I hand him the document. “Take the rest of the team but leave Mikhail. Send for Erik and Seth to replace Kelog and Adrian at the door. Tell them nothing about the girl, either.”

  Just as the two leave the room Abel speaks up. “Anything else in the report, brother?”

  I shake my head and look to him. “No. Nothing useful. Every other lead we had turned up dead.” I sigh roughly and rub my face. “This is the first target we’ve had in months, Abel. What are we missing?”

  His expression remains solemn. “I do not know.” He reaches for the cloth and water bowl and starts to attend to the girl. Abel carefully wipes her forehead and settles the warm cloth there.

  “Zeke, send a reply. Extract the answers there; I don’t want chaos erupting here. Burn the bodies when you’re through.” I narrow my eyes. “Search the perimeter and clean it out. Anything and everything is to be brought back for testing and analysis. Send any remaining survivors to Craforian. Make sure they go to Chrome on the other side, regardless of their species. He’ll know what to do.” I look to Abel for confirmation. He nods. “Then burn the damn village to the ground. I want there to be nothing but ashes left. I want to send these fuckers a message.”

  A sadistic grin spreads across his face. I feel my smirk mirror his. “Will do, Boss.” He makes his exit with a dramatic bow.

  Dumbass. But at least I know he’ll get the job done.

  Abel looks at me sadly. “All this bloodshed. I wish it could be prevented.”

  My grin vanishes and I narrow my eyes. “They started this, Abel. I’m finishing it before more of my people die.”

  “I know, brother, I’m not doubting you. Not in the least. You know I back you in this completely.”

  I rub my eyes and sigh. “I know, Abel. I know.” Movement from the bed distracts me. Alanna twitches violently before stilling once more. “Now we just need to figure out how she plays into all of this. Why they created her and to what purpose. But the biggest question is… what the fuck is she?”

  “What she is, is a child, brother. Despite her capabilities, she is still just a child. Do not frighten her or degrade her for what they did to her.” Abel pins me with a fierce look. “She is a victim and your treatment of her was appalling. Make amends and fix it. She has already been brutalized enough by our people, Malik.”

  “I fixed it.” He shoots me a disbelieving look, one with narrowed eyes. “Alright, fine. I’m trying to fix it. Dealing with people isn’t my specialty.”

  “Brother, you need-”

  Screaming fills the air, cutting Abel off midsentence. We stand quickly, nearly knocking the chairs over. Alanna writhes on the bed, attempted to turn on her back. I grab her shoulders and hold her in place on her stomach. Blood starts to seep from her shoulder blades in rivulets, staining the white bedding. Tears in her flesh widen and stretch as the mass underneath her skin buckles. Her eyelids flicker rapidly and her breaths come out in pants. Another scream pierces the silence.

  She jolts and curls her legs in as best she can from her stomach. The masses push out and burst free from the two gashes in her back. Blood splatters across the infirmary as the masses expand. Alanna remains limp underneath my hands.

  I stare down, eyes wide.

  Whipping my head to the side, my golden eyes connect with Abel’s, bewildered expressions on both of our faces.

  She has silver wings.

  Chapter 13

  **

  Alanna

  I slowly peel my eyes open but slam them shut once more, the pain in my head bringing tears to my eyes.

  Then, I feel the immense pain in my back. I curl in on myself, noticing a dragging weight behind me, and I somehow find the will to open my eyes again. This time, I manage to keep them open. My brain feels foggy, and I need to stretch the ache from my bones. I attempt to move, but struggle to sit up, tipping over to one side.

  A familiar voice from behind me startles me. “Do you need help?” I whip around.

  Well, attempt to.

  I spin too fast and teeter to the side, my balance on the bed precarious. A hand reaches out and grasps my arm gently, saving me from toppling over. Once I’m righted, I glance up. Malik stands over me with an unreadable expression on his face.

  My eyes widen as I notice my surroundings for the first time.

  Where am I?


  It takes me a moment to recognize the infirmary. My thoughts begin to swirl and my heart races. Why am I here? When I did get here? How did I get here? I glance down and nearly scream.

  I’m naked.

  I scramble for the bloodied sheets and pull them close as my face heats with embarrassment. What in the Hellvian is going on?

  “W… why am… what…?” Beyond flustered, my words don’t come out right. I bury my face in the sheet as tears well up. This isn’t happening.

