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He glanced furtively at the front and back doors. It was good to see I wasn’t the only one on edge.
“Your mission was to discover where the lord’s loyalties lie,” he said. “The best way of doing that was to plant the device on his computer system so we could monitor his electronic communications. But we found nothing.”
Even I could have told them that. The Titans were not blindly obsessed with technology. They still took walks in nature to strengthen their bond with their surroundings. It showed just how little the Changelings knew about the race they had just conquered.
“So maybe that proves he’s loyal to you,” I said.
Not George Clooney shook his head.
“Lack of evidence one way or the other does not prove the opposite is true,” he said. “You will return to your original mission. You will get closer to him and learn his allegiance. Then, once he makes a decision that proves his disloyalty, you will report to us.”
“I did what you asked,” I said. “If you weren’t sure what you would find on his computer system, you should have been more careful. I want to go home and I want to go right now.”
“You aren’t going anywhere. You will stay here and discover his allegiance—the way you were tasked to begin with.”
‘Get closer to him’ conjured a headful of images I didn’t need to distract me right then. I couldn’t get any closer to him without climbing into his skin.
The thought of betraying him brought a nasty taste in my mouth. I wanted to go home but I didn’t want to condemn him. I’d gotten closer to him over the past few days as I had with any man back on Earth.
“I can’t do it,” I said, knowing what failure would mean for me and my friends.
“What was that?” Not George Clooney said.
“I can’t learn what you’re asking for. It’s too deep, too personal. He won’t tell me his allegiance.”
But I already knew, didn’t I? Even if he hadn’t said it in so many words…
His heart was good and pure and he would never side with these creatures. He only agreed with the surrender of his people to save their lives. He was willing to put up with their resentment because it meant they were unharmed.
“Has he said or done anything that makes you question his loyalty to his new ruler?” Not George Clooney said.
It should have been an easy question to answer. It was right there, on the tip of my tongue.
But I couldn’t say it, couldn’t admit the truth. I hated myself for that. It wouldn’t just be me that got punished. It would be my friends too.
“I want proof my friends are safe,” I said. When you couldn’t defend yourself, you had to go on the attack.
“What?” Not George Clooney rasped.
“My friends,” I said. “I want to know they’re safe in their pods before I tell you anything I might have learned.”
Not George Clooney was taken aback. He growled.
“You will tell us what you’ve learned or you will suffer the consequences!” he said, and his hands turned into razor-sharp claws that belonged to an alien creature I had never seen before.
A spike of confidence swelled in my chest and I folded my arms.
“You won’t hurt me,” I said. “If you do, my cover will be blown and I’ll never get closer to the lord.”
Spittle coalesced at the corner of the creature’s mouth.
“You’re making a big mistake, female,” he growled. “The Changelings will not suffer being made to look foolish.”
“Foolish to who? No one knows about me or why I’m here.”
“Which is why it would be so easy to erase you from this place as if you had never existed,” Not George Clooney said, sneering. “You are on very uncertain ground. I have it on good authority you’re already close with the Titan lord. If you don’t speak up, perhaps it’s because you’re in league with him and his treachery.”
I blinked, not so much at the threat, but the revelation there was another spy in the castle.
