Halfblood Legacy

by Rheaume, Laura

Soon.

  Hmmm. Okay. Good-bye!

  I’ll visit you when I finish here.

  Good.

  “You see?” Morgan asked, leading Ian to the next unit.

  “Yes.” Ian could see very clearly how hard it must have been for his father. It was already becoming Ian’s burden, and he knew without a doubt that his daughter’s life would be tied up in theirs as well.

  “It will be easier for you if you don’t talk to them, if they are just mindless flesh to you. If you keep yourself apart from them, you will still be able to walk away, Ian.” His father looked at him intently while he waited for the next barrier to rise. “You don’t need to put yourself in the way of this choice.”

  Ian nodded, but his eyes were already on the next child.

  Chapter 49

  When Morgan told him he had gone far enough, a short while after the last hold on Mercy had been severed, Scythe slowed and looked for a good place to stop and rest. He had carried Mercy for a good fifteen minutes and they had made their way into a part of the city that had clearly been unused for many, many years.

  The electric lights came on automatically whenever they entered a new section, illuminating more than just finely decorated hallways. Unlike the Kin, the People were obviously a very outwardly social community. Their city was filled with numerous public areas that were built to hold hundreds and were thoughtfully designed as well as highly ornamented. Small open restaurants, sometimes with tables encircling a stage, were common. They passed a great hall with at least two dozen rows of pews and an exquisite altar at the front and over a dozen different districts that had catered to the diverse needs of a large population. His favorite was the artisan district where many of the creative and beautiful works were still displayed in the windows of the empty shops. There were booths or businesses for everything imaginable, from furnishings and clothing to restaurants and food markets. Spread throughout the entire city were smaller structures that must have been the private homes of the People. He estimated that the city was big enough to hold at least a thousand people, and that was just in the little he had seen.

  Even though he walked through the middle of the very city that proved their existence, he still found it baffling that there was a third race that the Kin and the Humans didn't know about. It was like walking in a dream, especially when he stepped into an area that lit up by itself and revealed a spectacular view of another inspirational gathering place of the People. When that happened, a peculiar sensation overcame him. He kept thinking that in a moment he would wake up, probably in Heron's mountain retreat, and head to the kitchen for breakfast with a wild story about a mythical people. But, he didn't wake up. Instead, he shook off the feeling, and kept walking.

  How they had been able to keep a large civilization this advanced a secret for so long mystified him. There hadn’t been one mention of them in all the reading he had done, and he had searched for the third seal for weeks. Tiburon had been looking for years and he hadn't found the information either.

  Scythe shook his head. Tiburon was right, and he didn't even know it. The third seal was an incalculable treasure, a priceless resource. Given the incredible power and the technological prowess that he had encountered so far, the Scere was right to shield them for as long as possible. In their weakened state, the People would have been easily overcome by either of the other two races. Overcome and then either exploited or eliminated.

  Mercy’s eyes cracked open slightly and she lifted her limp hand from where it hung loosely over his shoulder to lightly rub against the skin on his neck. Her fingers hesitated over the fresh scars, and then began to trace each one with the lightest touch.

  He looked down at her, and his stomach turned at how weak she looked. Her pale, thin face was slack and she breathed shallowly through her mouth.

  She swallowed and asked, “What’s going on?”

  I’m finding someplace to lie down, my Mercy.

  That sounds good. You need to rest.

  He chuckled. You’re right.

  Scythe, what happened to your neck? Who did that?

  He wasn’t prepared to share that story with her yet. Later, my Mercy.

  She nodded minutely and patted him comfortingly on the chest. Then her hand curled up into a loose fist and huddled against her body. Scythe walked into what looked like an office, with a receptionist’s desk and several dusty but serviceable couches lined up against the wall, waiting room style. He laid Mercy on one, relieved to finally be able to rest. He had used up his adrenaline rush quite a while ago, and was desperately in need of a long nap. He sat down on the couch and pulled her into a light hug across his lap. He leaned back, dipping his head down to rub his nose on the top of her head.

  Don’t.

  Don’t what? she asked, knowing full well what he was talking about.

  Stubborn woman. Don’t think about that. You are concentrating on shoring up all the holes you made in yourself and rebuilding your energy. That’s it.

  It’s not going to go away, Scythe.

  No, it’s not, so it will still be there later, right? We’ll take it one step at a time, starting then. But, if you’re not careful, we won’t have a then to work with.

  She sighed and closed her eyes. It’s hard.

  I know. He watched her chase away the guilt and the worry and a handful of other equally incapacitating emotions that crept around in her head, circling, waiting for a chance at her. He could tell that it was going to be a long recovery.

  He was grateful to have even that.

  It had been very close, he thought to himself. He had nearly lost her. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to follow his own advice, to remember that he didn’t like to dwell on things that had already passed. Don’t think about it, he reprimanded himself, at the memory of her power flying out of Edillian’s column, each ribbon like the one that he had been forced to shear off his own body. Each one draining her life away. Don’t think about what it was like to finally reach her and find that she was already drifting away. He shuddered at the echo of the feeling of her slowly pulling out of his grasp.

