The war, we'd found out, had never ended, at least from the Saelis' point of view. They wanted all humans to suffer the same fate as our home planet, the same fate as half their species. Saelis females had been slaughtered due to the parasites that lived under their scales - only females, since the parasite drove males mad with hunger. The parasites fed on iron, a plentiful food source since the metal made up the Saelis diet and the Saelis' home planet was made of iron. These parasites also powered the Ring Guild's space-bending iron rings, which created enough energy to travel the distance between solar systems faster than light. The parasites also swam through my veins, rushing a high through my body when I sucked down pieces of iron. The high was an addiction, as well as a lifesaver. I
