Free Arranged (Arranged Trilogy Book 1) by Julia Crane

but I’ve changed my mind. You withheld vital information.”
    My mother sighed. “Nothing has changed. Just your perception.”
    Michael glanced at Henrek. The slightest frown of puzzlement crossed his handsome face. “Even you have to admit this is a disaster waiting to happen.”
    Henrek shrugged. “Not necessarily. You don’t understand how much we can manipulate the genetic coding. If there is something that you don’t want the hybrids to have, we just remove it. It’s quite simple really.”
    Michael straightened in his chair. “So you could take their dark magick from them?”
    My mother and I exchanged a glance. That request was out of the question. Without our powers what would be the sense in the experiment?
    He nodded absently. “Sure, but that defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?” Henrek set his glasses back on his nose.
    My mother sent a wave of calming energy throughout the air. “Henrek is correct. We need the halflings to have magick so they can repair the land. And hopefully, eventually, they will mate with the humans, increasing the population. Within a few generations the magick would mostly be bred out, but it should be enough time to bring the planet back in balance.”
    “What you’re saying is there would be more dark magick in the land than humans.” He stood up. “I’m sorry, but I can’t be a part of this.”
    My mother tensed.
    I tried to swallow but I couldn’t.
    Please, don’t strike him down, I begged. Let me talk to him on my own.
    Her unwavering gaze locked on mine before she stood up. “Michael, you have every right to back out, but you mustn’t tell your family of our plans.”
    He closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hands. I knew this was too much to lay on his shoulders.
    I interrupted, “Let’s make a deal. Spend the next few days with me before you make your decision. If you decide you can’t go along with our plan, we’ll leave you be. You know the Earth will not last much longer as it is, but we will go home, knowing we tried. There is no way we could remain here if the truth came out about our linage, and your father’s sect wouldn’t rest until we were dead.”
    Michael ran his hands over his face and nodded. “Fair enough. Five days, and if you haven’t changed my mind you’ll leave?”
    My mother shot me a skeptical look, but I nodded my head in agreement. “Five days. Since our time is limited, are you able to join me now?”
    “I should probably get back home. I’ve been gone long enough.”
    I wanted to argue with him, but instead I said, “Two hours.” In truth, I didn’t want him to leave while he was still mad at me.
    Michael considered me for a moment, and at last yielded with a resigned sigh. “Two hours, not a minute longer.”
    I hope you know what you’re doing, daughter.
    We don’t have much choice at this point, I replied mentally.

Chapter Eleven
    M ichael regarded me warily . “You want to do what?”
    “I want you to take me to your tribe.” Yes, it was crazy, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
    He shook his head. “No way. They would kill you on the spot, and then your mother would kill me. How about you come up with another plan?”
    My anger rose but quickly dissolved. His concerns were legitimate. I also knew my mother would not approve of the idea. I was going to have to find a way to sneak out, which would be difficult seeing as my guards were invisible. I wish I was able to counteract my mother’s spell so I could see the guards at least momentarily, but my mother knew me well and she would have a fail-safe in place.
    My mind raced with possibilities. “How many people are in your tribe? Do you ever get newcomers?”
    He stared at me and scratched the side of his neck, debating whether to answer me or not. “Fifty-three. It’s rare but yes, sometimes someone will hear about us and seek us out.”
    Worst case, I could handle that many people. Hopefully there would be no issues, but I’d