Queen of Their Colony (Kindred Tales)

“We…we fell in love at college. He seemed like a nice guy at the time,” Terra said, wondering why she was telling the irritating Monstrum this.

Though to be honest, she didn’t find V’rone quite so irritating now. It was hard to stay irritated at someone who was so protective of you—and who smelled so damn good, she thought. His hot, spicy, masculine scent seemed to fill her nose and his arms and chest felt incredibly strong as he strode along, carrying her like she weighed next to nothing.

“I don’t care how ‘nice’ he seemed, he was clearly the wrong male for you,” V’rone said. “I’ll be sure to tell him what he’s missing when we take you to his Joining Ceremony.”

“Oh, no—you can’t do that!” Terra exclaimed. “It’ll be enough to have the three of you with me, honestly it will.”

V’rone frowned.

“Why can’t I tell him what a fucking fool he is for letting you go? It seems to me that a male who is foolish enough to let go of a Mature Elite needs someone to point out his idiocy.”

“But not at his wedding!” Terra protested. “You can’t go around doing things like that!”

“Well, I don’t think—” V’rone began.

“Uh, V’rone? I think we’re in trouble.” It was Tem, and the look on his face was worried, Terra saw when she looked over at him.

“Tem’blx may be right. Look ahead,” Rive said.

Terra had been so engrossed in her conversation with the Brawn of the colony, she’d nearly forgotten what was going on. Now she looked up to see what Tem and Rive were talking about.

Looming up ahead of them was the biggest building they had yet seen. It covered several city blocks and on the side of it was another one of those clock-face eyes. Only this one was the size of a semi truck, Terra thought, feeling her heart grow cold.

The enormous eye on the side of the building seemed to be watching them. But then, it seemed to be watching everything. Under it, were the words, Temple of The Watcher.

“Wow, that’s huge,” Terra murmured uneasily. “Is there any way to get where it can’t see us?”

“I don’t think so,” Rive said grimly. “Look where our path leads.”

Terra looked down and her stomach clenched.

The glowing golden path—their own personal yellow brick road—led directly to the massive entrance of the eye building.

They were going to have to go into the Temple of The Watcher—there was no other way to the next world.

NINETEEN

“I don’t like this,” V’rone growled. “Don’t like it one fucking bit.” He wasn’t completely sure the massive eye on the side of the planet-sized building could see them…but then again, he wasn’t positive it couldn’t see them, either.

He handed Terra carefully off to Tem, who cradled her close to his chest. Putting his hands on his hips, V’rone studied the situation, wondering of there was any way out of going into the massive temple.

“There’s no way around it,” Rive said, voicing his own thoughts. “Not if we wish to avoid losing the path.”

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t fucking know,” V’rone growled in frustration. “Are those guards up there?” he asked, pointing. They were still some distance from the Temple of The Watcher, but his sharp Monstrum vision caught the differences in the way some of the bland-looking citizens of DY-12 were dressed.

“They might be,” Rive murmured, frowning in concentration. “In which case, we will be flagged for our differences at once and possibly turned over to this world’s authorities.”

“Okay—we need a plan.” V’rone tugged at his horns, thinking hard.

“What kind of plan?” he heard Terra ask. “And you can put me down now, Tem,” she added. “I can walk from here—I was just getting out of breath trying to keep up with you guys—you all have such long legs!”

“As my Lady wishes,” Tem murmured courteously.

“No, wait—don’t put her down!”

V’rone turned on them suddenly as a plan finally came to him.

“What? Why not?” Tem froze in the act of setting Terra on her feet.

“Because, if we can’t help being noticed for our differences, we might as well make the most of them,” V’rone told them. “Now here’s what we’re going to do…”

TWENTY

Terra’s heart was in her mouth as they approached the enormous building, which seemed to cover several city blocks. She wasn’t sure if V’rone’s plan was going to work or not, but it was better than anything she’d come up with, so she supposed they had no choice but to try it.

Tem was still carrying her, as easily as V’rone had, and as they approached the massive steps that led up to the building, he murmured to her,

“Best try to look ill now, my Lady. We’re getting close.”

Terra let her head lay back against his muscular arm and tried to look sick as they all jogged up the steps. She felt sorry for the Soul of the colony, having to carry her up so many stairs, but Tem didn’t even appear to break a sweat.