different sports would gather together from every nation and compete for two weeks to see who was the best in the world. I led the Olympic team into the arena and brought home first place gold medals for martial arts, as my father had, many years before me. He trained me from the time I was a little girl, along with my brothers and many others in his world-famous dojo .” Her eyes grew sad and Grady Prime reached out to touch her hand, offering comfort. When the Hum started up, he felt the eyes of everyone at the table turn to them, but he refused to release her. She was so sad. It hurt his heart.
“You miss your family.” He spoke in what he hoped was a comforting tone. Offering comfort was new to him.
“I do. They were the best, and I never was able to find out what happened to them. I was traveling on this coast when the bombardment started. My home and family were on the other side of the continent.”
“I’m sorry, Gina.”
She looked up at him with a searching expression before a small smile lit her eyes. “You know, I actually believe you. Of all the Alvians I’ve met, I think you’re the only one who has ever uttered those words with real sincerity.” She placed her other hand over his on the table, pressing lightly as his breath caught. “Thank you, Grady.”
“What is that noise?” Sinclair Prime asked from across the table. He had his fork halfway to his mouth and a puzzled look on his face.
Grady didn’t know what to say since Gina clearly couldn’t hear it. The Patriarch answered, his words simple and devastating at the same time.
“They Hum.” All eyes turned to the Patriarch at the head of the table. “It is something I have heard only rarely and never among Alvians, I’m sorry to say. A few of the mated human pairs in our enclave Hum. Of course the tone is outside of their range of hearing.”
“What’s this about humming? I don’t hear anything.” Gina looked around, suspicious.
“Precisely, my dear.” The Patriarch smiled at her. “When you touch Grady Prime, you resonate on a level that is outside of human hearing. We can hear the Hum, just below the surface. It is a pleasant sound, actually, and reassures me that there is hope for our people. If we can form Resonance Matings among ourselves and humans, there is some hope for the entire planet—Alvians and humans alike.”
“I don’t understand.” Gina retracted her hands from Grady’s. He was sorry to see her move away and the Hum stopped, but his attention was caught by the Patriarch’s words.
“I know of several true Resonance Matings between humans and Alvians, Patriarch. I have heard the Hum and seen the crystals glow for two Alvians already. I had no hope I could be so lucky. You see—” he turned to speak directly to Gina, “—I have never Hummed with any female. Meeting you brings me hope.” He loved watching the emotions flit across her expressive face.
“Tell me of the Resonance Mates you have observed, Grady Prime,” the Patriarch invited. “I assume you speak of Chief Engineer Davin and his mate, but who is the other?”
Grady Prime considered his options. Nearly overwhelmed by the incredible Hum when he’d least expected it, he wasn’t so far gone that he would potentially put others in danger. Especially not Callie or Jaci. Both women were special to him in different ways and he did not want to see either of them come to harm.
He had to make a decision. Could he truly trust the Patriarch and the people around this table? Could he trust the fabled Zxerah sense of honor? Having little hard data, he had to go with his instincts, his gut. It was something he’d relied on even before he had emotions. The ability had only grown stronger since he’d taken the gene-altering agent. With feelings came an enhanced ability to read people and situations.
Grady’s gut was telling him that these Zxerah —these people out of legend—were exactly what they claimed to be. Grady Prime instinctively