The Sephians on the elevator seemed to let out a collective gasp. Sienna’s jaw slackened. “Bullshit,” she said.

Legian wrapped a protective arm around her as he glared at Roden. “You lie.”

Roden smiled. “I am Nalea’s tahren.”

“Suvaste,” someone behind him muttered.

Roden chuckled. “As you are quite aware, Sephians don’t choose their tahren. Blame our pairing on your Sephian gods.” Roden was thankful he had no religion. If he believed, he’d alternate between begging them, thanking them, and blaspheming them every day of his life.

The floor gave a small jolt, and then the door opened. And that was fortunate, because the air in that box had grown hostile.

Sienna eyed him as he was pushed out of the elevator and into the hallway beyond.

Waiting before them was a human with a short haircut, and a Sephian whose face Roden knew all too well. All Draeken recognized Apolo, Sephia’s leader of Earth’s Sephian forces and tahren to Krysea, the great leader of Sephia. Last Roden knew, Apolo had taken over half the Sephians to England, leaving those remaining in the States under Legian and Sienna. If Apolo was standing here now, things had changed.

Though the man looked rather haggard now, he was still a Sephian to be feared. His visage was lean and hard. “I’ve been looking forward to this day. You will atone for your crimes, Roden Zyll.”

Apolo could potentially ruin everything. “Perhaps,” Roden replied curtly. “But I doubt that day will be today.”

Apolo’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized him. Roden hardened his features in response.

The human spoke next. “I’m Major Sommers of the U.S. Army, Division 51. We have much to discuss.”

Roden gave a slight nod. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Roden Zyll, Lord and Commander of Draeken forces. I’d shake your hand, but,”—he wiggled his wrists—“as you can see, I’m otherwise disposed.”

Sommers nodded to a guard, who opened the door closest to them. Roden was led into a windowless room with a large mirror—unquestionably two-way—spanning one wall. His guards were none too gentle about restraining him to the metal bench, and he grunted when one bumped roughly against his wing.

They left him there. The guards locked the door, and Roden sat alone in silence. Oh, he knew he was being watched all right, and so he sat there, watching the mirror, while his hosts planned their next steps.

They returned nearly an hour later. Surprisingly, they didn’t torture him. Instead, two humans simply questioned him, and then left him alone once again. They were likely buying time as they figured out what to do with him. After all, it wasn’t every day one of their most wanted waltzed up to their front door. Not that they needed the time. He planned to lay everything they needed on a platter and serve it right up to them.

The sound of metal on metal pulled his attention to the door as it opened. Sienna, Legian, and Major Sommers sat down across the table to face him.

“Why’d you come here?” Sienna asked.

“And I thought our friendship was off to such a fine start.” He crooked his chin toward her scars. “Although it looks like you’ve run into some trouble since our last encounter.”

She lunged forward and slapped him. Heat bloomed on his cheek.

Legian hit the table and snarled. “You ever speak like that to Sienna again I’ll slice your wings and tie you outside for the scavengers to have their way with you.”

Sienna rubbed her knuckles. “It’s all right. I just let him rile me up.” She turned to Roden and sat back down. This time she pulled out a blaster and set it on the table, the barrel pointing at him. “And he knows that’s not a good idea. Answer my question, Roden. Why’d you come here?”

Roden nodded toward the weapon. “Is that the same blaster you used to execute your mother after she tried to blow up the base with you in it?”

Sienna grabbed the weapon and fired. The heat from the blast singed his wing spur before searing the wall behind him. “You sent my mother to her death. Her blood is on your hands.”

He tsked. “That business with your mother was the act of an unsavory fellow who’s no longer a threat.”

“I should’ve killed you a year ago.”

He shrugged. “You tried. You failed.” Then he sighed. “Getting rid of me won’t solve your problems.”

“There’s nothing stopping me from killing you now.”

“With me harmless in a cell? How very Sephian of you.”

“I’d take Sephian over Draeken any day.”

He cocked his head. “What have my people done to you, Sienna? I’d wager your experiences all tie from making your alignment with the Sephians and getting caught up in the unpleasantness between two races. It’s certainly not from anything between your people and Draeken.”

“My people are Sephians as much as humans,” she shot back at him.

“Enough small talk.” Sommers brought his hand between them. “Roden, you came here alone and unarmed. While I appreciate the gesture, if you have something to say, now is the time.”

