Flux

23

Aiya walked into the conference room as bold and lively as a lioness stalking through her hunting grounds.

Errend's breath stuck in his throat. He had expected this. He had seen some of the changes starting to take place before Marvin had rushed into the room and forced everyone else to leave as he tended to his sister.

Errend was just grateful the light bursting from Aiya's limbs and face had retreated to a dim glow as she had settled back on the bed, the kinetic energy surrounding her body finally dissipating before Marvin and Derek had arrived.

If Marvin had witnessed the light show, Errend probably would have had to restrain one man and knock the other out to stop them from trying to kill him. They were irrational and seemed to think Errend was responsible somehow.

Was he? How long would it have taken the Rakshasa to arrive had they not opened the wormhole?

He could dwell on that another time. Errend couldn't change the past, and regretting something unintended and unpredictable was a waste of energy.

"Earnest, you look terrible, man. Have you not slept or eaten since we got here?"

Aiya's voice snapped Errend from his thoughts with a jolt. Doing his best to keep his thoughts from his face, he focused on Aiya's now permanently glowing eyes, - ice-blue glowing eyes.

Those eyes pierced him to his soul, and for the first time in his life, he found himself truly afraid of being seen. This woman would be able to see all his secrets, fears, concerns, hopes and worst of all, desires. Desires he couldn't afford to have.

Clearing his throat, he provided a half-truth.

"I have been trying to think of a way to get Inta and Sardini out of this place. I did a little recon while everyone was sleeping."

He refused to confess that for the first twenty hours of her change, he had paced Inta's small sitting room relentlessly. Had been unable to eat or drink and had avoided all the meetings and downtime Aiya's team had participated in.

Marvin had told Derek to tell everyone that Aiya was just a little burnt out and needed some extra rest while they made plans with the doctors. No one seemed to mind, especially when it was discovered that the place had a pool next to the vast gym full of workout equipment.

Derek and a few of the team's drivers, who always helped make decisions, met with the Doctors twice.

Marvin only went to one meeting at Derek's insistence due to Marvin needing to decide on materials and supplies required to help modify the current underground transportation vehicle the scientists and their engineers had been building.

It had been wisely decided that weapons and shields needed to be added. Beyond the already existing safety measure for heat and pressure that would build the further, they went down.

Unfortunately, the doctors were still being evasive about the portal, and it just served to solidify Errend's suspicions that they knew more than they were saying.

Now they were all here waiting for the doctors to arrive and the rest of Aiya's team. Aiya had met with a few of them already, allowing them to get used to her new, sparkling blue self, hoping that they could help prepare the others. She hadn't wanted to shock everyone.

As for the doctor's they were going to find out today. Errend's gut twisted at the thought. What would they do to her? And could they do anything with her here in this room surrounded by her team? Would her team have her back now that she was... Well, different?

Errend suddenly realized he was still staring into Aiya's eyes as she appeared to examine his soul from the inside out.

A small smile graced her now almost purple lips. Errend felt his breath catch again. She was stunning.