Quicksilver Dreams(157)
“It looks like my dad was a Brausiian warrior. He gave this to my mother when I was born, and before she disappeared, she gave it to me.”
Ryder’s face transformed almost as soon as he understood what I was saying. He stepped away. Angry dismay curled his lip. “What the hell are you saying? You don’t know what you’re saying. You have no idea about this.”
“Your mother received this charm from your father? You are Brausiian?” Talon’s tone was low and menacing. He pulled his mechanical device from his pocket. To do what with, I didn’t know.
“Yes.”
“She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” Ryder ground out.
“She’s our enemy,” Talon responded contemptuously. “Isn’t it obvious in the way she was arguing for the animal’s life?”
“I haven’t done anything to you,” I protested on a choked sob. My lungs squeezed with emotion, but I still backed away from him. “How could I be your enemy?” But it was so clear now. The animal. I was just poor white trash. I was trailer park. I was alone.
“Talon,” Miara said sharply. “Leave this.”
“We must protect ourselves! Our children!” Talon turned to the young soldier and commanded, “Make a cell ready. Take the prisoner.” The young soldier turned to me and grasped my arm with a firm grip.
“No!” I yanked on my arm to be free. The soldier’s fingers caught on my bracelet, and it broke. All of the charms scattered like confetti. I gasped. For several seconds, the silence echoed through my mind as I stared at the lifetime of dreams so carelessly scattered on the floor.
“No, no, no.” My anguished whisper came from the depths of my soul. The pain burned in my chest as I saw the representation of my mother’s heart and spirit scattered like rubbish.
Ryder growled through clenched teeth, backhanding the young man. He flew back on his ass. Ryder roared, “Do not touch her!”
Miara’s voice rang sharply. “You forget yourself, Talon. It’s not your place to assign imprisonment. Our laws shepherd the way, and as the judiciate, I can say that she is free to go. She is not a citizen of this world and has done nothing wrong.”
“Miara!” Talon scowled down at her, his expression so reminiscent of Ryder that my heart ached just seeing it. He was just another lost, angry male.
“You’re wrong, Talon. In this you are wrong. She put her own life in jeopardy to save our people. Be at peace. Come. Let’s give them a few moments to collect themselves.” Miara led the way out with the young soldier following. Talon exited reluctantly. A look of disdain shadowed his face.
Ryder didn’t wait long. Breathing heavily, his face flushed with rage, a crazed look in his eyes, he beheld me from a distant place and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know,” I cried insistently through my tears. Letting him see the truth of my heart and mind, I opened to him completely. I wanted him to stop hurting. He’d hurt enough. We’d all hurt enough.
“How could you not know?” Disbelief punctuated his words. “How could you live for more than twenty years and not know where you come from?”
Desperation edged my voice as I laid heart bare and explained. “I don’t know anything about my father. My mother never told me. She left before I could ask her. My aunt doesn’t know. My grandmother is dead. There is no one who can tell me. I c-care about y-you, Ryder. I w-would never lie to you!”