“I came under the terms of peace.”

“You came under the terms of surrender,” Sommers reminded him.

He shrugged. “Semantics. I have information you need to keep humans from getting slaughtered.”

“And in return?” Sommers asked, the woman at his side still glaring at Roden.

“In return, I ask for the same thing the Sephians have here. An alliance. A chance to make our home on your world.”

Sienna shook her head. “We don’t make deals with terrorists.”

“A rather harsh label,” Roden replied. “My people came in peace to this planet, fleeing genocide and seeking only a place to call home. We are refugees, not terrorists.”

Sienna gave a combination of a choke and laugh. “You really believe humans will accept you, live side-by-side with you, when they find out that the Sephians were nothing but Draeken slaves for centuries? What’s to stop you from doing the same thing here?”

“Slavery?” Roden raised a brow. “You should ask your tahren about the history of slavery on Sephia. It was there long before my people arrived. We continued a tradition merely because the entire political structure and millennia of customs depended upon it. I may not condone what my ancestors did, but I understand it. Who are you to judge, when slavery still exists in this world?”

She shook her head. “Slavery is outlawed. It’s being stomped out. And we certainly don’t have it in this country.”

A smirk curled his lips. “Ah, yes. Your people are so altruistic. Slavery hasn’t been condoned in this country for a whole century. You’re certainly an enlightened race.”

Sienna fumed. “How about Club Mayhem then? Everyone knows that you were the one behind that breeding facility, using humans as slaves.”

Roden lifted a brow. “You make it sound so clinical. It was a place for our peoples to discover one another in a social setting.”

Sienna hit the table. “Bullshit. You were cross-breeding, using human women like cattle!”

“Were we?” he asked. “Did you find laboratories? Did you speak with any of the women from there? They would have a very different story.”

“Those women were brainwashed,” she countered.

“Really?” Roden belted out a laugh before going sober. “You’re grasping at straws because you already know the truth. You know that everything in that club was consensual. Find me one person who was in any way traumatized or said they were forced.” He leaned closer. “I’ll bet the women were checked for drugs and yet none were found.” He turned back to Sommers. “Club Mayhem was the first connection of my people with this world’s inhabitants. We met on their terms. We hid nothing. We forced nothing. It gave us a chance to get to know one another under casual conditions.”

“Why did you keep it secret then?” Sommers asked.

“It wasn’t a secret. The place was legally licensed under the laws of this country. We simply did not widely broadcast our attendance since we had yet to meet with this world’s leaders.” Roden turned to Sienna. “You just don’t like it because you’re a racist.”

“A racist?” She balked at his words, shaking her head in denial. “I’m a tahren to a Sephian!”

“A Sephian who wants to see every last Draeken dead, and I see you’ve aligned yourself fully with that same belief,” he replied calmly. “You go straight for genocide without giving us a chance.” He shook his head. “The root of the issue at hand is that both the Sephians and Draeken underestimated humans. Their technology was so archaic, we both inaccurately assumed that they wouldn’t yet be able to comprehend that they had brethren in the stars. The Sephians have begun to rectify that miscalculation.” He turned back to Sommers. “How about you? Do you believe the Draeken should also have a chance to make amends with your people?”

“I’m still figuring out both of you,” Sommers replied. “And what I’ve seen from both sides so far hasn’t earned my trust. You brought your war here. You set up shop here uninvited. And neither one of you reached out to us until after we were onto you. In my eyes, you both have a lot of work to do.”

Roden nodded. “Fair enough. I came here today to stop a war that started on Sephia and continues to bleed us.”

“A war you propagated,” Legian said. “A war you propagate still.”

“Believe what you will.” He turned back to Sommers. “We can all agree that unless we reach peace, this war is going to result in human casualties.”

“What game are you playing this time?” Sienna asked.

“No game. I like this planet. Earth. It has a nice ring to it.”

Roden turned to find Sommers studying him. “Why now?” Sommers asked. “What’s happened that brought you here today?”

The human was smart. He could be a valuable ally. Or a dangerous enemy. “My people are undergoing a change in leadership.”

“Hillas Puftan is stepping down?” Sienna asked.

