Shannon Pemrick [Pemrick - Pieces

H es my son.

Dalatrend bustled with life, even at this late hour. Streetlamps lit up every street of the four quadrants, and spotlights illuminated the fortress at the far end of the city belonging to our ruler , Zarda. Cats fought in the alleys, people shouted, and cars roared and honked in the sleepless night. My violet hair moved with the slight breeze, and the full moons light bathed my light skin in a silver sheen as I stared out from my perch on top of our house. The battle from earlier, while seemingly unknown by the rest of the citys occupants, weighed heavy on my mind.

Even though we had won, the battle took a toll on our supplies and numbers. Two things we couldnt afford to be so careless with.

I turned away from the city when a door leading back into the house opened. A young man, appearing not much older than I, maybe his early thirties, with tan skin, short black and red hair, and black facial hair, walked out onto the roof and looked around. His sapphire eyes rested on me and then he shook his head. Of all the places you could be, Eira, you chose to be up here again?

I crossed my arms. Yes, Raikidan, I am up here. Getting away allows me to think. Today has been a bit stressful.

He held up his hands. No need to get testy.

Whatever. Do you need something from me, or are you a lost puppy looking for home?

Im not a lost puppy he muttered. I came up here to see if we could talk.

My brow rose. About?

Ryder.

I resisted sighing. Ever since I had dropped the bombshell about Ryders connection to me after the battle, I had avoided Raikidan because of the questions Id receive. Hed make it out to be a bigger issue than it really was.

I shrugged. I guess. I dont see what needs to be talked about. Hes my son. Nothing crazy there.

Raikidan crossed his arms. You claim you dont want to be close to anyone, especially males, and then you say you have a son, but its no big deal?

What part of were tank-born dont you get? I asked. I didnt choose to have him, but that doesnt deny who he is.

He held up his hands. All right, all right. I guess I can go with that. So whos his father, then? I looked away from him. Eira?

Its I sighed. Its Rylan

Wait, what?

I looked him in the eye. Rylan is his father.

Yeah, I got that part, but I dont know. Im just really confused. I thought you said Rylan and you are only friends. You said you had no, and still dont have any, attraction to him in the least.

And you would be correct. There isnt anything between me and Rylan. We are only friends. Raikidans brow rose in question and I exhaled slowly in irritation. Ryder wasnt Rylans or my choice. He was Zardas. Zarda figured using my DNA and Rylans DNA was a good idea, so he made it so. Thats how it goes with us. What Zarda wants, damn everyone to hell if he doesnt get it.

So why you two?

Because of the bond. Even though Zarda scrapped the project, he still had great interest in its potential. He believed the bond has special DNA properties even though none of it could be proven. So he ordered the geneticists to combine Rylans and my DNA, with the demand the only alteration made was life longevity attempts. Zarda assumed with the types of DNA he was combining, Ryder wouldnt need much more alteration.

All right. I think I get, it but why is he so young? I thought you said you guys dont come out of your tanks unless youre around seventeen.

I sat down and nodded. Thats true, but there was a problem.

Raikidan walked over and sat down next to me. What kind of problem?

Ryder stopped developing, and the longer they kept him in there in hopes it would resume, the faster his life force faded. Not wanting to lose him, they took him out. He didnt grow past the age of ten.

So was it the alteration that messed things up or the accelerated growth?

I shook my head. They didnt accelerate his growth. They didnt want to risk it since Rylan and I hadnt had that kind of treatment. They feared the acceleration might kill him.

I see. There was something off about the tone in his voice. Like he was piecing something together that wasnt a part of this conversation. So when you found out about Ryder, how did that affect you guys?

Well I thought for a moment to figure out how to word myself. It wasnt something I wanted to say, but he would keep pestering me until I did. Rylan Rylan thought he could use Ryder as a tool to get me to care for him. He figured if we had something to connect with, together, then I might change my mind.

Raikidan snorted. Even I know that wouldnt work.

I laughed. Well, youre a little smarter than him, because he tried it and it pissed me off enough where I wouldnt even look at him for five months.

Ouch. A little harsh, dont you think?

I snorted. Hardly. I had been fed up with him not listening to me in the first place. And the fact that he thought he could use a child as a tool disgusted me. I couldnt stomach looking at him. But harsh or not, the treatment got Rylan to understand I didnt see him that way. My refusal to acknowledge him at all showed him the depth of my rejection. I didnt want to crush him as bad as I did, but it was the only way hed give up. It was the only way I knew I could get him to stop.

So what is Ryders opinion on the matter?