  The rough sound of a throat being cleared echoes out. In a hoarse voice, Malik says, “It was to help ease you through transition. I wasn’t looking. Neither were Abel or Zeke.”

  I balk.

  Holy shit! How many people saw me naked? I just want to curl up and die. Then the rest of what Malik says filters through. Transition? “What is transition?” I manage to mumble.

  “Take a look for yourself.” I snap my head up and furrow my brows. He points to his back with an expectant look on his face. I try to peer around him to see what he is pointing at but he shakes his head, a familiar smirk on his face. “Look at your back.”

  Embarrassment completely forgotten, I peer over my shoulder. A gasp escapes me and I twist my body back and forth, trying to get a better look.

  What I see doesn’t make any sense. There’s no way I have wings growing from my back.

  It’s a joke, a sick joke.

  They look like a beezle’s wings, clear and thin, shimmery and nearly see-through. Faint silver lines and swirls run the length of them, spanning in every direction. The outer edges are outlined in silver, too. They are long and thin, elegant. The wings themselves span higher than my shoulders and if I were to stand, I’d bet they reach past my knees too.

  I hesitantly touch the wings and marvel at the feel of them. It’s unlike any texture I have ever encountered before. They are silky and smooth, but also rough around the edges and over the ridges. The wings have these ridges, like tiny veins interlacing each other.

  The more I look and the more I touch, the more I like them. They are mesmerizing, hypnotizing in a way. Besides, my hair, ears, and eyes have changed, might as well tack on some wings while we’re at it.

  No big deal.

  Nonchalantly I ask, “Do you have wings?”

  His voice is gruff. “Yes.”

  “And what do they look like?” Silence reigns and I finally glance up. His expression is guarded, and I can sense he won’t say more. “Do the other talnarins have them too?”

  “A few.” Vague as shit and no help, typical responses from Malik. I wince as I pull too tight on the left wing.

  This is so weird.

  I can hear Malik’s smirk in his voice. “Stop pulling on them.” I narrow my eyes at the command but I still release my wing and turn to look at him. “Leave them be until you’ve fully healed. Freya will be coming in to check on you.”

  The door softly cracks open and the ever-graceful Freya makes her entrance. Her kind and patient smile is in place as she moves to the side of my bed. Malik had, thankfully, stepped back when I covered myself and now stands against the far wall. His arms are crossed as he watches the two of us. I look back to Freya and find her holding clothes in one hand. She holds a small object in her other hand, which she drops gently on the bed. She extends the clothes out and I clasp them to my chest. With a stern look over my shoulder to Malik, I hear a sigh from behind me. He quickly leaves the room, followed closely by Freya.

  Slowly, I stand and test my balance. I teeter to the side a couple times but manage to right myself. Once I’m standing, I peer over my shoulder for a full look. Sure enough, the tips of my wings graze my bare knees. I furrow my brows, attempting to move the wings like I would move my limb.

  After two failed attempts, I stop and dress. I stare down in shock. Baggy sweat pants sag a little low on my hips and my chest is still bear.

  No top. Why is there no top?

  He’s seen me naked. Zeke and Abel too.

  A soft knock causes me to jump. I whip my head around as Freya’s soft voice carries through the closed door. “May we reenter Alanna?”

  “Uh…” I look around frantically for anything that could be used as a shirt. Not seeing anything but the bloodied sheet, I yank it up. Why is the sheet so bloody anyway? Once I’m sufficiently covered I call out. “Sure.”

  The door creaks open and the two talnarins walk back in. Malik resumes his position against the wall while Freya stands in front of me. “I’m going to be monitoring you while you adjust to your wings in the next few weeks. For now, could you please turn for me.”

  Swallowing hard, I comply. Once my back is exposed to her, I look up and find Malik watching intently. My face heats and I glance at my toes.

  My head whips around at the strange sensation skating across my back. But it wasn’t my back. No, it is my wing she’s touching. It’s a weird feeling, like someone touching your hair.

  Freya laughs softly. “I’m going to assume you feel this, then.” I nod. “Good. Do you feel any different?”

  Do I feel any different? Yes. I feel exposed, but I know that’s not what she is talking about. “I feel off balance.”

  “Good. You will adjust in time. Anything else?” She pauses as if thinking. “Do you feel a shift in your energy where it lies untouched in your core?” Her eyes flick to my neck briefly. They widen marginally, like she just now noticed the collar around my neck.

