Her Mate’s Secret Baby(32)
He angled his head out the doorway. “Come, son. He’s in the command center.”
“A ping? I thought you wore your medallion about your neck?” My mother questioned.
While I should have let them lead, as a courtesy, I could not wait. I almost pushed my father out of the way and ran out of the tent. The sand kicked up beneath my feet and I squinted at the bright double sunlight. In the entry of the command center stood the commander, the one I recognized from the day before.
“You have news.” I didn’t form it as a question.
Commander Loris gave a curt nod. “Central command in Xalia sent an urgent alert. Your medallion has been activated. I was sent immediately to ensure your safety. Although, seeing you, I will inform them that there must be a malfunction, as you are obviously alive and well.”
My heart rate accelerated, my fingers itched to grab something. Anything. “I don’t have the medallion. I gave it to Natalie.”
“Natalie? Your mate? You gave it to her?” The commander stood, wide eyed. “Why would you do such a thing? Do you have any idea the value of that medallion to this planet?”
I knew he wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, but I still couldn’t hesitate to speak in a sharp tone of voice. “Yes, quite aware. Do you have any idea the value Natalie holds for me? She is the mate of a councilor, commander. I’d advise you to watch your tone with me.”
He shifted to a formal ready stance, focused and fixed his gaze over my shoulder. “I apologize, Councilor.”
“At ease, Commander.” I stepped past him then and into Outpost Nine’s command center.
Within the large tent were three guards. They stood and bowed at my arrival. Based on their uniforms, the commander was the highest ranked man in the room.
If the medallion pinged, then that meant—
“She’s alive,” I said to myself, my heart pounding, eagerness making me ready to rip the tent flap open and go get her, wherever the hell she was. I knew everyone was watching me pace back and forth across the tent.
“Only your DNA can activate the medallion, councilor, not hers.” The commander paused.
“She had the medallion.”
“That doesn’t mean she’s alive,” the commander countered. “Only that someone in your family has the medallion now.”
My father stepped forward. “Other than you or I, your sister and her children are the only living members of the family who could unlock that medallion.” I hadn’t seen him enter the tent, but he spoke true. “Your sister is with her husband and High Councilor Tark. There’s no chance Natalie ended up with them. Tark would have notified us.”
“How could she have gotten there? Or known who Sari was?” my mother added, referring to my sister, Sari. And it was true. I’d never mentioned either High Councilor Tark or my sister to Natalie. Everyone looked baffled. The three guards manning the communications units remained silent. It was clear they were messengers and could offer nothing additional.
“Your speculation is irrelevant. The ping didn’t come from Trion,” the commander added.
I spun and faced him. “No one leaves this tent until I have answers. Commander, what, exactly, are you talking about?”
He took a deep breath. “The transport monitors received the activation from your medallion a short time ago. But the signal didn’t come from Trion, sir. It came from Earth.”
I stilled. “Earth?” Natalie.
I looked to my parents who appeared doubtful. My mother scowled. My father kept his features carefully blank. “That’s impossible.”
“I don’t have an explanation, sir,” the commander continued. It was my fault to have interrupted him. “The monitor in Xalia City notified us once the transmission codes were confirmed. There does not appear to be a malfunction. They are confident your medallion is on Earth.”
“Natalie must be alive.” My mother lifted her hand to cover her mouth, shock evident in the slight tremble of her fingers.
“But how would she activate the medallion?” my father asked the obvious question. I had no answers. Turning to Commander Loris, I demanded more information. “Did my mate somehow escape the Drovers’ ambush by transporting to Earth? Why was there no log of the transport when Outpost Two was searched.”
Commander Loris took a deep breath. “The transport station was locked, Councilor. It’s data erased. The only transport code on file was yours. The only reason we have the transport codes for Earth are because High Councilor Tark’s mate is also from the planet and your mates came from the same brides processing center.”