Page 109 of Dark Gambit Reliance

"What happened?" Sofia asked. "Why are you crying?"

Helmi rubbed her eyes. "They put handcuffs on Tomos and are keeping him locked in the hybrids’ quarters together with all the hybrids. I tried to tell them that Tomos was a good guy and that there was no need to keep him in cuffs, but they wouldn't listen. The big guy with the huge muscles told me that it's temporary, but he didn't tell me for how long." She glared at Marcel. "I thought that you came to free us? Did you mean only the humans?"

He wasn't sure how to answer that. "We came to free Jade and her people, and that includes you and probably Tomos. I hope he isn’t loyal to Igor."

Helmi threw her hands in the air. "He isn’t. He didn't have a choice and had to obey Igor and his men. All of us had to. That doesn't make him or us Igor's supporters."

"I know. The question is how he feels now. I wasn't there when Tom and the others compelled the hybrids to tell them the truth about their loyalties, but I would be surprised if Tomos or any of the others liked Igor."

"Of course, they don’t. They were treated even worse than us." She shifted her eyes to Sofia. "Did you talk to your mother?"

Sofia shook her head. "Is she handcuffed and locked in her quarters as well?"

"They all are." Helmi rose to her feet and walked over to where the cups were stored. "I heard that the purebloods are locked in the basement. That's even worse." She poured herself a cup and sat back down.

"It's safer that way," Sofia murmured. "I wonder how my mother feels about her father."

Helmi's eyes widened. "Is he dead?"

Sofia grimaced. "Not yet, but he will be soon. Jade will kill him to avenge her sons and all the males of her tribe whom Igor and his cronies murdered. Igor enslaved her and the other females, and as if that wasn't enough, he stole all of their money."

"Oh." Helmi shook her head. "Those are many horrible things. I'm so happy that I'm human." She finished the rest of her coffee and got to her feet. "I'm going to sleep, and I hope not to have nightmares after what you told me."

80

SOFIA

After Helmi left, Sofia leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. "Get some sleep, Isi."

"Not yet." Her father leveled his eyes at Marcel. "What will happen to my daughter? What if she doesn't turn? What will happen to all of us?"

"Sofia will always be safe with me. Even if the induction doesn't work, she will live with me as my mate, and I'll cherish the years she can give me." Marcel took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "But I strongly believe that she will transition, and we will have at least a thousand blissful years together."

As her father looked at her, tears misted his eyes. "I'm happy you found love, but I don't want to lose you. I want to be part of your life. I want to see my grandchildren born, and I want to be there to help you raise them. Don't you want to have me, your aunts, and your cousins in your life?"

She looked at Marcel. "Do you think your boss will allow them to live in his village? They don't have anywhere else they can go."

Marcel let out a breath. "I don't know. Maybe Kian will allow me to stay with you here. If Jade takes over command of the place, he will not leave her to do whatever she wants. They will sign a cooperation treaty, and Kian will need someone to be the clan's liaison to the Kra-ell. Perhaps I can get nominated to the post." He smiled. "After all, who else is better suited for the job than the guy who is mated to one of Jade's subjects?"

Sofia's heart soared with renewed hope. "That would be perfect. But won't you miss your people?"

"We can visit from time to time." He leaned closer and planted a kiss on her lips. "I love you, and if this is where you'll be the happiest, then this is where I'll be to share that happiness with you."

Her throat tight with emotion, Sofia leaned her forehead on his. "I love you so much. I can't believe you are willing to do this for me." She leaned back. "Living with the Kra-ell is not easy, and I don't know how things will change with Jade in charge. Listening to her story, I saw her in a different light, and I believe that she can be a good leader for the purebloods, but she needs to change her attitude toward the humans and the hybrids. Given the history of her people, she shouldn't treat anyone as second-class."

"You are absolutely right." Marcel shifted his gaze to her father. "We will elect a council, and each group will have the same number of representatives. Jade will have to get the council's approval for every major decision. That's how our clan is governed, and it works very well."

Her father nodded. "I like your suggestion." He rose to his feet and offered Marcel his hand. "Welcome to the family, Marcel. Can I call you son?"

Marcel shook his hand. "You can, but I will not call you Dad for obvious reasons. So maybe we should stick to our given names."

Understanding dawning, her father paled. "How old are you?"

"Much older than you."

"By how much?"

Sofia chuckled. "You don't want to know, and it doesn't matter. Even though Marcel has lived for a very long time, I am his first real love, and he is mine, and that's all that matters."