by Jade Waltz
Was it because we were touching? Or because both of his princes were in my clan?
In an instant, my dark-golden thread reached out, intertwining with his faint violet as a rush of warmth spread to me.
“I’m sorry for any embarrassment I may have caused you, Chyox,” I whispered, sending my concerns to him. “I appreciate all the sacrifices you have made, for both your species and my moon. I hope you will forgive me and continue to work for me—for Xylo—as we move past this. I wasn’t myself, and I took my stress and confusion out on you.”
The Senior Healer turned toward me, keeping his tentacle in my grasp, and his coloring normalized. His gaze landed on my hands before flicking up to meet mine. His violet-colored eyes seemed to have flared to life.
“You were in your right to correct me on my bedside manner. I’ve grown so used to working with the Circuli that sometimes I forget that you aren’t one of us,” he explained. “It’s hard to remember that since you formed a clan with Xylo and both of my princes. Nevertheless, you are female, and thus I should be treating you with higher respect. You are the reason my people found refuge on this paradise moon. I’m sorry for regressing to my old ways, and I hope you will forgive me for my wrongful actions.”
“All is forgiven as long as you forgive me, too.”
He smirked, choosing to respond out loud. “I’m afraid if I don’t forgive you, you may return to your savage ways and attack me. At least this time you are not pregnant; I don’t want to fight off a pregnant female ever again. I’m too old for that much excitement.”
“I won’t, but I can send my cubs after you if you need entertainment to keep from getting bored with your stagnant life.” I chuckled when his smirk suddenly dropped. “I don’t want you complaining that there isn’t anything for you to do around here.”
“No, please!” Chyox begged. “Anything but your cubs! I don’t know how your nestmates put up with them chewing on their appendages.”
“We play hunter-and-prey,” Xylo replied. “If we tire them out by playing, the cubs are less likely to chew on us.”
“Seriously?”
“I would like to save my tentacles.” He looked between my clan members. “When is the next game?”
“It depends,” V’dim replied, flicking his gaze to Xylo. “When do you think Z’fir and I can take Selena on our date?”
“Our?” I asked, confused. “You don’t want to take me on individual dates?”
“We felt more comfortable staying together on the first date,” Z’fir explained. “If that’s okay with you?”
I waved the princes off. “I’m fine with whatever you two want. I was just offering to go on individual dates to be fair to you both. If you want us to go together, then we can, no problem. I don’t want to force you to separate if you’re uncomfortable with it.”
Dropping Chyox’s tentacle, I untwined my mental thread from his and watched him close his eyes and sigh. I cataloged his mental signature in case I ever needed to call on him. Now I had three mental threads collected for future use—Mwe, Oeta, and now Chyox. I should probably slowly start gathering the rest of Xylo’s research team, and whoever else may be of value to reach out to.
“What have her readings been like while we were asleep?” Xylo asked the Senior Healer.
Chyox opened his eyes to reply. “Everything seems normal. The small swelling on her forehead is the only remaining physical evidence of her injury. Her brain scans look healthy. I recommend giving her at least a day’s rest before she attempts any extracurricular activities.”
“What type of extracurricular activities?” Zirene asked, lifting an eyebrow, his tail swishing.
Chyox averted his eyes to my Wudox mate’s blooming shoulders, his coloring tinting a nervous brown. “Of the reproductive persuasion.”
Zirene laughed, a loud bellow that filled the room and surprised its occupants.
“You need a nestqueen, so you can understand how impossible that is.”
Chapter Fifteen
Selena
I was bored.
Xylo had insisted that I sit in our nestbed to make sure I didn’t overexert myself, but I didn’t understand how something gentle like floating in the pool could hurt me.
What if you are suddenly attacked by Xenak? You could drown before any of us could help you!
A bubble bath was out of the picture, too, for the same reason.
I didn’t know if they were still concerned about my attack or my resulting injuries, but they were doing nothing but hovering.
Finally, after a whole morning of my mates glued to my side, I’d had enough. I had sent them away to do their jobs. They had enough responsibilities to keep busy for the afternoon, and I was restricted from doing anything until tomorrow. There was no way I could survive being stuck with the five of them watching my every move all afternoon.
“I know it’s my job to watch over you, but you could at least do something interesting rather than just lying there in bed,” Kaede grumbled from his seat at my desk.
“Am I not exciting enough for you?” I raised an eyebrow. “I would’ve thought, with all the trouble you keep saying I cause, you would be happy with a change of pace.”
The male smirked as he shifted his crossed feet on my desk, leaning back in his chair. He had made himself comfortable while he stared at the displays on his portable computer system. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he belonged there.
“There’s a difference between living normally and stopping the universe from constantly coming after you, but it seems like if it’s not one extreme, it’s the other with you.”
“What do you suggest we do?”
He flicked his gaze in my direction. “Why don’t you work on your contracts? Haven’t you wanted to draft up an agreement with the female Aldawi? A trade deal? Something along the lines of you selling their creative work on Destima.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know how I would go about getting through to someone in charge. I know how stubborn the Aldawi can be regarding the opposite gender.”
Kaede chuckled as he kicked his feet off my desk, meeting my gaze. “You forget that I have connections everywhere, and you, Selena, are someone of importance within the Aldawi empire, whether the people like you or not. By accepting your title from Prince Zirene, you can easily throw your weight around the empire. No one wants to piss off your Shadow,” he teased. “Especially within his territory.”
