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Julie gave a half smile and tilted her head at Alexandra in a way that suggested she was enjoying herself. “I might have known that you’d realise, Alex. You were the only person outside my family who knew my secret.”

Alexandra gave a soft chuckle. “Your secret? You mean that trick you’d somehow learned. I know resonants sometimes come back but you aren’t resonant.”

“Well I wasn’t,” Julie said. “Let me explain.” She took a deep breath and told Alexandra her story. The old woman listened intently and only started chuckling when she’d finished.

“Oh dear, Caro,” she said. “That’s got to sting, even if you had changed your mind about resonants already.”

“It’s certainly ironic,” Julie said. “But no, it doesn’t sting at all. In fact I’m content with how things turned out.”

Alexandra tilted her head. “If you say so.”

“I do–” Julie broke off as Alexandra held up a hand. “Your daughter?”

“Yes.” Alexandra tilted her head clearly listened and nodded. “She’s confirming what Adrian said. They’ve met up with a woman who isn’t human – but from what we’ve already been told by Lyrrekka, probably once was. She can’t hear what they are discussing but the woman seems angry about it and Linda doesn’t like her aura at all.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I’m recalling all but one of them to bear witness. Let’s sort out how to handle this before they get back.”

“An excellent idea,” Matthias said. “But we don’t know if there are other traitors in the room.”

“Then we need to make sure no one else leaves until we do.” Alexandra rose to her feet. “I’ll organise that and end the recess once Linda’s back so we can discuss the situation.” She strode purposefully towards the rest of her family.

Julie leaned back in her seat and watched her go. “Well, this makes things interesting.”

***

“Uncle Garrett wouldn’t do that!” Robert surged to his feet as Linda Louden showed them what she and her brother had seen when they located Garrett and Kayleigh. “He loves Earth! Why would he betray it?”

“Because he’s an idiot and easily led.” The comment came from a young man sitting a few places down the table from Sonia’s seat. When Robert opened his mouth to protest, the man cut him off. “You know I’m right, Robert. Don’t make a liar of yourself just because he’s your kin.”

Robert gaped at the speaker for a moment before shaking his head. “I-I’m not lying, Trent. Uncle Garrett is a bit obsessed but he’d never deliberately harm Earth.” He didn’t sound too certain.

Trent shook his head and laughed, but not unkindly. “I think the key word there is deliberately. He may well be being used. I’m more concerned by Kayleigh Laverne.” He turned to Alexandra. “Madame prolocutor, may I suggest we nominate a cross-family team to question her? That will avoid anyone claiming that whatever they discover is an invention of the interrogator.”

“A good suggestion.” Alexandra looked around the room. “Can we let that pass without a vote or does someone have an objection?”
No one did and they were discussing who should be on the team to question Kayleigh when Alexandra held up her hand. “They’re on their way back.”

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