She looked up from the screen, shocked by the pronouncement. “There is?” Who would visit her? Abby didn’t have family, and she’d lost her only friend when she announced she was keeping the Xxanian child she carried. Since she lived at the nest, who else would come to see her? Jana smiled and waved her toward the center nest. Her heart pounding, Abby followed her. Ariel was currently babysitting Michael, so there was no reason to stop and pluck him from his playpen in the upper bedroom that doubled as her office. That left her hands disconcertingly empty. It wasn’t just someone to see her. It was a crowd of someones. There were at least a dozen women, all dressed in S’suuhhea, at the center of the room and half that many men in S’suumea congregated at the exits to the room. Standing guard. With the threats against the Xxan and Xxanian mates and children, they don’t trust their women are safe, even here. One of the women approached, her hand out but not for a handshake.
