Serix listened to Cassie’s story in silence, taking in her every word. He knew the virus his people created had been gruesome, but he never knew exactly what it did to humans. To think that it transformed them from intelligent beings into mindless beasts made his stomach turn. He could only imagine how frightening it must have been to see your friends and family change like that, only to go on living in fear of when it was your turn to catch the Plague. What a terrible way to go.

He held Cassie tighter as she went on to describe the deaths of her parents. He had already known they were gone, but to hear her talk about it out loud sent a knife through his heart. They died because his people were too selfish and stubborn to cooperate with the humans. Even though it wasn’t his fault, the thought made him feel guilty.

Cassie’s next words only served to further depress him. She had had to witness her only remaining family member catch the virus and slowly lose his mind. Even worse, she had had to kill him with her own two hands. She had been through so much, and it was all the Lunairans’ fault. He wished he could turn back the clocks and do something to stop the higher powers from sending the Plague, but he had only been a child at the time. Even if he could go back, there was nothing he could have done to prevent anything.

“I’m sorry,” Serix murmured, kissing her lightly on the forehead. “It looks like we’ve both suffered from this invasion, but… at least we found each other, right? That has to count for something.”