Page 152 of Claimed By the Condemned Alien

“You are supposed to be undergoing examination.”

“I finished.”

“You are very loud for someone who finished.”

She beamed. Kesta folded her arms.

“Did the third moon really squeak?”

Dreven stopped. Lina covered her mouth. Something close to alarm entered his silver eyes.

“Tavi talks too much.”

“Iri told me.”

Dreven looked toward the child. Iri immediately found the ceiling fascinating.

Kesta smiled. “I may need a demonstration later.”

“You will not.”

“That's disappointing.”

“I will survive your disappointment.”

The dry response made her smile widen. Then she handed him the first anonymized chart. The humor disappeared. Dreven studied the orbital timing marks while Kesta explained what they had found. When she finished, his jaw had tightened.

“How many children were born in Ash Camp?”

“Forty-one live here now.”

Kesta shook her head. “That isn't what I asked.”

Dreven's gaze went still. She waited.

“One hundred and nine,” he said finally. “Since I became commander.”

The number struck harder than Kesta expected.

“And the others?”

“Some died. Some left when families moved to other camps.”

His eyes moved toward Iri.

“Some were taken.”

“Extracted.”

“Yes.”

Kesta heard pain beneath the word. Not secrecy. Pain.

“You knew the extractions were happening.”

“I knew people disappeared after the summons. I did not know the children were correlating orbital movement or that Sera had seen medical patterns.”

Kesta looked toward the crowded treatment room.