Page 92 of Dark Witch Resurrection

"I want to find out who the other players are and what their agenda is."

Jade scoffed, her lip curling in a sneer. "What does it matter? Their grievances are irrelevant. There is no excuse for breaking the law and endangering everyone in the village." Her eyes were blazing with anger. "How are they even doing that? They shouldn't be capable of sabotage."

Kian sighed, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration. "We assume the Kra-ell are responsible, but maybe they are not. It occurred to me that some of the clan members might not be happy about the village's latest changes, and they are showing their discontent."

Jade frowned. "You told me everyone got to vote, and the decision was unanimous."

"People succumb to peer pressure," Onegus said. "They might not want to look like the bigots who refuse to invite a group of alien refugees. It's also possible that they believed things would work out better between the two groups, but contact between the groups is minimal. Except for you, Phinas, Vanessa, and Mo-red, even friendships between Kra-ell and clan members are rare or nonexistent." He flashed his charming smile. "Maybe we should organize parties so everyone will get to hang out together, and barriers will get broken."

That suggestion had been raised before, but it had never materialized. The younger immortals and Kra-ell had tried to bond over music and form a band, but even that had fizzled out. People tended to stick to the familiar and the comfortable, and forming friendships with members of a significantly different tribe was not easy. It needed work and the will to do it.

Kian sighed. "You know my opinion about all that kumbaya. Seems good in theory but seldom works in practice."

Onegus didn't seem discouraged. "Just give the assignment to Amanda, and it will be done."

"That's not a bad idea," Kian said. “But we need to solve this mystery first. Who's doing it, why, and how."

Onegus leaned back in his chair. "If they are Kra-ell or humans, that would require impressive creative thinking on their part to excuse malfunctioning shutters as a prank. Light at night gives the village away and renders our sophisticated camouflaging measures ineffective. Everyone knows that."

Kagra nodded. "I was thinking about that on the way here. It's possible that the saboteurs convinced themselves that they are doing it for the greater good, for the benefit of the community."

Kian frowned. "How could that be for the benefit of the community?"

Kagra shrugged, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "They might think separating the Kra-ell from the clan would be better for everyone. I know that some think we'd be better off on our own."

"That's ridiculous," Marina said. "We're stronger together. I mean, you are stronger together. Humans are inconsequential to both groups in that context." Kian nodded. "Marina is right." He turned to Jade and Kagra. "Find out whether Borga is working with others or is a lone player, and at the same time, snoop around for clues about the saboteurs. Once you have the information, report back to me, and we will decide how to proceed."

Jade looked like she wanted to argue, her jaw clenching with barely contained frustration. But after a long moment, she nodded. "We'll do it your way, Kian. But if this backfires, and Borga and her cronies cause more serious damage, don't blame me, and remember that I wanted to put her in the brig."

67

ANNANI

Annani stood before the mirror and surveyed her reflection. The dark blue silk of her gown shimmered in the soft light of her bedroom, the rich color bringing out the vibrant red of her hip-length hair and the fluid fabric skimming over her figure.

It was just another day dress, but it was her favorite. She never wore anything constricting, and silk was her preferred fabric because it was gentle on her skin and breathable, so at first glance there was no difference in her appearance today compared to any other day. But she had taken extra care for the grand reveal.

Ell-rom had already met her, so this wouldn't be his first impression of her, but it would be the first time she would face him as his sister rather than the Clan Mother.

It was a big deal, as the young ones liked to say. She had spent so long without any family other than the one she had created herself, and thinking that she was all alone, the only one of her kind, had been difficult. Discovering that Areana lived had been a tremendous joy, but her sister was out of reach for all intents and purposes, imprisoned by Navuh. Then the Fates brought her childhood best friend, Wonder, as she preferred to be called, back to her. As if that was not enough of a boon, Toven returned to her as well, and Annani was immensely grateful for having her cousin in her life.

Now, the Fates had guided two more siblings to her.

She had also discovered that there were trillions of beings like her on a distant planet, and yet she was still one of a kind because she was the only legitimate heir to Anumati's throne.

Annani smiled at her reflection. "There was a good reason for all these years of acting like a diva after all."

She had assumed that her penchant for theatrics was just a way to amuse herself and her family. After all, she had never abused her status and had only used it to make things special. Ceremonies needed some pomp and grandeur to be entertaining and memorable.

Evidently it was part of her DNA, her unique genetics. She was born to be a queen.

The problem was that she preferred to be a ceremonial figure rather than engage in actual ruling. If she ever took over the Anumati throne, she would create a council that would be democratically elected and be the de facto governing body of the planet and, by extension, the galaxy.

Oh, well, she should not dwell on such heavy topics on the day she was going to welcome her brother into the family.

Sighing, Annani turned around and walked over to the jewelry section of her closet.

Most of the pieces stored in the velvet-covered drawers were modern acquisitions, some custom-made for her by renowned artists and others store-bought. But those seemed inappropriate for today.