Predatory

SASHA POV

“What benefit does sparing her offer you?” Berach demands of Najwa. “Or any of us, or WASP as a whole? Our plans cannot suffer traitors to live.” His violet eyes flash fury, and Najwa, despite her sway over air, seems to be struggling to breathe, struggling to keep eye contact with Berach, trembling all over.

“You have the skills to see if there is falsehood in her,” Anisha says, her tone measured and calculating. “If there be none, she is no traitor to WASP, only to Anselm.”

“And he was not without his flaws,” Ruadh grumbles. “Agent Sukoshku already seems more…circumspect than her predecessor.”

Berach’s fury instantly shifts from Najwa to Ruadh, and the meeting of their gazes is like steel on steel. Their impasse seems to last forever, and I am grateful; I need to drag this out as long as possible, and while Berach’s focus is elsewhere, it’s easier for me to breathe, to focus.

“She will never agree with us,” Berach growls. Ruadh’s face tightens; it seems to be beyond his abilities to reply while his eyes are locked with those of the fae menace.

“And if that is so, then it is as she has said and her life is forfeit,” Anisha agrees smoothly. “But she has already surprised us. Perhaps she may again, once she hears our truth.”

“A waste of time. But have it your way. Our plans cannot be set in motion this day, regardless.” Berach’s piercing gaze settles on me again, releasing Ruadh, who coughs and slouches in his seat, drained. This time, though, the fae’s eyes bring no extra pressure, no sense that the air is being sucked out of the room. “Sukoshku. What are your feelings towards humans?”

No sense lying or even bending the truth about that.

“I prefer to associate with them as little as possible. Assimilating in their society and avoiding their notice is a tedious strain,” I answer, wondering what this has to do with anything.

“And these are privileged concerns, Sukoshku, for you are a being who can pass as human with relatively little difficulty. Many others under WASP’s protection are not so fortunate, and humans have, historically, been kind to none of us.”

“I know it well.” Get to the point.

“Even that, however, would not be enough for us to vary from our present course of hiding our existence from humankind, were it not for their greater sin, their unforgivable sin.” His eyes bore into me, demanding some sort of a response.

“And what sin is that?”

“With their industries and their greed, they are destroying the planet that we all share. Merfolk and sirens are dying in plastic-infused waters. The gasses and pollutants from human industries poison naiads and dryads. They destroy the forests where elves and fae and unicorns hide. Even remote mountains are becoming tourist attractions littered with trash, making it harder and harder for dragons to live out of fear. The situation is becoming untenable, and the damage they are doing to this planet may well be irreversible.”

I’ve heard bits and pieces of media, for some years now, about global warming, climate change, and the problems they cause for human and supernatural communities alike. I knew the situation was serious, but until this moment I’ve been too focused on other, more immediate problems to pay it much mind.

“We’ve considered transporting all creatures under WASP’s jurisdiction to the fae realm, but this cannot be done,” Anisha continues while Berach’s eyes bore into me. “The Faerie Queen will not allow it, and some supernaturals cannot abide there. We must find a way to save our home.”

Then…they must want to—

“We have deliberated long and hard amongst ourselves, and the only solution that seems viable is to eliminate the causes of our habitat’s destruction,” Berach informs me.

“You mean…wipe out their entire species? Destroy humankind completely?” I ask, hardly able to believe the words even as they fall from my lips.

“Not all,” Anisha amends. “Some of us depend on that species for nourishment and, to a lesser extent, reproduction.”

“Forgive me my ignorance. I confess I am not an expert in this matter,” I hedge. “But is it not the big corporations and governments—human-run, of course, but even so, not the majority of the species—that are most responsible for the damage to the planet?”

“Special Ops has not been assigned to this conundrum and thus your ignorance is forgiven,” Berach answers. “Not that you have, thus far, shown yourself to be terribly ignorant on the matter. You have the right of it. The large organizations you mentioned are responsible for the bulk of the destruction. But the bulk of their societies are structured in such a way as to be dependent on continual consumption of products created in ways that harm the planet. The vast majority of humans cannot be held completely innocent of what is being done to our home.”

Be that as it may, how many innocent humans will die if this plan goes forward? Billions of them call this planet home.

But if this plan is not adopted, how long until they exterminate themselves by rendering the planet unlivable? And what will become of all the beings that WASP protects in the meantime?

“Is there a way to try to focus our elimination efforts on those most guilty? And perhaps re-educate the survivors, to make their society more…sustainable?” I wonder aloud.

“That question is what has stalled our efforts to enact this plan,” Najwa replies. Her eyes tell me that many times she has had the same debate with herself that I’m having internally as we speak.

“That and making sure that we will face no resistance from within WASP when we make our move,” Berach corrects. The atmosphere is tightening, threatening to choke me again. “That is the reason Anselm was so militant with Special Ops in enforcing violations of WASP law concerning humans, the circumstances which I am sure led to your duel with him.”

The things Drake supposedly said, according to spies in the area. Rika and Zoe told me that, per their interrogation of him, all he could be confirmed guilty of was Orwellian thoughtcrime, which as yet is not defined or punishable under WASP law.

I have no doubt, though, that Anselm wouldn’t have seen it that way, and that Berach holds the same views on the matter Anselm did.

Drake would never agree to this plan. He’d tell me to do whatever it takes to stop them, to find another way.

But Drake’s not in this meeting. It’s not Drake’s decision to make. And there’s more to consider than just his feelings.

What is the right thing to do? What will save the most lives?