Page 86 of Cultivating Caden

“Tell me about your people.”

“We Bandaari.” The pride in A’kosh’s voice was obvious. “Millions of Bandaari live here. We have great society. Many tall buildings. Much progress. Our… what is word… queen guides us with love. Much time ago, we were at war, and she united people, put them to use in places they could grow. We became prosperous by opening doors to other worlds and trading with them.” He paused. “I know Ten thought we were still savages, and he believed I would be human, but I would never hurt him. He is my… heart.”

“Ten never said you were savages.”

A’kosh averted his gaze. “No, Ten not judge Bandaari on appearance, but I am not what he expected. He thought I would be human.”

“Yes.” Quade put a hand on A’kosh’s arm. “And it probably was a shock to him, but at no point did Ten ever think you were less than you are. Give him some credit. Give yourself some too.”

“I want Ten to be a part of me,” A’kosh said, his voice cracking. “I never knew what being complete was until I met him.”

No way could Quade deny the emotion in A’kosh’s words. With what Quade had learned about half souls, how could he say it was impossible?

“Some of my people want to keep the old ways. They think we should conquer and rule over others. They are what Ten fears. Most of us live in peace now. We have turned our back to violence.”

Quade wrapped an arm around A’kosh’s shoulder. “Ten’s a lucky kid to have someone like you.”

As they cleared the forest, the smell in the air grew so thick that it choked Quade. In the distance, plumes of smoke rose into the sky, dark and foreboding. When A’kosh spotted it, he clutched Quade’s hand.

“My home.”

He took off at a run, and Quade was hard pressed to keep up. His lungs burned with the stench, his every step sluggish. He tried once more to call his wolf, but it wouldn’t respond.

“A’kosh….”

He never looked back as Quade tumbled to the ground. The last thing he heard before everything went dark was his son’s voice, pleading with him to get up. But everything was pulling him under, and even though he wanted to do what Ten asked, he didn’t have the strength.

And then nothing else seemed to matter.