Page 74 of Pet: Genesis

Why are there humans hiding inIriel’s home?

The new voice doesn’t speak, but I hear his footsteps approaching us quickly. He steps around Julius, eyeing me as Julius’s grip tightens.

“All slaves without inhibitors know not to come here tonight. Are you another human spy? Betraying the human race for your own freedom?” he growls. My eyes shift to his, my eyes widening as I take him in. His hair is dark like mine and pushed out of his face, giving me the perfect view of his vividly green eyes. He looks vaguely familiar to me, almost like my father in a sense.

I flinch in pain as Julius presses harder, pushing my locket into my collarbone.

“Let her go,” the man says softly. Julius reluctantly drops me, stepping back and immediately aiming a weapon at my face.

“Answer quickly, or the inside of your head will decorate the wall,” he growls. I rub my throat in pain, trying to catch my breath before speaking. I don’t know how to respond. Am I a spy? Remus only wanted me to deliver this package to Iriel. He never said to look for anything or report anyone. But if he’s aware of this development and I kept it from him, I know there will be hell to pay. I’m petrified. I shakily reach for the box, pushing it in front of me.

“I was only sent to deliver this,” I whisper. I hear the deafening click of the loaded weapon and tense as I wait for my inevitable death.

“Wait.”

The man immediately pushes aside the weapon, kneeling to my height. His hands shakily reach for the locket that dangles around my neck. He gently holds it and I immediately notice his hands are shaking. He knowingly places his thumb on the side, and it pops open to reveal the family picture I’ve carried with me since their deaths. Except, the boy in the picture is now a man. And he’s kneeling in front of me with tears in his eyes as he looks at the image.

“... Iris?” His voice is hopeful as he looks at me, searching my face for our parents’ features. He looks baffled to see me, and I am just as shocked to see him.

“How?” he whispers. “I thought... I thought you were dead...”

I can’t find any words as I take him in. The last time I saw him was when he and my father had their final fight. A fight that resulted in him leaving and never coming back or even calling for years. A fight that my parents were arguing about on the day of their deaths.

Cypress slowly drops the locket, his arms wrapping around me.

My mind is racing as my thoughts collide with one another. Everything is slowly falling into place. Why Remus always asked about my brother’s fate and my certainty of his death. Why he sent me here on this fake errand and why he even observed this town for a week. I finally find the words to say to my brother after years of thinking he was dead.

“You’re all in danger.”

Before he can respond, a loud explosion sounds in the distance. I feel Cypress tense over me, followed by Julius’s voice.

“Dammit! We’re late. Cypress, it’s time,” Julius says.

“You go. I’ll catch up,” Cypress says over me. Neither of them seems concerned about the explosion, which can only mean one thing.

“Cypress. We need our commanding officer—”

“I said, I’ll catch up.”

Julius looks irritated but presses an oval object to his chest. I watch in shock as his body is covered in armor—armor that I recognize as similar to what the Leviathan wear. Julius looks down at us before making his way to the door.

“You better,” he calls.

Just as Julius exits, another explosion occurs, this time quaking the ground beneath us. I look around in a panic, but Cypress seems to be in control. His eyes are looking toward the door.

“What’s going on?” I ask in a panic. Cypress stands from his place, helping me to my feet as he places the same object Julius had on the center of his chest. He slowly becomes encased in armor before answering me.

“We’re taking another one of their towns.”

He makes his way to a pad on the wall, typing in a code. The door slides open to reveal more armor, and he immediately reaches for one, placing it on me—the armor forms, building itself upon my body before Cypress pulls me along with him.

“I can’t guarantee your safety out there. Iriel’s home is known as a safe place among the resistance. They won’t touch it or you. I will come back for you once this is all over.”

Cypress moves to enter the battle, and I latch onto his arm with all my might.

“No! You can’t go,” I shout.

“Iris—”

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