“The Grand Lord is dead. Courtesy of your friend and my consort, Nalea Zyll. However, a doppelgänger is now in place. Unfortunately, this Hillas isn’t so smart, and once backed into a corner, is likely to lash out like the rabid fregee he is.”

“Meaning?” Sommers asked.

“Meaning Hillas had figured out how to modify our power cells to run off this system’s solar energy, and this imposter—this copy—has no qualms about using them to protect our people and his position.”

Legian placed his other hand protectively on Sienna’s shoulder. “If this Hillas has power cells,” he said, “the Draeken core ship can decimate this world.”

“On the contrary,” Roden said. “He only has working prototypes. But it won’t take long to modify the cells once he’s ready. We don’t have much time.”

“How do you know he’s not ready now?” Sommers asked. “We could be walking into a trap.”

“Because we’re all still alive,” Legian said.

“That’s why time is of the essence,” Roden added. “Fortunately for you, I just happen to have in my possession a working prototype. Should we reach an alliance, I would gladly share it with my Sephian and human friends.”

“We could return to Sephia,” Legian murmured.

“Yes. The new cells would support travel both ways,” Roden added.

“How can we trust you?” Sommers asked.

“You can’t. Trust has to be earned,” Roden said. “But we have one thing in common.”

Sienna snorted. “And exactly would that be?”

“We all desire peace, of course.”

Sienna clamped her mouth shut. No one spoke for several moments. Sommers was the first. “What kind of alliance are you looking for?”

Roden inhaled. “First, we need earthside support to go in and remove Hillas’ doppelgänger from leadership. Once that’s done, I will be able to ensure the integrity of my people. They will not be the aggressors on Earth.”

“So, you’re asking for our help in your coup,” Sommers said.

Roden shrugged. “I’m asking for your help to prevent a war. Once that is done, I’d prefer to find an arrangement mutually beneficial for all three of our peoples to live in peace. I’ve seen enough bloodshed.”

“Why should we help you instead of this Hillas?” Sommers asked.

“Because Otas enjoys the comforts of slavery,” Roden snapped back. “If not for altruism, consider an alliance for that saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

No one looked convinced.

Sommers steepled his fingers. “I’d like to think peace is a real possibility and not just some pipe dream. We may be able to provide a certain level of mission support to eliminate the imposter in exchange for the working prototype. But I don’t make a habit of taking anyone I’ve just met at their word. I need a lot more details and assurances first. And we need to see this prototype. After that, for anything more lasting, a hell of a lot more negotiations need to take place.”

Roden nodded. “That’s all I ask for. I can have the prototype delivered tonight while we work out the details.”

Sienna leaned forward. “Even if we have to work together, I’ll never trust you, Roden; you know that, right?”

“The feeling’s mutual, Sienna.”

“You still have war crimes to atone for,” Legian pointed out.

“No more than you,” Roden snapped back.

“That’s between your two races.” Sommers stood. “I need to make some phone calls.”

Roden rattled his chains. “You could take these restraints off as a sign of good faith.”

Sommers chuckled. “We’re not there yet.” He then left, leaving Roden alone with two people who very much wanted him dead.

They sat in silence for several minutes. “I can’t believe it,” Sienna said finally. “You two really became tahren.”

Legian glared; his voice dark and cutting. “The gods would never punish anyone that much that they’d make a tahren pairing with you.”

“Funny,” he replied. “Nalea thought the same thing. Didn’t change the truth.” He leaned back. “Careful how you speak about my consort. And you’ll be wise to watch your tone if you want my cooperation.”

“How did she die?” Sienna asked; her words soft.

“We were ambushed after we killed Hillas. They got both of us,” Roden replied, his voice flat.

“Where were you when she was being killed?” Legian asked from the corner.

Roden lunged forward, only to be held back by his restraints. “You want to know if I abandoned her? Yes, I did. I escaped, leaving her to die alone in a cold cell. Here’s another human saying for you: shit happens.”

He was ready for the fist; he just hadn’t expected how blasted strong the Sephian was. When Legian hit him, Roden’s jaw made a thundering crack and his world spun in blackness and stars. It took a long time for his world to stop spinning.

When it finally did, Sienna watched him carefully, as though pondering something. “You cared for her,” she said after another while.

He stared at her. “If you want vengeance on the one who killed her,” he said, the words slightly slurred from his jaw not working quite right, “join me.”