  Don’t think about her begging him, begging him, to let her give her life, to let her die.

  Sigh. He wasn’t any good at not thinking about it today. What he was going to be good at was giving her the lecture of her life. In the back of his head, he was already outlining it. Seventeen main sections so far. Meanwhile, he worked on distracting her.

  Mercy Young.

  She jumped at his firm tone, and the dogs scattered.

  You’re supposed to be at school. Isn’t the semester ending soon?

  I left, and, she hesitated, I won’t be able to go back.

  Why? It was not the “why” of “Why don’t you please tell me?” it was the “Why are you telling me something that is so obviously impossible?”

  I compromised my identity. She sent him a few snapshots with short bits of memories attached to them. Then she tried to soothe him when he nearly sprung up and dumped her on the floor. Don’t worry, it worked out oka…

  Scythe clung to her. His heart was beating frantically...again...while he processed all the different images she had given him. Each one was just as shocking and unbelievable as the one before it. There was a stolen car, a stolen...wait...a stolen baby?!

  What...You let yourself get captured by a bounty hunter? And Cord agreed with it?

  It seemed like an okay idea...

  And you told a researcher all about yourself? It was as if she...had she purposely done the opposite of every single thing he had taught her? No. That didn’t make any sense at all. There was no reason for it. It had to be something else, something strategic...

  Maybe we should save it for later…

  Nope. No strategy that involved disregarding all logical strategies.

  He was only barely able to let it go, and that was because she was starting to get upset with how upset he was getting. Two long breaths. No...two more. He was supposed to be distracting her, not making it w
orse for her.

  Mercy. Why do all of my plans go out the window whenever you are involved?

  Her answer surprised him. She was supposed to get feisty and snap at him. Instead, she sighed miserably. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just us. My plans were a disaster, too.

  He thought about her desire to finish school and build a career for herself. We can always get you another identity. You’ll probably have to take a bunch of classes over, and it will take a while, but you…

  No. Not that. I don’t care about that.

  That was another strange response. He didn’t understand why she would say that either. She had been so excited about school, enthusiastically sharing what she was learning whenever she was home, doing extra studying on the side and planning out her schedule of classes for the next few years. What do you mean?

  It doesn’t matter now. It’s over.

  Mercy, tell me. He reminded her of his promise when they were in Edillian’s alcove with a quick image: “You will tell me everything, and then, my Mercy, we will work it out.” What plans were ruined?

  I’ve been living a lie.

  A lie? How? He spoke softly, since she was starting to cry. The smell of her tears and the way her body shook made his chest feel like it was collapsing in on itself.

  I had...a vision long ago. Back when I went to find you, remember?

  The one where you were older but not that different? I remember. What about it?

  It wasn’t what I thought it was. I...I’ve been working toward this vision and...it turned out to be something completely different. It was all just a waste.

  What was wasted?

  All of my work, trying to be something, for...for someone.

  For me, right?

  She stilled, sniffed and then nodded. Yes.

  He took a deep breath. I’m glad. She had nearly died. He had, too. He couldn’t believe that she had any room in her mind for worrying about things like old visions she had had years ago. He was just grateful to have her in his arms. This moment, even filled with tears and regret, was like a miracle to him.

  What? She pulled away to stare at him.

  Scythe wiped his thumb across a trail of tears and then leaned forward and kissed the damp skin beneath her eyes. He loved it, loved it, that he could kiss her like this. It was as natural as breathing and the feel of her skin on his lips made his whole body tingle.

  I said that I’m glad, and I am. I’ve been waiting for that stupid thing to come and go for a while now.

  You knew? How could you know about my vision? Did my dad tell you?

  No. I don’t know what you saw in your vision, and I don’t really care. I did know that it was about you and me, though. It wasn’t really hard to figure out, after all these years. I have known for a while that you’ve been using it as a reason to push yourself, which I wasn’t really opposed to, since I wanted you to work hard anyway. But, he added, squeezing her for emphasis, I eventually grew to hate it.

  Why? It...it was beautiful. I lived for it.

  I know, and that’s what made me so angry. I couldn’t wait for it to just happen, so that...He shrugged, unable to find the right words. I wanted you to be free of it.

  He took advantage of the lull as she thought about what he had said to rub his cheek along hers. He puffed a little air out of his nose and then breathed in, filling his head with her scent.

  “I love you,” he whispered into her ear, soaking up the way her body shivered when the soft breath touched her. I love you. I have never been interested in anything else. I didn’t want some woman created just for me, a woman twisted into the shape of what you thought I would want or desire. I have always desired you, just as you are. I wanted you to grow into the woman you wanted to be, not the woman you thought I deserved or needed or whatever crazy idea it was that you had. That’s why I thought it was a good idea for you to go to school, so you could just grow into yourself, without me around messing up everything. Do you understand?

  “But, I wanted to be strong so that I could stand by you…”

  “You are strong. You are stronger than me.”

