Page 64 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

Her mother frowned. "I don't understand what you're asking."

"We were told that women can carry the immortal gene and pass it to their children, but they cannot become immortal themselves. So how did the women in this village become immortal?"

"They were born that way. Like the harem ladies. They are the daughters of gods."

Sullha shook her head. "Only some of the females in this village are the daughters of gods, and the Kra-ell are another story that's too complicated to explain right now. The harem ladies were not born that way. They were Dormants like us, and they transitioned. The same is true for the rest of the immortal females in the village. We can turn immortal, Mother. We always could, but we were lied to."

Her mother didn't look as stunned as Sullha had expected. She must have suspected something already.

"I guess they have advanced technology," she finally said. "Knowledge that they brought from the time of the gods. They know how to turn dormant females into immortals."

In a way, that was true, and Sullha could have ended the conversation at that, but she was tired of keeping secrets.

"It's true that they brought the knowledge from the time of the gods, but the method does not require anything that is not available on the island. We could have transitioned the same way the boys do. We were kept human on purpose so we would keep producing children. It had nothing to do with being unworthy in the eyes of Mortdh. It was all a big lie because fertility drops to almost nothing after a Dormant turns immortal, and Navuh needed immortal warriors for his army. He needed breeders who kept producing. Dormant doesn't mean having less potent genes or being inferior. It means that the godly genes are inactive and need activation, and it applies equally to males and females."

Leehy laughed, which was the last response Sullha had expected from her.

"What's funny?"

"You are. Someone's fed you a bowl of nonsense. We can't fight an immortal male as the boys do. We are weak females. That is what makes us inferior."

Sullha wanted to roll her eyes but stifled the urge. "So, how were the village females who were not born immortal transitioned?"

"I don't know." Leehy threw her hands in the air. "As I said, they have advanced technology, and that includes knowledge about activating dormant genes."

"It's done with a venom bite, Mother. The same as for the boys. The difference is the trigger. Boys have to fight older immortal males while females have to have sex with them. That's why immortal males were not allowed in the enclosure. Navuh wanted to ensure that we stay dormant and keep popping out children."

Leehy opened her mouth, then closed it, and opened it again. "So, you are telling me that if I want to stop the wilting I have to go to bed with an immortal?"

"Yes, but you choose who you want to be your inducer, and if you don't want to transition, no one will even try to convince you to do it."

Leehy grimaced. "Why can't they just extract the venom into a syringe and inject us with it?"

That was actually a good question, and Sullha had no answer for it. Why hadn't she thought to ask Margaret?

Because she didn't want to be injected with a syringe. Because she wanted Yaaf.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Margaret only talked about sex with an immortal and said that the venom bite is very pleasurable. She didn't say anything about syringes."

Leehy looked down into her tea. "That's because to her, sex was about pleasure, so she couldn't understand someone like me who would rather have a syringe." She looked up at Sullha. "I don't know how you can still crave it."

"I didn't before Yaaf. I love him, and that makes all the difference."

24

ANNANI

"My daughter Sari is coming to see you in a little while," Annani said. "Do you remember me telling you about her?"

Two squeezes.

"That is quite all right. I will tell you again." She smoothed the blanket over Khiann's chest. "Sari is my fourth child. She lives in the North Lands and crossed half the world to meet you. She meant to come yesterday morning, but you slept the day away, and I did not want her first sight of you to be of you sleeping. Although, to be honest, she was curious, so she came down here and peeked at you from the doorway."

His brows rose.

"Do not be upset. You must realize that I have told my children a lot about you, and now that you are here, they cannot wait to see you."

The corner of his mouth lifted.