“Exactly.” Chief’s expression doesn’t change. “That’s why you’re perfect for this.”
I want to argue, but there’s no point. The decision is made. I was outvoted by my own brothers. “She wants to interview all the brides,” I say flatly. “Including Leah.”
Chief nods. “Then you’ll escort her to employee housing when the time comes. Everyone has agreed to speak to her, including Leah.”
Of course she has. Leah sees the best in everyone. So does Jana, and Lila, and all the other females who have somehow decided that human-loving margol Xylan miners are worth mating.
I’m not convinced.
Scar speaks again, his voice low. “I’ve chased all the leads on our parents’ murder. Every path circles back to dead ends.”
I look at him. His scarred face reveals nothing, but I know my brother. The need for answers eats at him constantly.
“Fresh eyes might see something I missed,” he continues. “She got past Grytel with a cover story. That tells me she’s clever. Clever can be useful.”
“Or dangerous.”
“Same thing.” A ghost of something crosses his features. Not quite a smile. “Give her a chance to prove herself. One way or another, we’ll know soon enough what she’s really after.”
I say nothing, then I turn and walk out.
Dinner is chaos,as usual.
Everyone is here, ready to take a seat, minus Leah, Hook and their offspring who usually have meals in their own quarters. The rest of us live in a lively family group which at times is annoying with the lack of privacy, but good in that we’re all together. Being unmated and yet able to live with my brothersand their families, is pleasing. I like to think that our parents would be pleased to see how we’ve managed to overcome so many obstacles and yet create this quality life for the Fever Brothers mining team.
Lia runs circles around the table while Lila tries to wrangle her into submission. Zora is in Roxy’s massive arms, sticky fingers grabbing at everything within reach. Baby Rux fusses in his high chair until Jana scoops him up with one arm while directing the placement of the meal with the other.
Three small children and two pregnant brides. Lila’s belly is starting to show again, and Naomi keeps touching her still-flat stomach with a soft, secret smile.
This is what we’ve built. After everything was taken from us, we’ve rebuilt a large, extended family and a comfortable existence.
And now there’s a journalist in our midst, ready to blow it all to hell.
Ines arrives on time. I can’t keep my eyes off her. This female is highly annoying, and yet stunningly beautiful at the same time, which manages to make me angrier. She’s changed clothes, tamed her dark curly hair into something that almost behaves. And she’s appropriately wearing the green gloves of the unmated.
She catches my eye across the room, boldly holds my gaze and doesn’t look away.
I look away first. Irritated at myself.
“Welcome, Ines,” Roxy exclaims. “It’s so nice to see someone straight from Singapore. I know you’re here to interview us, but you’re also going to have to tell us all the latest news on what’s happening on New Earth.”
The other females loudly welcome her in their midst. Naomi pulls out a chair for her, Jana asks about her food preferences, Lila immediately starts explaining who all the children are.
Lia toddles over to stare at the new human with open curiosity.
Ines crouches down to the toddler’s level. “Hi there. What’s your name?”
“Lia,” my niece says with a slight, childish slur.
“She’s two years old,” Lila proudly announces.
“Two. That’s very grown up.”
Lia beams and runs off to hide in her father’s lap.
I watch from across the room. Ines fits in too easily. She laughs at something Rook says, and then asks Roxy about her work in the science lab, and moves on to compliment Jana on the food. The children warm to her immediately—even Zora, who usually cries around strangers, reaches for Ines’s shiny earring with grabby fingers.
A frown grows on my features. She’s good at this. Making beings comfortable and getting them to open up. It’s what journalists do.
