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He’s not human,she reminded herself.He’s Maltaffian.
But she had never really allowed herself to considerwhat that meant. Now she was faced with irrefutable evidence that they had very important physical differences that went deeper than his muscular build, fierce horns, and beautiful skin tone.
They were out the front door in no time, and hover-car waited in the middle of the front lawn.
Stark ran for it, but Olivia couldn’t help glancing back to see that the illusions had already been dropped away from the house. It was nothing more than a wooden frame structure. The waterfall around it had been created with the water from a single hose and a carefully placed sprinkler misting the balcony.
“I am sorry Olivia,” Oberon said softly. “I cannot hold the simulation while doubling my usual security protocols.”
“It’s fine,” she told him. “What a wonderful job you did, creating all that magic for us.”
It seemed to her that the moon above them glowed brighter for a moment. But when she looked up, she saw that the sky was filled with an army of drones.
“Have those been here all along?” she asked.
“They have,” Oberon said.
“What happened here?” she murmured to herself.
“I am not at liberty to disclose,” Oberon told her.
“Oppyx will tell me,” Stark bit out. “Or I’ll remove my security tonight.”
“Dr. Oppyx is waiting to speak with you personally, Mr. Rawling,” Oberon said. “She expects you will have questions.”
“And I expect that she’ll answer them,” Stark shot back.
They reached the car as a man in a lab coat hopped out and opened the door for them.
“ID badge,” Stark barked at him.
The man’s eyes widened and he froze for a moment.
“Get your hands moving before I decide which one I’m going to break first,” Stark said.
The man sprang to life, scrambling to find his ID badge and hold it out. Stark calmly tapped his bracelet to scan it.
“Fine,” he said, placing Olivia gently on the ground, but not letting go of her hand. “Here we go.”
They boarded the hover-car and Olivia watched the forest and meadow melt away as the car flew toward a huge white building she could see in the distance.
The beach was real, she could see it as they passed. But there were scaffolds and screens everywhere that might have appeared to her as castles and mansions if Oberon’s attention weren’t focused on the perimeters.
She had wondered selfishly how the illusions were made, and now she could see it all. It was one thing to lose the magic, but if there were a real security threat, this might be the end of the place.
The end of my hope to be a mother…
Her heart mourned the loss of Stark, too, though that had always been inevitable.
She knew she should stay calm. After all, it was only protesters.
But what are they protesting? And how angry are they? Angry enough to breach the walls?
She buttoned her lips, knowing that if she expressed fear it would drive Stark wild. And knowing he wasalready on edge made her fear the repercussions of this night could be bigger than she imagined.
Glancing up at her brave Maltaffian soldier, she wondered when he had become so protective of her. His arm was around her now, sheltering her from whatever was outside the car.
The hover-car lifted as they reached the building, landing on a roof pad, then lowered them with a hiss. The moment the doors opened, Stark had her in his arms. He ran for the doors at the end of the pad like something was after them, and this time Olivia didn’t dare look back.
