First Watch: A Watcher Bay Adventure Read Online Free Page B

shimmery strands of silver, compared to her own rebellious hair. Her own dark, unruly curls had a life of their own and were a boring shade of chestnut brown.
    Alena had similar shimmers in her hair, but hers were a pale lavender instead of her mother’s silver. Levra found herself wondering if Alena’s light purple would turn silver with age.
    She pulled the woman into her arms. “Oh, Mera. It’s so good to see you.”
    Levra looked at Alena, waiting for her to translate what she’d said into Ddaeran. But Alena didn’t speak.
    Confused, Levra looked between Mera and Alena. They were both slightly taller than Levra’s five-foot-eight frame. Levra was tall for a human, but most Ddaerans were naturally taller and leaner than humans. Levra wondered if the height differential between the Ddaerans and the Founders would even out over generations of evolution. She shrugged off the errant thought and focused her attention on Mera.
    Mera opened her mouth to speak. “Wol-kum, Lebruh.”
    Levra gasped as she understood Mera’s thick words.
    Welcome, Levra.
    Levra let out a joyful squeal and squeezed Mera into her arms again as she glanced between Mera and Alena.
    Alena spoke, beaming with pride. “She’s been practicing. She says she wants to learn to talk to you. In English! All the time.”
    Levra had to fight back a tear that threatened to spill over. The Ddaerans humbled her, but Levra had a special spot for Mera.
    “I thought your mother couldn’t speak with her voice? I thought she could only communicate by touch!”
    “Ever since she met you, she’s been trying to learn to speak in the Founder way. She wanted you to be proud of her.”
    Levra was touched. Mera’s husband died many years before, shortly after Levra met their family. When Levra’s husband left for space, it was Mera who provided her with a sense of belonging, she brought her in to the village and welcomed her completely as though she were one of them. They’d been able to communicate with Alena’s translations, but the ability to speak with Mera directly lifted Levra’s spirits.
    “Oh, Mera,” she said gently. “I’m so happy for you. And so proud. Your voice is lovely.”
    Alena translated, and Mera smiled warmly before replying with Alena’s help.
    “You are a good teacher to my Alena. And she has been a good teacher to me. It is all because of you.”
    “Alena,” Levra said, “I am so proud of you and what you have taught your mother!”
    The celebration was cut short when an explosion of sounds outside filtered in through the open door of Mera’s hut. The sound of a weapon being fired followed by frantic screams drew Levra and her friends outside. Alena led the way out into the common area of the village with Levra and Mera close behind.
    Levra glanced around to see what had caused the disturbance. What she saw took her breath away.
    A young Ddaeran boy lay motionless on the ground, and a woman Levra recognized as the boy’s mother was kneeling next to him, crying deep guttural sobs.
    Standing a few feet away from the body was a group of four men, clearly Founders, outfitted with sleek military uniforms, helmets, and plasma rifles. They all stood with their weapons pointed at various people in the small crowd who gathered after they heard the shots fired.
    Levra immediately ran toward the boy and knelt next to his mother. Levra placed two fingers on his neck to check his pulse but found none. Fury filled her, and she jumped up and turned to face the murderers. She stomped toward them, unintimidated. “What is going on here?”
    A scarred face with angry eyes stared back at her, challenging her with his frosty glare. “None of your concern, woman.”
    This must be the leader of this—group? Scarface, she’d call him. Scarface and his death squad.
    Her fingers itched for her own rifle, but it was back at home, locked away in the biometric gun safe. Dwyr was the last place she’d thought she’d need a weapon. She wanted to