Central by Raine Thomas Page A

planned by Corgloresti, who then identified appropriate human caregivers for each of them.
    “So, Grolkinei wants to kills us?” Skye ventured hesitantly.
    Jabari sighed. “We do not know. He certainly gave every indication of being opposed to your presence on this plane when you were born. He led other Estilorians within all of the classes to question the nature of your births. He suggested to some that you should be contained and experimented upon. He made this idea more palatable to non-Mercesti by stating that it would be to ensure you were not a danger to us.”
    Amber frowned. “But why would he be so opposed to us being here? I thought he wanted to be among humans.”
    “No. He wants to be on the human plane,” Olivia clarified thoughtfully.
    “We can transition between the planes,” Skye observed.
    “And his commanders weren’t trying to kill us,” Amber added. “They were trying to capture us.”
    Olivia nodded, remembering. “At least one of us, they said.”
    She couldn’t determine from Jabari’s unreadable expression whether this was something he and the other elders had considered. She had to believe that Gabriel would have discussed this possibility with Amber if they had. Now that it had been voiced, however, it made a lot of sense. Grolkinei surely knew that as half-humans, particularly children of a Corgloresti, they would be able to transition between the planes. The fact that they had come over from the human plane a couple of months before proved it. Of course, they hadn’t actually tried to go back to the human plane yet, but Olivia believed with everything inside her that she could do it. Now that she had experienced coming over, she could repeat it.
    At last, Jabari spoke. “We have not been able to determine Grolkinei’s true motives toward you. He could be seeking to capture you, as you mentioned. Perhaps he believes you will serve as some kind of conduit to return him to the human plane. Such a belief is entirely absurd, however. It shows how little understanding he has of the planes and what it entails to transition between them.”
    “It takes a Corgloresti and a Gloresti pairing,” Olivia stated. She remembered Aurora telling her when she transitioned into her Estilorian form that James had been the one to guide them back to the plane. His influence had been absolutely essential to her making the passage, she knew.
    “It does,” Jabari agreed. “And because Grolkinei is neither of those, he will never again traverse the planes. Although he surely knows this after his centuries of trying to find a way across, I believe that he refuses to accept it.”
    And here, a troubled expression crossed his features. Olivia’s heart filled with dread.
    “Let us have it,” Amber said resignedly. All of them knew it took a great deal to cause Jabari any distress.
    “I have given this much consideration,” he began, catching each of their gazes. “I have not even discussed this as a theory with the other elders yet. In truth, I find it so atrocious that I have not wanted to give it credence.”
    Olivia found herself reaching out to either side and grasping her sisters’ hands. They each responded with firm grips.
    Jabari took a bracing breath. Then he said, “I have begun to believe that Grolkinei will soon fully understand that he can never return to the human plane, regardless of any of his efforts. But he is so focused on reestablishing a connection with the human plane that, well…”
    Skye was leaning forward as she waited to hear what he was trying to say. When he trailed off, she gripped Olivia’s hand even tighter and demanded, “Please tell us already! What do you think he wants?”
    Nodding, he said, “When all else fails for Grolkinei, I suspect that he will ultimately attempt to impregnate one or all of you with his child and raise that child on his own in an effort to establish a direct blood connection with the human plane.”
    The wave of undiluted horror that