  “No, I mean...I wanted to be a warrior, like Anora…”

  “I don’t love Anora.” He kissed her. Nine thousand more, before he was satisfied. “I love you.”

  “I wanted to be smart, so you would respect…”

  “Everything you are is just what I want.”

  She shook her head, “You’re not understanding what I’m saying.”

  “Then tell me.” He kissed her, this time slower, so she could kiss him back. She did. Nope. Nine thousand was not going to be enough.

  She blinked, trying to remember what she was about to say. “I...I just wanted to be better.”

  “We are all doing that. I am too.” He noticed that her color was improving, and she was more alert than she had been before. He grinned, inside and out, pleased to have found purely by accident such a fabulous restorative therapy.

  “But I wanted to reach for this vision, and it was...it wasn’t you at all. It was…”

  She was taking too long. He kissed her again. Then he looked at her expectantly. When she didn’t continue, he prompted, “Yes? It wasn’t me, and then…?”

  He watched her watching his lips, and it was too much for his weak will. He lowered his face so that she could give him her own sweet gift. After a moment, he raised his mouth until it was just above hers, and let his lips brush hers while he spoke, “It wasn’t me...and so?”

  When she still didn’t answer, he pulled back and looked at her. With almost no effort, she took a hold of him: first his eyes, then his body. Right on its heels, his entire being followed obediently. He didn’t resist. He let her see that it was all hers, if she wanted it. Then he watched as her eyes widened and her mouth opened with a little Oh. The revelation was almost a living thing that he could see being born right at that moment.

  “It doesn’t matter…” she whispered, finally understanding. “It doesn’t matter at all, what I saw.”

  “Nope. What matters is right now.” He didn’t need a vision to tell him what to live for, what to strive for. The answer to that had always been right there in front of him.

  He had waited a long time. He had almost waited too long and lost everything. He didn’t want to let another second go by. Mercy Young, you have my heart. Give me your favor. Be my wife. Live for me and with me. Honor me with your love.

  Scythe. Her love was a melody that wound through his body, taking a hold of every stray piece of him and tying them together until he was whole.

  “Scythe, son of Scythe, bearer of my favor. You are my husband,” she said in Kin, and then whispered, I have always, always loved you.

  His next breath was like his first. It filled what was empty and started what was still. He was alive.

  “I can feel it,” she said, her voice hushed with amazement.

  “What, my Heart?”

  “Your happiness.”

  Chapter 50

  “There is nothing to do but wait,” Morgan said again and held their eyes until he saw their acceptance. Some of the people around the table nodded, some looked down at their plates, and a few covered their faces with their hands. Then he picked up his spoon and ate. He had accepted it long ago, but it was still hard for them.

  Seven of the children that had attacked Mercy had already died. They had been too weak to get to the precious ahhiels of either their siblings or the powered visitors, due to the vigilance of those like Ian and himself. Finally, they had done what their brothers and sisters had done years before. They began to feed on their own power until they injured themselves fatally and then died. The twenty-nine others hung in their tanks, kept alive by the advanced technology his people had been so proud of, so they were guaranteed to suffer as long as possible before they fell into the same pit.

  Morgan had done what he could with the ones that had gone feral, but they had been strengthened by Mercy’s interference, and that had set them on a path they
couldn’t leave. In fact, they wouldn’t leave it if they could: infected with the hunger, their gentle natures were destroyed and they were left mentally unstable. He couldn’t reason with them on any level. Physically, they had too much energy to stay at the hibernation stage, but were not strong enough to live on their own. He had tried to put them into the sleep of his people anyway, but they fought it; even when he managed to force them to sleep, the hunger woke them shortly afterwards.

  Of the fifteen who had resisted the hunger, two had already died, and nine had been returned to hibernation. The four that remained had stabilized. They had been removed from their tanks and lay in the hospital, weak but alive. He didn’t have an explanation for their condition, but he didn't expect them to live long, despite the fact that they showed no signs of deterioration. None of the children had ever survived outside of the tanks without an ahhiel. For now, they were monitored and in high spirits: they had many visitors to play with. Most of the adults and children from Ian’s large family had found room in their hearts for them and were eager to cheer them.

  He looked down the table at the people gathered there. Every seat was full. Kin, Humans, halfbloods and himself: all of them came together to share a meal at his table.

  Ian and Lena had elected to stay in his city for the time being, and the others had followed suit. Their own home was lost to them and they didn’t have anywhere else to go, but that was not why they stayed. They stayed for his children, because, like Mercy and Ian, they easily invested themselves in others. They wanted to help. Even though he knew that nothing they could do would change the outcome, he was glad of their optimism and dedication.

  Morgan was selfishly glad about their decision. It was rejuvenating to be around people again, to have the streets of the city of his ancestors being walked again. Daily a group of them explored a different area, marveling at the ingenuity of the technology and at the love for beauty that the artisans put into even the smallest details of their work. They had already chosen homes and had begun to tailor them to their own needs. A team of adventurous souls had gone out into the valley and explored the old farmhouses, fields and surrounding land on the terraces.