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My father shakes his head. "We cannot be the ones to break the peace, even if their leader has somehow convinced himself we have. Just because he is behaving with no honor, doesn't mean we should or can. But when he finally tries to carry out whatever plan I am sure he already has, then we stop him and have our proof that war is unavoidable for our people. They don't want this just as much as we don't. We cannot go home to our mates and tell them we will fight their families above ground without a reason as to why. Without something provoking it."
"And until then?" Olex inquires.
My father motions at the map spread out on the table before him. "We prepare. I have warriors at each access point from our village to above ground. And each of them has instructions for what to do should any human soldiers approach. What we need to discuss is what we will do above ground should this war begin, and we need to attack."
Everyone comes closer to the map, murmuring to each other, but my father walks over to me.
"You're quiet," he says.
"My mind is still in the room with their leaders," I admit. "Thinking the same thing again and again."
"And what is it you're ruminating on?"
"Why does he want Leah back so badly?" I finally voice it. "He could easily just tell the humans I've killed her. It would only help his end goal. So, why does he want her back, desperately, it seems."
He nods. "I was wondering the same. Something isn't right. Maybe it's his cabinet pressuring him to have her returned safely. Or that he wants to use her as some type of symbol. What I do not know though, because she would only tell the truth, which he obviously doesn't want known. It troubles me as well. What we need to focus on right now is making sure he never gets her. Come. Help us prepare."
I join my brothers and the warriors, and we talk for hours about which tactics and strategies will work best, which ones will allow us to protect everyone best. We definitely learned from our last war with the humans never to put all the women and children in one place again, thinking it's safer to have them as one to be easier to protect. We'd suffered greatly for that mistake before and would not repeat it. Just as my father begins to say his goodbyes to us, the morning beckoning all of us to sleep, a warrior comes into the room.
"There is a human asking permission to come down," he informs us. "She says she is the vice president."
My shocked eyes snap to my father. His eyes are wide with anger.
"Who opened the door for her to seek permission at all?"
"She is at one of the hunting exits, not the main door."
His brows furrow as he remains silent for a moment before saying, "Dalin, go with him and escort her back here. Search her for weapons and explosives."
Dalin nods and joins the other warrior. We all look at each other, wondering what the hell is going on.
"How could she have known where an exit was?" Olex asks.
"That's exactly what I'm wondering," my father states. "We're all far too careful, especially now, to be followed and not know it."
"It could be a trap," Linc points out. "Maybe they're sending her because she's a female and they know we won't hurt her."
My father nods. "It is odd, especially after the meeting we just had. What more could there be to say since I am sure their President hasn't reversed his course."
"Did you see some of the looks she and the cabinet members were exchanging in the meeting though?" I ask. "I think they believed us more than the president wants to think they did. I don't think they want war, but he's their leader, so what can they do?"
"Or she's here to trick us into thinking she's on our side so we make some deal with her that will only lead us to death," Olex adds.
"I have been in meetings with them enough times to know she's nothing like him," my father says. "But still, we will listen to anything she says with an abundance of caution. And we will find out what has brought her down here."
We wait, no one saying a word. My mind is on Leah, wondering if she's getting ready for bed, if she's worried about me. I know she's worried about me, but I hope she knows I'm okay. She spent the day with her sisters, probably with my mother asking her what she wants for the bonding ceremony. I wish we could have it tomorrow, so I could get her pregnant. But with so much uncertainty, is it wise? I shake my head, refusing to think of any future without me or Leah in it.
The door opens and the vice president stands beside Dalin, looking so small next to him. She looks so different in the loose pants and T-shirt she wears now instead of the suit she had on earlier.
"Warzo," she tilts her head in a respectful nod.
"Judith," my father replies. "I hope you've come in peace."
She gives a chuckle that is full of nerves and reservations. "I would not be idiotic enough to come any other way."
"Then sit." He motions her towards a chair near the table the map was on until someone had removed it while we waited for her to arrive.
We split, making a space for her to walk between us. She looks up and down, into one monster's face then another as she goes. When she reaches the chair, she sits on the edge of it, as if she may need to run at any moment.
