The Lereni Trade (13 page)

At that, Torik and the others turned
to her. "You would oversee the withdrawal?"

"We have been working in the
Salnouan Kiitrak
to convince the alliance to support
Leisil's release from Tah'Na occupation," she said without taking
her eyes off the two. "If he kills the premier, that support will
evaporate. The Lereni may have had some violent customs, but they
were honorable and valued trading partners. The Tah'Na knew this
and the value of their world's resources to us and others, but we
would rather not declare war."

"Listen to her, Karik. I know we had
our differences, but your world can be free…if you forego your
revenge. Your father and brother will be honored in the freedom of
your world." Krissa held her breath in the lingering tension thick
in the room.

Until Karik released Salos and the
guard withdrew his weapon. He stepped back from Salos and looked
down at her and the Inari.

"You know too much," he said with a
warning glare at Torik, the one who had told her about Karik's
reasons for being so driven to save his world. "But you're
right."

Salos rubbed his throat and cowered
away like a wounded animal.

"Go." He waved them away and the
guards retreated.

Salos's scowl shifted to the Inari.
"Take her! Leave."

Finally. But there was one more thing:
"And the Lereni?"

His eyes threatened her.

"And the Lereni?" Ramini
repeated.

"They will be free. Leisil is theirs."
He spat the words as if bitter in his mouth. "Our occupation was a
waste anyway. They are too savage to control."

"You will sign that for the
Salnouan Kiitrak?
"

His hands balled into fists, but he
made no move to harm them. "It shall be done."

Ramini lifted her head with a look of victory glinting in
her eyes. "As Leisil is not a member of the
Salnouan Kiitrak
but is involved,"
Ramini said to him, "you may be present as advisors only. If you
seek to petition the alliance for membership, I will stand by its
approval."

"We would appreciate that,
Elousar
," Karik said. "But what of the
Onduun?"

The crook of a smile told Krissa all
she needed.

"For the safe-keeping of the
chancellor's daughter, I believe it's safe to say that Leisil will
have at least one ally to stand by them against retribution from
the Tah'Na."

Krissa looked up to see Karik's
reaction and caught a hint of a smile teasing at the corner's of
his lips. "This would be acceptable."

At last, Krissa stood in more
appropriate attire, a simple jumpsuit that covered her completely,
courtesy of the Inari. The negotiations had been frustrating, but
in the end, Premier Salos had conceded to the terms in witness of
the Inari mediators.

Krissa returned with the Lereni to the
ship that had brought them, the ship in which she had learned about
herself, but now a second ship sat next to the small cargo vessel
on the landing platform.

After a quick farewell, Korr and Theen
disappeared up into their ship.

At the base of the ramp, Karik
hesitated and turned to her. "Thank you," was all he said.
Uncertain what to say, she could only nod. He said nothing more and
followed the other two inside, leaving her alone with
Torik.

She stood before him under the lights
of the landing platform and the stars in the night sky.

"Your world will be free," she said to
break the awkward silence.

"Yes. Because of you."

"No…Maybe a little. The Inari can take
most of that credit. But you were the one who let me find the true
me. Your kindness is something I can't repay."

A sad smile stretched up his face but
faded quickly. "I saw a being who was frightened. I know that
feeling after losing many in the occupation of Leisil. Like us, you
are a survivor, even more; you were alone on a strange
world."

"But you are kind. The others were
always suspicious."

"I am weak."

"No. It takes more strength to not let
their abuse harden you. I know." Her voice lowered upon the
memories of all the rejection she had suffered.

"That is why you are stronger than you
believe," he said.

"Like you. You stood up for me, and
that is something no one else has ever done."

At the faint hiss of air, she turned
to see the ramp of the other ship lowering.

"The Onduun."

Not yet. She wasn't ready to leave
him, but she wanted to learn everything about what she was and
where she belonged.

"I won't forget you." Krissa flung her
arms around him, afraid to let go after finding someone who made
her feel welcome. His embrace made it more difficult to
leave.

"I will remember you
always."

After a brief squeeze, she eased away.
"Thank you, Torik, for everything."

The clang of metal on metal drew her eyes to the ramp now
resting on the platform, a bright light blazing from the interior.
She held her breath in anticipation of what might emerge,
what
she
might be under the human skin she had worn as long as she
could remember.

What stepped from the ramp wasn't what
she expected. Two hooded figures in gray cloaks hiding them
proceeded to take up posts on either side of the base of the ramp.
From their head to toe robes, she couldn't make out details, but
she breathed easier to see that they were humanoid.

