The Rapture

THIRTY-TWO

PEARL

"You have conflated a pregnancy with elevated cortisol levels and her diet of Enuki dried meats and fruits, brother." Dumuzi locked eyes with Shadrach, his expression full of... rage. There was something unholy about it, so I took a step back. "I am pleased you provided us with your location despite that error. However, this is not sufficient to avoid punishment. Even for you."

Shadrach smiled. "Do not insult me by pretending that I care."

"A costly mistake."

"Ah, one which you are eagerly willing to condemn me for." Shadrach met his gaze calmy. "Is it not true that you have always been the most intelligent among the three of us brothers? But you lose sight of your own mistakes. Tying yourself to the human responsible for this mess is one of them."

"Enough!"

I flinched at Dumuzi's roar, covering my ears.

The chill that washed over me wasn't from the cold. Unease spread like poison in my gut at the look on Dumuzi's face. I'd never seen something so stoic yet blisteringly hostile, and it did something to me.

I swallowed bile.

Dumuzi waved a dismissive hand. "I will deal with you later. Something that might necessitate the revocation of your councilor title. You are fortunate if I ever allow you to step foot on Lare again."

"What?" I took a step toward Dumuzi, about to plead, but this was another version of him I had never seen before, so I stilled. He was beyond pissed, hiding it behind a cool regard. Shadrach couldn't take the fall for my mistakes, regardless. "This was my fault, Dumuzi. Not his. Don't take this out on–"

Dumuzi continued without looking at me. "Regarding François, she is to be kept away from you and my Sohme. Permanently."

I shook my head. "Whoa, what? No! You can't do that, Dumuzi. You–"

"Ogrik," he looked over his shoulder and gestured to me. "Take her away from here."

Fury and disbelief swirled in my veins as I prepared to fling myself in front of him. But what was I going to do? Scream? Cry? Beg?

He couldn't take her away from me!

He couldn't punish his brother!

Before I could twitch a muscle, I was in the arms of an Enuki. Sobs wrenched my throat open as I fought hard. Something told me to calm down, that maybe, just maybe, I was making this a hell of a lot worse than it needed to be.

But I didn't care.

I thrashed and twisted in iron-like arms. "You can't do this! You can't fucking do this!"

It probably took little to confine a small human. It was as if I was a ghost. I simply did not exist. I had no say, no power, nothing, because Dumuzi continued without a hitch. "The destruction of Earth will resume."

Suddenly, everything else he said sounded far, far away. My ears rang and blood seasoned my tongue. Everything I knew about him–everything I knew him to be–became warped in my mind.

How could he be so cruel?

How could he do this to me?

No, no, no...

"We should have been gathering our resources and saving the few humans I decided are worthy of life. Instead, we were hunting for Pearl. We'll have to reconvene and rearrange our schedules. Take her to an isolation unit, Ogrik. If she causes you trouble, do not hesitate to restrain her. I will come for her later."