Species Traitor: A Science Fiction Dystopian Novel by Kate Mary (books to read to get smarter txt) 📕

“Mayor Waters,” Anara said, her voice quiet and solemn. “They are scared of what will come next.”

“I understand,” I continued, “but where were they trying to go?”

Anara turned away without answering my question, and I tried but failed to catch Finn’s eye. It was purposeful, though. He was avoiding looking directly at me, focusing on the floor like he was having a deep conversation with it. He was hiding something. But what?

“I have requested a meeting with the mayor,” Anara had turned back to the council, “but she has denied my request.”

“This cannot be,” Melora said. “She must allow us to stand up for our people.”

“She will not.” Anara paused so she could glance my way.

Speaking in her native tongue once again, Melora moved to her son’s side, only switching to English when he’d looked up. “I know we had plans, my son, but we will have to do it another time. Perhaps you and Ava should leave us.”

“Yes,” Finn said with a nod. “That’s probably a good idea.”

It stung, but I also understood. I wasn’t a member of the council or even related to one, and I was also human. I’d saved Arch, but these people didn’t really know me. For all they knew, I could have been a spy for the mayor.

Finn moved to my side, taking my arm like he was going to escort me out, but before he could, I turned to face the council members.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I wish things could be different. For all of us.”

Anara nodded, her eyes as sad as they’d been the day she’d told me about my father. “As do I, child.”

I returned the gesture then allowed Finn to lead me out. Before the door had even shut, the council was once again talking. It wasn’t in English, but I still strained to hear the words, desperate to understand what was happening. It was useless, of course.

“Do you speak Veilorian?” I asked Finn as he led me toward the nearest walkway.

“Yes, but I rarely speak it.” He gave a small shrug like it didn’t really matter. “Most Veilorians born on Earth don’t.”

“Why not?”

“We’re not from Veil,” he said, his frown deepening. “We’re from here. That’s what the humans who hate us don’t understand. No Veilorian has set foot on another planet for centuries. Earth is our home. The only one most of us can remember.”

It made the situation ten times sadder.

Finn and I lapsed into silence as we wound our way through the city, and the utter stillness of the District felt as if it was mimicking us. It seemed like it grew quieter with each passing day, and at the moment it felt positively deserted. I missed the happiness that used to fill these streets, mourned for it, even.

When the quiet had grown too much I asked, “How did the Veilorians who landed here twenty-two years ago pick up English so fast?”

“Language is easy for us,” he said with a shrug. “I could pick up one of the forgotten ones from the past in a matter of days if I tried.”

“Spanish?” I said, trying to remember what languages used to exist but had long ago died off. “French?”

“Both,” he replied. “At the same time if I wanted.”

That was impressive.

We reached the walkway leading to Finn’s house as I absorbed this new information, but it wasn’t long before I was once again thinking about the people who’d tried to flee the District. It didn’t make sense no matter how I thought about it and the second we were safely inside, I repeated the question I’d asked in his mother’s house.

“Where was the group trying to go, Finn?”

He let out a deep sigh and nodded to the couch. “Sit.”

I obeyed, my curiosity piqued by the grave expression on his face.

“What I’m about to tell you,” he began as he settled down at my side, “few humans know. Even some of those living in the District don’t. We can’t risk anyone outside the District finding out, which is why only the most trusted humans know this story.” He paused so he could pin me with a serious look, the expression reminding me of his mother. “I’m putting all of my faith in you, Ava.”

Gratitude welled up inside me, accompanied by a swell of emotions that seemed to grow stronger with each moment I spent with Finn.

“You can trust me,” I said as I scooted closer to him. “I promise.”

Finn exhaled again, stretching it out before sucking in a deep breath. Then he said, “We weren’t the only ship to land on Earth twenty-two years ago.”

It was the last thing I’d thought he’d say, and it made me sit up straighter, made my mind spin with questions and possibilities I’d never considered before. There could be other Veilorians on Earth, living somewhere else and possibly free. Where, though, and did this mean other parts of the planet were habitable? Could we get there?

Despite my desperation to know more, I voiced none of my questions, instead staying quiet so Finn could continue his story. A big feat for me in the best of times, but torturous at this particular moment.

“We came during the meteor shower, as you well know, but we weren’t alone. A second ship was with us in space. Our craft entered the atmosphere first and followed the only signs of life we could detect. The second ship tried to do the same, but upon entering the atmosphere they sustained damage that sent them off course. They landed hundreds of miles from here.

“Everyone on board was okay, but the damage made it impossible for them to try to find us. We had radio contact for a while, and we even learned that while the place they’d landed was nearly devoid of plant life, there were a few small signs of other life. Things that pointed to the possibility of humans living in the area. The other group of Veilorians made it their mission to find