male-set by a thousand-fold.”
“But Lariah is human, not Jasani,” Saige pointed out. “Even if I’m wrong about Lariah, I know for a fact that I am all too human.”
“In Lariah’s case, we now know for truth that she is a direct descendant of the eldest member of our race, Eldar Hamat,” Faron explained. “We know that at least one escape pod landed on Earth three thousand years ago, and that the pod carried the Eldar’s Arima and young daughters. Riata, an Alverian Healer, was able to discern a clear familial connection between Lariah and Eldar Hamat in their genetic code.”
“I see,” Saige said. “So you think that I am also a descendent of this Eldar?”
“Not necessarily,” Faron replied. “We estimate that there were as many as 500 women and children on that escape pod. It is possible that you are a descendant of any one of them. Or perhaps you have a genetic fluke. Or, it is also possible that you do not have a genetic anomaly as Lariah had, and there is some other reason why the fates have chosen you to be our Arima.”
“Are you certain that you have not made a mistake?” Saige asked. She could easily understand and believe that Lariah Daniels was the answer to an age-old prophecy. Lariah was beautiful and kind and special. But she herself was none of those things. She was just an ordinary person. Not special at all.
“No, we have not made a mistake Saige,” Faron said. “Certain physiological responses occur when a male scents his Arima. Responses that do not naturally occur for any other reason.”
“Did you say when a male scents his Arima?” Saige asked suspiciously.
Now they were to the part that usually sent human women racing for the spaceport and the quickest off-planet shuttle they could find. Faron glanced at Dav, and again met Ban’s gaze in the rearview mirror. They looked as worried as he felt, but there was no help for it. They could not lie to her, no matter how worried they were about her reaction.
“Yes, Saige, I did say scent . Again, we are not human. We are shifters, as all Clan Jasani are,” he said, trying to sound causal when his entire being was tensed for her reaction.
“Shifters?” Saige repeated. “What does that mean? Do you guys turn into something different during the full moon?”
Faron allowed himself a tiny bit of hope. Asking questions was better than screaming.
“Not during a full moon necessarily,” Dav replied.
“We shift into an animal we call loboenca,” Faron said. “It is much like an Earth canine called wolf . Lariah has told us that our markings are much like an Earth animal called zebra , though we are not familiar with that animal.”
Saige felt a small thrill run through her as she tried to imagine what it would be like to change her physical form whenever she wanted to. She thought it would be wonderful and exciting. “That’s the coolest thing I have ever heard,” she said with a grin.
Dav and Faron looked at her in concern. “You are cold?” Ban asked, from the front seat.
Saige laughed softly. “No, I am not cold. It is an old Earth slang word that I picked up watching ancient entertainment vids.”
They stared at her for another moment, then shrugged at the same time. “So long as you are comfortable,” Dav said.
“It means I like it,” Saige explained. “I think it’s exciting and different. I like different.”
Something deep inside of Faron relaxed.
“Can you show me now?” Saige asked, her eyes again shining with excitement.
“I am afraid that our alter forms are far too large to fit into this vehicle,” Faron said, enjoying her reaction.
“Really?” she said again, her eyes widening. “How big?”
“About twice as high as you are tall,” Dav said.
“Wow, I can hardly wait to see that! Please promise that you will show me as soon as we get wherever we’re going,” Saige pleaded, her smile so big
“But Lariah is human, not Jasani,” Saige pointed out. “Even if I’m wrong about Lariah, I know for a fact that I am all too human.”
“In Lariah’s case, we now know for truth that she is a direct descendant of the eldest member of our race, Eldar Hamat,” Faron explained. “We know that at least one escape pod landed on Earth three thousand years ago, and that the pod carried the Eldar’s Arima and young daughters. Riata, an Alverian Healer, was able to discern a clear familial connection between Lariah and Eldar Hamat in their genetic code.”
“I see,” Saige said. “So you think that I am also a descendent of this Eldar?”
“Not necessarily,” Faron replied. “We estimate that there were as many as 500 women and children on that escape pod. It is possible that you are a descendant of any one of them. Or perhaps you have a genetic fluke. Or, it is also possible that you do not have a genetic anomaly as Lariah had, and there is some other reason why the fates have chosen you to be our Arima.”
“Are you certain that you have not made a mistake?” Saige asked. She could easily understand and believe that Lariah Daniels was the answer to an age-old prophecy. Lariah was beautiful and kind and special. But she herself was none of those things. She was just an ordinary person. Not special at all.
“No, we have not made a mistake Saige,” Faron said. “Certain physiological responses occur when a male scents his Arima. Responses that do not naturally occur for any other reason.”
“Did you say when a male scents his Arima?” Saige asked suspiciously.
Now they were to the part that usually sent human women racing for the spaceport and the quickest off-planet shuttle they could find. Faron glanced at Dav, and again met Ban’s gaze in the rearview mirror. They looked as worried as he felt, but there was no help for it. They could not lie to her, no matter how worried they were about her reaction.
“Yes, Saige, I did say scent . Again, we are not human. We are shifters, as all Clan Jasani are,” he said, trying to sound causal when his entire being was tensed for her reaction.
“Shifters?” Saige repeated. “What does that mean? Do you guys turn into something different during the full moon?”
Faron allowed himself a tiny bit of hope. Asking questions was better than screaming.
“Not during a full moon necessarily,” Dav replied.
“We shift into an animal we call loboenca,” Faron said. “It is much like an Earth canine called wolf . Lariah has told us that our markings are much like an Earth animal called zebra , though we are not familiar with that animal.”
Saige felt a small thrill run through her as she tried to imagine what it would be like to change her physical form whenever she wanted to. She thought it would be wonderful and exciting. “That’s the coolest thing I have ever heard,” she said with a grin.
Dav and Faron looked at her in concern. “You are cold?” Ban asked, from the front seat.
Saige laughed softly. “No, I am not cold. It is an old Earth slang word that I picked up watching ancient entertainment vids.”
They stared at her for another moment, then shrugged at the same time. “So long as you are comfortable,” Dav said.
“It means I like it,” Saige explained. “I think it’s exciting and different. I like different.”
Something deep inside of Faron relaxed.
“Can you show me now?” Saige asked, her eyes again shining with excitement.
“I am afraid that our alter forms are far too large to fit into this vehicle,” Faron said, enjoying her reaction.
“Really?” she said again, her eyes widening. “How big?”
“About twice as high as you are tall,” Dav said.
“Wow, I can hardly wait to see that! Please promise that you will show me as soon as we get wherever we’re going,” Saige pleaded, her smile so big
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