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Cara stood and moved closer to Iris. The cabin wasn’t large, so they soon stood toe to toe. “You took us to Earth without our parents’ permission, didn’t you? That’s why the Altorians consider this a rescue.Youare the kidnappers. You andAuntAutumn.”
“This is nonsense, Aspen. I don’t believe a word that comes out of her mouth.”
Unfortunately, Cara believed Iris was finally telling the truth. “We’re on a spaceship, for God’s sake. If this isn’t real, then how do you explain what’s happening right now? And my name is Cara, not Aspen.”
Raina pivoted toward Iris as she challenged, “Show us. If this conduit thing is real, do something magical.”
“It is not that simple,” Iris said. “I have been separated from my triad for two decades and my age—”
“You’re full of shit,” Raina concluded. And then called out, “Get this person out of here. I’m finished listening to her lies!”
The door burst open and an armed guard dragged Iris from the cabin. His alien origins were even more obvious than the guard Cara had seen before and a shiver dropped down her spine.
“This isn’t real,” Raina insisted, but the wild look in her eyes told Cara that she was terrified that it was true. “It can’t be real.”
Raina was taken to a different location as soon as they arrived on Altor, so Cara faced the next two weeks entirely on her own. There was no denying that she was on an alien planet. Altor bore little resemblance to Earth. She met her biological parents and they quickly confirmed much of what Iris had said. Living in denial was nearly impossible when everything around her supported her grandmother’s story. Like it or not, she was Cara Slanar, an Altorian conduit.
The only part that had yet to be confirmed was the magic. No one had conjured a rabbit, or made anything disappear. If she was a powerful mystic, why didn’t she feel any different than she had on Earth?
“If you would simply talk to us, Cara, this would go more smoothly.”
Grinnel’s coaxing tone drew Cara back to the present and the ordeal awaiting her at the Citadel. She’d spent the past two weeks learning everything she could about Altor. Most Altorians had some sort of paranormal ability, but only the best and most powerful were chosen for training at the Citadel. Of those chosen, only a few dozen qualified to form power triads.
Reluctantly, Cara found the idea exciting. She had watched too many superhero movies to not secretly wish she had a paranormal ability. And then she found out how power triads worked. Sources and controllers were always male, and conduits were female. Triads weren’t just military teams. They were domestic units. They shared their lives and their bodies with each other.
Growing up in Alaska hadn’t given Cara a lot of opportunity to explore her sexuality. She wasn’t a virgin, but having sex in the back seat of a car was about as adventurous as she’d ever gotten. So when she learned that she would soon have two mates, she found the idea titillating. Then her research revealed that Altorian males were sexually dominant. Having sex with a couple of gorgeous men was a fun fantasy, but she had no interest in putting up with two overbearing jerks for the rest of her life.
“We do not want to make this decision without knowing your opinion on any of it,” Grinnel was saying. “You are leaving us no alternative.”
The absurdity of the statement made Cara laugh. “I don’t want to be a conduit! Send me back to Earth.”
Grinnel sighed, starting to look as frustrated as her mate. “You were born a conduit. It is not something you choose. Refusing to cooperate with this process only hurts yourself.”
Rather than reply to the statements, Cara asked, “Where are my sisters, or pardon me,cousins? I want to see them, at the very least talk to them.”
“Holo-comms are privileges, and you have not earned any,” Lezod reminded her.
Leaving her room was a privilege. Walking in the garden was a privilege. Using the entertainment library was a privilege. Access to the central data stream was a privilege. She had heard it all before. If she didn’t bow to their will, her life would remain a living hell, or at least a limbo of utter boredom.
“Did you even glance through the dossiers I gave you?” Grinnel continued, ignoring Cara’s question entirely.
Cara had done more than skim. She’d carefully studied each one. There was nothing else to do while locked in her bedroom. The reports had been surprisingly comprehensive. Each applicant had recorded a video introduction, as well as including video clips from work and leisure activities. She’d been able to witness their behavior in a variety of situations, including how they behaved around females. Of course, the clips were carefully curated by the applicant to make them look good.
“I looked at them,” Cara admitted. “Altorian males are esthetically pleasing, but they are also aggressive, chauvinistic, and condescending.”
“The applications were submitted before you were involved. They were compiled with Altorian females in mind. We expect our males to be strong and protective. We do not consider those qualities chauvinistic. Several of the teams asked if they could submit an application packet specifically tailored to you, but I felt like that would be dishonest.”
Finally, something on which they agreed. She looked at Grinnel and nodded. “Thank you. None of these males are going to change who they are because my cultural expectations are different from theirs. Lying to me now will only make things worse in the long run.”
Grinnel hesitated, appearing uncertain. “You are part of Altorian society now. Is there any chance you will adjust your cultural expectations to more closely match ours?”
Cara had actually thought about this a great deal. “I was an exchange student for my junior year of high school. I went to a country called Japan. I worked hard to learn their language and become acquainted with their culture and traditions. I felt it was important to be respectful because I was the visitor.”
“Is that yes or no?” Lezod grumbled impatiently.
“I would approach this situation in exactly the same way—if I had come here willingly.”
Lezod shook his head and looked at his mate, switching to Altorian again. “She cannot be trained until she is broken. We must keep that in mind when we choose her mates.”