The final figure stepped down into the
full light as something ethereal. Although bald with a flat face
encompassing large, liquid blue eyes and a small line of a mouth,
the figure was more attractive than the Inari. The light gown
barely hid the faint glow of the white skin beneath, much as the
gown Krissa had worn when presented to the Tah'Na. On the slender
form beneath, she made out no distinguishing gender characteristics
and only a fold of skin at the waistline where she would have
expected a belly button. At the lifting of the gown, she realized
it was made of four transparent membranes attached between several
tentacles in pairs evenly set about the body. The alien was naked
but extraordinary.

It stopped at the base of the ramp,
long-fingers curling around the support strut. Blue eyes blinked at
her.

For a long time, Krissa stared and
neither said anything. Only by the nudge from Torik did she take a
step.

"Um…hello?" she said in
Lereni.

The center figure took a step towards
her and stopped. After several seconds, long fingers reached for
her.

Krissa looked back at Torik, but he
only shrugged. Was this the Onduun or something else? Why didn't
they speak?

"I'm…pleased to meet you."

Abruptly, one of those hands went to
her head, the fingers lightly touching.

"I am very pleased to meet you, my child."
The thoughts came
without words, clear and concise with overtones of emotions.
"I speak not these
strange tongues."

Before Krissa startled back from the
contact, the connection opened before her to reveal the
truth.

She stared in disbelief at Naperi—the
name coming into her mind in full clarity. An instant later, she
gasped in realization that this was what she really was.

The one question that had plagued her since learning she
was adopted was answered:
"There is a new threat to all worlds. You were but
a pouchling when I had to make a decision. Luckily, we survived, as
did you, and our world is cleansed. You are safe, and that is what
matters. Although the threat still exists, our home is safe, and
now, so is the Starfire that was entrusted to me, which I entrusted
to you."
With her other hand, Naperi caressed the labradorite on
Krissa's wrist.
"Secure in its containment...It is time to come home, my
Irilin."

The sense of identity with the name
was strong from the mother she didn't know. A desire to have her be
a part of that world flowed from the Onduun with a profound sense
of belonging that chased away all the loneliness of Krissa's
life.

"The humans will be rewarded for their service and the
Lereni for your safe return. But you…you do not need to wear that
form. You will learn to use your full abilities to defend yourself.
And...I am sorry. You
were
safer there."

At that, Krissa pulled back and
twisted to see Torik at the bottom of their ship's ramp, a sadness
on his face that dragged down her mood, despite the excitement of
meeting her true mother who she had wondered about most of her
life. Although her heart ached to say good-bye, it was overjoyed to
know she could belong to not one but two different worlds. More
than that, she was accepted.

Krissa returned her eyes to her alien
mother and put her head to the hand still hovering where she had
left it.

"You may see your friends again."
The gentle thought from Naperi put
her mind to rest that she didn't have to say farewell forever to
the Lereni.

"Show me what I am,"
Krissa requested.

*

Sign up to receive notification of
pre-order availability of future books.

Check www.melanienilles.com for
details!

* * *

DARK ANGEL CHRONICLES, THE COMPLETE
SERIES (ebook):

Starfire Angels (Book 1)

Broken Wings (Book 2)

Crystal Tomb (Book 3)

Origins of Dark Angel (Book
4)

Forever Dark (Book 5)

Also available as
individual ebooks and paperbacks

WHEN ANGELS CRY

(A Starfire Angels Novella)

SORIEL

(Starfire Angels: Revelations Book
1)

DECEPTION

(Starfire Angels: Revelation
1.5)

PHANTOMS

(Starfire Angels: Revelations Book
2)

SHARDS

(Starfire Angels: Revelations
2.1)

AT THE WATER'S EDGE

(Adronis #1)

BENEATH THE CRASHING WAVES

(Adronis #2)

LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON:
PROPHECY

LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON:
LEGENDS

LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON:
LEGACIES

LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON:
FIREBLOOD

LEGEND OF THE WHITE DRAGON:
DESTINY

TIGER BORN

(Demon Age Series)

SPIRIT BLADE

(Demon Age Series)

A TURN OF CURSES

AWAKENING

(Shadow Realm Saga Book 1)

*

Melanie Nilles grew up on a western
North Dakota cattle ranch and farm and graduated with a degree in
business administration from NDSU. She currently resides in central
North Dakota with her family, cats, and horse. Her published works
include the Starfire Angels series, Adronis series, and Shadow
Realm Saga books. As M. A. Nilles, she publishes darker science
fiction and fantasy, including the Demon Age series and the
Starfire Angels: Revelations series. For updates, visit her website
a www.melanienilles.com.