Close Remembrance (The Krinar Chronicles 3)

n you’re five hundred and thirty. It really doesn’t matter –”

“It matters for my parents,” Mia said quietly. “I would want them to see their grandchildren, to know them in their lifetime.” It was the one thing that worried her: the fact that they still had not received an answer from the Elders.

Korum started to say something when the music suddenly stopped. All the noise died down, a deathly silence descending out of nowhere. Everyone seemed frozen in place, staring at the entrance.

“What’s going on?” Mia whispered, stepping closer to Korum.

“Hush, my sweet,” he said quietly, putting a protective arm around her back. “It looks like Lahur is here.”

Mia barely suppressed a gasp. From what Korum had told her, the Elders never came out to socialize with the other Krinar or to attend any public events. They were essentially loners, holding themselves apart from the general population. And now Lahur, the oldest of them all, was here at their party?

The crowd slowly parted, and Mia could see a tall, powerful man making his way toward them. As he approached, she recognized the hard features of the Elder she’d spoken to in the forest. He was dressed in formal Krinar clothing, like all the other guests, but the fancy outfit did little to conceal his predatory nature. Even among other Krinar, he seemed more savage somehow, a panther roaming among house cats.

“Welcome, Lahur,” Korum said calmly, inclining his head toward the newcomer. “We are pleased you could join us.”

“Thank you.” Lahur’s deep voice held a note of amusement. “I’m not here for long. I came to give you a wedding present. That’s a custom of yours, isn’t it, Mia?”

Mia stared at the Elder in shock. “Yes,” she managed to say. “It’s a human wedding custom.” She was surprised she was able to speak at all, with her heart beating as hard as it was.

“Well then,” Lahur said, his dark eyes trained on her, “I would like to tell you that we have granted your petition. Your family will be given all the rights and privileges of those we call charl.”

A shocked murmur ran through the crowd at his words, and Mia inhaled sharply, her eyes filling with tears of joy. “Thank you,” she whispered, looking at the dark visage of the ten-million-year-old alien in front of her. “Thank you so very much . . .”

“Yes,” Korum said, his arm tightening around Mia’s back. “Thank you for a wonderful wedding present. My wife and I are truly grateful.”

Lahur inclined his head, acknowledging their thanks. Then he turned around and walked away, the crowd parting again to let him through.

The music started up again, and the party resumed. Running up to Mia, Marisa gave her and Korum a hug, sobbing with happiness, and her parents embraced each other, tears running down their faces. Connor shook Korum’s hand, and Mia could see that her brother-in-law’s eyes were glistening too.

For the first time in history, an entire human family would be given immortality – a gift more precious than anything they could’ve ever imagined.

Looking up at her husband – her beautiful K lover – Mia smiled through her tears. “I love you,” she told him softly. “I love you so very much.”

“And I love you,” he said, watching her with warm amber-colored gaze.

Their happiness was complete.

Epilogue

Lahur stood in the forest clearing, feeling the warm breeze on his face. The others were gathered around him, their faces as familiar to him as his own. These people – the ones known as the Elders – were among the few whose company Lahur could tolerate for more than ten minutes at a time.

“So what now?” Sheura asked, watching him with her calm dark gaze.

Lahur looked at her. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s time,” she said quietly. “I think we have to do it.”

“I agree.” It was Pioren, Sheura’s partner in the experiment. “We can no longer stand by and observe. The project has succeeded all too well. They’re like us. Our best and brightest are now mating with them.”

“Yes,” Lahur said, “they are.” Seeing the curly-haired human girl by Korum’s side had been a revelation. She wasn’t the first human he’d met, but something about her had touched him, penetrating the layer of ice that encased him these days. For a moment, Lahur had been able to feel the powerful bond that existed between her and her cheren, to bask in the love they had for each other.

Out of all the young ones, Lahur found Korum to be among the most interesting, probably because he reminded Lahur of himself in his youth. Same drive, same willingness to do what’s necessary to achieve his goals. Lahur had no doubt that Korum would succeed in building a Krinar empire, taking them all on an unprecedented journey.

A journey that Korum planned to undertake with a human girl by his side.

There could be no clearer sign that they needed to wrap up the experiment.

“Let’s do it,” Lahur said. “You’re right. It’s time. We need to share our technology with them, to give them all what we gave only to a select few. Their evolution is complete.”