Page 12 of Dark Destiny: The Fates' Bargain

She'd imagined a resting place, a stop on the way to something better, and her mind had painted an oasis of calm. The reality was much closer to what Yaaf had described. Low buildings with corrugated roofs and floodlights on poles, throwing hard white light across a yard where crates were stacked in rows. There was a watchtower at the end of the pier, just as he'd said, and someone was standing in it.

This wasn't a sanctuary. It was a military base.

The two people Yaaf had spotted from afar stood on the dock. The woman looked like one of those strange people she'd seen on the way to the cove. She was very tall and very thin, unnaturally so, and she radiated aggression, but it wasn't the male kind of aggression Sullha knew so well. Its flavor was just as different as the woman's alien looks.

In contrast, the man beside her was handsome and had an easygoing expression on his face. He wasn't human, an immortal most likely, but he definitely looked much more human than his female companion.

"I'm Jade," the woman said in English. "I'm in charge of this base. This is Phinas, my partner." She tipped her head toward the man. "Safe Harbor might not be much to look at, but as its name implies, it is safe. You will be fed, clothed, and you willsleep in a comfortable bed tonight. Tomorrow, you will ship out, and by the next day, you will start your new life as free people."

Her huge eyes fell on Sullha. "You seem to be the only one who's tracking. Care to translate for the others?"

"Yes, of course." She did, and one of the women standing behind her muttered her thanks. A couple of others made soft sounds of agreement.

"Follow us," the man named Phinas said. "Food first. Everything else later."

As they trudged behind him, Sullha stayed close to Yaaf, who was carrying the sleeping Tomek. "Do you know what she is?"

He nodded. "Later," he said quietly. "Not now."

The strange woman probably had exceptional hearing like the immortals, and that was why Yaaf didn't want to explain within her earshot.

The dining hall the tall female led them to smelled like the kitchen in the enclosure. It had long tables and fluorescent lights that made everyone look pale.

"Mama?" Tomek lifted his head off Yaaf's shoulder. "Are we going to eat?"

She smiled, took his little hand, and kissed it. "Yes, sweetheart. We are going to eat."

"Can I eat with Bowen?"

"Is that the first thing you think about when you wake up? Not Yaaf who carried you here, not your Mama. Bowen?"

Tomek pouted, leaned away from Yaaf, and looked into his face. "Thank you for carrying me. Can you put me down now?"

Well, at least he was polite.

"Of course." Yaaf set him gently on his feet.

"Bye!" Tomek was off, zeroing in on Bowen.

"We'd better follow him," Sullha said. "In case Bowen wants to eat in peace without a little boy bothering him."

Yaaf didn't answer, just followed her.

They sat down at the same long table as Tomek and Bowen, not right next to them, but close enough if the Guardian wanted her to take over.

Big platters were already arranged on the tables, with rice, stewed chicken, soggy vegetables, and bread that was a little stale, but it was a feast given how hungry they all were.

"Can I have chocolate milk?" Tomek asked Bowen.

"I'll see what they've got," the Guardian said.

"And cookies."

"If there are cookies."

When Bowen returned with both, Tomek looked like his faith in the universe had just been restored. He dunked a cookie in the chocolate milk, took a bite, and smacked his lips.

Sullha chuckled. "You used to do that."