Page 63 of Carnal: The Beast Who Loved Me

“Because, as you said earlier, you have extrahuman abilities.”

Free nodded. “Your people feel vulnerable.”

“Yes,” the mayor confirmed as if he was afraid to verify that suspicion.

Free tapped his fingers on the table for a few seconds as if he was trying to make up his mind about something.

“Can that be rectified?”

The mayor blinked, but looked intrigued. “How do you mean?”

“I don’t want my people to fear yours. I don’t want yours to fear mine. What would have to happen to rectify that and build an alliance between us?”

The mayor looked at Rosie, then Carnal, then Clash, before bringing his attention back to Free. He shrugged. “I don’t know. Feelings are somewhat… deep seated.”

“My advisor has suggested that separation fuels fear and mistrust. Is she right about that?”

The mayor pursed his lips. “Possibly.” He glanced at Carnal. “For one thing, your hybrid males would have to stop exploiting the young women of Farsuitwail.”

Free grinned. “Exploiting? Is that what the young women of Farsuitwail say after they’ve begged for cock from my single males?” The mayor looked uncertain, opened his mouth as if to respond, but decided to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself. “Let’s set that aside for a moment. Getting back to secret studies. What are you teaching, exactly, and where?”

“Our goal is twofold. To eventually recreate the technology that the Rautt destroyed. Eliminating the terror under which we’ve been living is the biggest part of that, but it’s not all for military purposes. Uh, self-defense. Some of it is about restoring quality of living. Many of our people don’t even remember how it was before.”

“Before the hybrids you created broke free and turned things around, you mean?”

The mayor’s jaw set when he realized he’d talked himself into a trap of condemnation. “Yes. That is what I mean.”

“And the first phase of your plan, the part about eliminating terror, was that to be directed strictly toward Rautt? Or toward us as well?”

Comstock’s face went stark. He lookeddeathlyafraid. Rosie couldn’t find it in herself to feel sorry for him after witnessing some of what the Exiled had been through in the process of protecting the good people of Farsuitwail. She hated that she’d guessed correctly about what the humans were up to.

“You have to understand,” the mayor began, “too many of us draw little or no distinction between your people and Rautt. They believe that hybrids, all hybrids, are a threat to humans. Given the fact that we barely survived genocide…”

“Your response to ‘barely surviving genocide’ might have been more noble.” Turning toward Rosie, Free said, “Seems you were right. We’re lucky that someone with knowledge of humans is sympathetic to Exiled. I was ill-prepared for this, but have learned a valuable lesson. You may speak.”

Rosie looked at the mayor and said, “We need to know everything about your plan. Have you reconstructed weaponry capable of wiping out the Rautt?”

The mayor hesitated, then said, “Yes. We’re in the final stages.”

“So you’ve cultivated a new crop of scientists and technicians?”

“Yes.”

Rosie looked at Free. “Might we ask the mayor to step out into the hall for a few minutes. While we confer?”

Free’s brow crinkled slightly, but he turned to Comstock. “Mr. Mayor, if you please.” Clash moved toward the door. “Make sure he stays close by and make sure he speaks to no one.” Clash nodded as he ushered the man out and closed the door.

“You have suggestions?” Free asked.

“I do. First thing on the agenda. We need those among you who have aptitude for such things to spend time here learning everything they know. That’s thebestway to keep Exiled safe. Second, you need to move here.”

“What?”

“As long as you’re separated by distance, you’re going to be ‘other’ and ‘other’ usually means enemy to humans. Move here so that your daily activities coincide with humans, so that they can’t leave their homes without seeing you do the same. When they go to the market, they find Exiled shopping in the market. When they go to the park, they find Exiled in the park. Intermingle with them. Your children and human children should be educated together.” Free’s brow wrinkled at that. “Third, I highly recommend intermarrying.”

His head jerked upward as anger fired in his eyes. “Force us to marry?”

“No. Of course not. I don’t think force will be necessary. Exiled are having four boys for every girl from what I’ve seen. That means you have alotof single males.” She couldn’t resist a glance at Carnal when she said that and saw that she held his focused and unwavering attention. “Some of them would rather be spending their nights in the comfort of a home shared with a wife and children than at the Commons.”

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