"When do we leave?" I finally ask.
Father turns to the young man, gesturing for him to step forward. "Altair will see you safely to the south," he says. "You will be traveling through the Bleaklands and–"
"You're not coming with us?" Traylor suddenly wails, seeming more a child than ever.
"I cannot, Traylor," Father answers. "I am too well known in the cities of Eversummer, and with the eyes of the Children of Mutanity upon me, we would never make it. My absence from Krakelyn would be immediately noted."
Traylor collapses into Father's arms, sobbing. "I hate this," the boy says.
"As do I," Father agrees. "But part of being a leader and a man, Traylor, is doing your duty to those beneath you, no matter how unpleasant the task may be. You want to be a man, don't you?" Traylor shakes his head and Father smirks, expecting such a response from his son.
"You haven't answered my question," I cut in suddenly, realizing it for the first time. "Why does it have to be me and Traylor? Why not just send your buddy here? Altair , is it? We're not soldiers, Father. We can't fight if there's trouble."
Father sighs heavily. "You are my children, Juno. You'd be surprised what your genetics can grant you." I only stare at him confusedly, and he sighs once again. "It's your blood," he finally states flatly. "It has to be you and Traylor, because you are likely the only humans left with an untainted genetic structure."
"What does that mean?" Traylor asks, reflecting my own thoughts to an extent.
"It means that you are special, Traylor," Father answers. "You have special molecules inside your blood that show us a map of the True Body Plan. All other blood samples were corrupted during the Final Judgment. Since you're not mutated, your blood was shielded somehow."
I'm starting to get mad. " Father, I know you don't want to hear this but... Why not just let it go?"
"What do you mean?" Father asks sternly.
"You know what I mean. What if the Children of Mutanity have the right idea? What if we were wrong all along and the gods never cared about the True Body Plan? Maybe it's time to let nature steer our course for a change."
Father grins, a rare thing. "I forget sometimes that you have never seen a mutant from Everwinter, Juno. You have heard the stories, I am sure, but I have seen them in the flesh.” He pauses dramatically. “They are horrible things, aberrations of nature. Their eyes are entirely red, nearly devoid of sight because they live not in the sun. Their bodies are covered in a coarse, reeking white fur that lends them invisibility in the drifting white snow. And worst of all, they feast on the blood and flesh of their dead as it is the most readily available food source."
Father stops speaking and I look over at Traylor whose jaw is nearly on the floor. I am not quite so gullible, but Traylor is eight years younger than me.
"No, Juno," Father continues, "the mutants of Everwinter are what happens when humanity forsakes the will of the gods and lets nature speak for itself. If we need a more cogent deterrent, we need look no further than our past. To the Forerunners. The ways of the Forerunners..."
"...are the ways of death," I finish with an eye roll. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
"I'm serious, Juno," Father puffs up, sensing my sarcasm.
"You should know m e better than that by now, Father," I reply in earnest. "It'll take more than just a few scary stories to convince me there was ever anything wrong with the Forerunners."
Father nods, deflating somewhat. "You are your Mother's daughter," he concedes. "Very well. There is one last thing I must tell you before you leave. I am certain it will convince you to go, but you won't like hearing it."
I shake my head doubtfully. "What is it?" I ask.
"We're sterile, Juno."
His words echo in my mind. I almost have to ask him to repeat them. Did I just hear that right?
"You mean everybody, don't you?" I say. "Everyone who was affected by that Box is now sterile."
Father nods. "Yes,
Father turns to the young man, gesturing for him to step forward. "Altair will see you safely to the south," he says. "You will be traveling through the Bleaklands and–"
"You're not coming with us?" Traylor suddenly wails, seeming more a child than ever.
"I cannot, Traylor," Father answers. "I am too well known in the cities of Eversummer, and with the eyes of the Children of Mutanity upon me, we would never make it. My absence from Krakelyn would be immediately noted."
Traylor collapses into Father's arms, sobbing. "I hate this," the boy says.
"As do I," Father agrees. "But part of being a leader and a man, Traylor, is doing your duty to those beneath you, no matter how unpleasant the task may be. You want to be a man, don't you?" Traylor shakes his head and Father smirks, expecting such a response from his son.
"You haven't answered my question," I cut in suddenly, realizing it for the first time. "Why does it have to be me and Traylor? Why not just send your buddy here? Altair , is it? We're not soldiers, Father. We can't fight if there's trouble."
Father sighs heavily. "You are my children, Juno. You'd be surprised what your genetics can grant you." I only stare at him confusedly, and he sighs once again. "It's your blood," he finally states flatly. "It has to be you and Traylor, because you are likely the only humans left with an untainted genetic structure."
"What does that mean?" Traylor asks, reflecting my own thoughts to an extent.
"It means that you are special, Traylor," Father answers. "You have special molecules inside your blood that show us a map of the True Body Plan. All other blood samples were corrupted during the Final Judgment. Since you're not mutated, your blood was shielded somehow."
I'm starting to get mad. " Father, I know you don't want to hear this but... Why not just let it go?"
"What do you mean?" Father asks sternly.
"You know what I mean. What if the Children of Mutanity have the right idea? What if we were wrong all along and the gods never cared about the True Body Plan? Maybe it's time to let nature steer our course for a change."
Father grins, a rare thing. "I forget sometimes that you have never seen a mutant from Everwinter, Juno. You have heard the stories, I am sure, but I have seen them in the flesh.” He pauses dramatically. “They are horrible things, aberrations of nature. Their eyes are entirely red, nearly devoid of sight because they live not in the sun. Their bodies are covered in a coarse, reeking white fur that lends them invisibility in the drifting white snow. And worst of all, they feast on the blood and flesh of their dead as it is the most readily available food source."
Father stops speaking and I look over at Traylor whose jaw is nearly on the floor. I am not quite so gullible, but Traylor is eight years younger than me.
"No, Juno," Father continues, "the mutants of Everwinter are what happens when humanity forsakes the will of the gods and lets nature speak for itself. If we need a more cogent deterrent, we need look no further than our past. To the Forerunners. The ways of the Forerunners..."
"...are the ways of death," I finish with an eye roll. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
"I'm serious, Juno," Father puffs up, sensing my sarcasm.
"You should know m e better than that by now, Father," I reply in earnest. "It'll take more than just a few scary stories to convince me there was ever anything wrong with the Forerunners."
Father nods, deflating somewhat. "You are your Mother's daughter," he concedes. "Very well. There is one last thing I must tell you before you leave. I am certain it will convince you to go, but you won't like hearing it."
I shake my head doubtfully. "What is it?" I ask.
"We're sterile, Juno."
His words echo in my mind. I almost have to ask him to repeat them. Did I just hear that right?
"You mean everybody, don't you?" I say. "Everyone who was affected by that Box is now sterile."
Father nods. "Yes,
Similar Books
Space Station Crisis: Star Challengers Book 2
Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, June Scobee Rodgers