  “No. I can’t feel my energy without prodding it.”

  Malik moves off the wall and my head shifts in his direction. Soon he’s towering over me, arms crossed. His deep voice echoes. “The collar stays on.”

  “But Malik-”

  He cuts Freya off, voice hard. “No. It stays on.” His eyes flick back to me. “It’s not intended as a punishment. Quite the opposite. It’s on to help you grow stronger and gain control.”

  I shrug nonchalantly. I change subjects. “Why is this bloody?”

  A smirk marks Malik’s face. “Your wings had to come from somewhere, didn’t they?”

  Smartass. “Oh, is that so?” My eyes widen in mock surprise. “They must have sprouted from my ass, that would explain the pain I feel there.” I gasp and cover my mouth, eyes wide. “Oh no, wait. My mistake.” His smirk widens and I hear a soft chuckle behind me. In all seriousness I say, “I don’t feel any pain though.”

  His expression sobers. “We gave you pain medication to help ease the pain, but it seems to be wearing off already.”

  I shake my head. “No, it’s not. I told you I don’t feel any pain.”

  He rubs his hand downs his face, voice low. “When Freya touched your wings, you reacted. The numbing agent is starting to wear down.” He gives me a hard stare. “You don’t feel pain now, but you will soon.”

  I turn at the sound of Freya’s voice. “I’m going to administer another dose. It will make you drowsy.” She smiles softly. “Please try to rest your wings as much as you can.” She reaches for the device she dropped at the foot of the bed. It’s a simple needle with a tube attached.

  I flinch. It’s not the same as the one They used, but it’s close. Theirs was a much larger needle and tube. This one is much smaller, but the similarities are too much to handle. I don’t want that thing anywhere near me. As she steps closer, I move backwards, hands raised in defense. Freya’s eyes widen and she pulls to a stop before glancing over at Malik. I keep her in my sights and ignore him, clutching the sheet tight.

  From the corner of my eye, I see him move closer. He steps in front of my line of view and I glance up, eyes narrowed. His expression is uncharacteristically soft. It causes me to startle back a step. Malik reaches his hands out and grips my shoulders gently, pulling me forward a step.

  Before I can protest, he rumbles out, “You were about to crush your wings against the wall.”

  Oh.

  “Now.” His golden eyes connect with mine. “I know what this reminds you of, but it’s not the same.”

  I flinch at his words. On
e of his hands leaves my shoulder and he reaches back. I see that it holds the needle. I try to step back but his other hand holds me still. “Look at it, Alanna. It’s not the same.” I’m not looking anywhere else but at it, afraid he’ll jab in in my arm. “This is to help with the pain. You’ll hardly feel a prick when it touches you.” Malik leans his head down closer to me, voice lowering. “It will not burn your insides. It will not hurt you. Trust me, Alanna.”

  I stare up into his eyes wanting to believe what he says. Wanting to trust him. And when I look at the needle, I already know it’s not the same. The liquid in the vial isn’t even the same color. This one is clear. The other one was always gold.

  Slowly, I nod.

  The most beautiful smile forms on Malik’s face. It’s gentle and sweet, one I’ve never seen from him before. It’s so startling that I stare open mouthed. It’s so beautiful that my heart starts to pound. As I stare, the rest of the world falls away.

  All too soon, he moves away and the moment is broken.

  I shake off my thoughts and furrow my brows. What just happened? Malik hands Freya the now empty vial as I stare in shock. Did they already administer the medicine?

  “You’re all set now, Alanna. Please rest. Feel free to use another bed. One that isn’t bloody. And remember to not move your wings until I give the okay.” With that, Freya leaves the room, closing the door gently behind her.

  “How long am I supposed to stay here? In the infirmary, I mean?” I look to Malik who’s watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.

  He rubs his hand behind his neck before saying, “Until Freya releases you. I’d say at least two weeks.”

  My jaw nearly drops to the floor. “What? That long? What about training?”

  His trademark smirk is back in place. “You’re still going to train. Your lessons will continue, too.” Before I can protest the feasibility of training in the infirmary, Malik says, “I’ll teach you how to manifest Mindula. It’s the least physically demanding affinity and the least destructive.”

  Well, at least I get something to do while I sit on my ass for two weeks. “Fine. When do we start?”