“So?” I asked, not entirely on board with what he was saying.
Sure, I was connected to Zirene, but I also remembered how the members of the Assembly had treated me. Several of them had thought I was an unnatural abomination, and shouldn’t be classified or protected as a citizen. I refused to believe that claiming my titles and Zirene’s royal last name would make me immune to the universe’s derision.
“I happen to have direct access to Zirene’s sister, Masmi’s private line.” He gestured to his temporary setup on my desk. “Just give me the order, and I can page her.”
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. “And what am I supposed to say? ‘Hello! You may not know me, but I’m your brother’s Seedbearer and wanted to have a chat’?”
“I don’t see why not.” He shrugged. “It beats sitting here doing nothing.”
“Fine,” I sighed, instantly regretting agreeing to his insane suggestion.
I could already hear Zirene lecturing me about why I hadn’t included Vagren, my princes, or him in the conversation. Quite frankly, I shouldn’t need to. Destima was my moon, and I had full permission to do whatever I wanted with my colony.
Yet something about Kaede’s suggestion thrilled me.
If I could close on a trade deal all by myself, I could prove to my citizens that I was fully capable of moving forward with my private-resort idea.
“Excellent,” Kaede purred as he jumped out of his seat and grabbed my vidscreen off the center table.
Kicking off his boots, he jumped onto my bed and sat beside
me. I watched as he hurriedly typed some commands into an unfamiliar program before swiping it closed and opening the pager. Scrolling down a list of various locations and names, he selected ‘Masmi Darcaw of Liskta.’ He activated the 3D display option and sat the vidscreen on my lap as it projected the Aldawi royal crest before me.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” I asked, shooting Kaede a nervous glance as he fiddled with his wristband, unfazed.
“Give her your time and respect,” he assured without lifting his gaze from his wrist. “It will work.”
A breath later, the Aldawi symbol disappeared, revealing piercing mauve eyes.
“Who are you? And how did you access this private line?” the female hissed.
“Masmi,” Kaede soothed. “How goes the business? Do you have any of those candies that I love?”
The angry female Aldawi instantly softened, redirecting her attention to the male next to me. Now that she was distracted, her face reminded me of a gentler combination of Royak and Zirene. She had Royak’s softer coloring but Zirene’s striping.
“Anything for you, Kaede. You know you and your sisters are always welcome here.” She pinned me with her stare. “And who might this be? Is this your new sister I’ve heard rumors about?”
“She isn’t my new sister,” he coughed, making a few strangled gagging noises before sighing. “But, she is yours.”
Instantly, her gaze traced my body, moving from my chest to the silver-crown hairstyle on my head.
“Oh, Stars!” she gasped. “You’re Selena, aren’t you? Have my brothers been treating you well?” Her fierce eyes locked onto the fading bruise on my forehead. It was almost gone, but somehow she noticed it. “I’m just a short flight away, and I am not afraid of sinking my teeth into their hides.”
“Yes, I’m Selena.” Covering my forehead, I grimaced. “Your brothers have been treating my clan and me very well. I’m sorry for interrupting . . . Oh, Stars. I can only imagine how I look.”
“You look fine,” Kaede said. “I’ve never understood why females are so concerned about their appearance.”
“You are your same sweet self, as always.” Masmi rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him. He gets this way when he doesn’t have his treats.”
I turned toward the male in question. “Treats, huh?”
“He’s one of my top product testers,” she replied, gauging my reaction. “No one told you about my company?”
Kaede snickered.
“Nooo,” I drawled, racking my memory for any mention of her business. “Should they have?”
“Kaede,” Masmi growled, pinning him with her gaze. “I want you to bring her to my planet at once. I can’t believe none of you have told her what I do here.”
Kaede snapped his wristband closed and met her gaze. “I can’t do that, Masmi.”
“And why not?” she demanded.
“Prince Zirene’s orders,” he replied, folding his arms behind his head as he made himself comfortable against the cushioned wall. “And you know full well that I have to follow them.”
Masmi waved him off. “Don’t even start with my brother. I know he’s been keeping the six of you on a short chain lately. You guys deserve a break and should spend it here. In a few moons, the fruit will be in season. You should bring Selena here to the harvest festival.”
“Harvest festival?”
“Yes, the harvest festival,” the Aldawi princess repeated. “At the end of the year, we celebrate gathering another great season with a week’s worth of activities.”
“It also starts right before all the females go into heat, so they celebrate another year being without a male,” Kaede mumbled.
“Hush, you!” Masmi hissed. “No one asked your opinion about our mating rituals. Let us females talk.”
“You wound me, Princess,” Kaede mocked. “How shall I go on, knowing I’m not allowed to talk about the male genitalia?”
“The last time I checked, you didn’t have any,” Masmi deadpanned.
“Oh, he does—” Instantly, I covered my mouth with both hands, feeling my cheeks redden.
“Oh, do tell!” Masmi purred. “I have always wondered how . . . Well, let’s say he often joined us in our underground pools when he used to visit, and he never showed any interest in the females that bathed there. I just thought he’d been snipped.”
“Just because I’m a gentleman of many talents—”
“A gentleman, my frax, Kaede,” I snorted, rolling my eyes. “This male decided to try and fight my nestmates because he didn’t believe they deserved me.”
“And now he’s in your bed,” Masmi muttered, glancing between the two of us. “It all makes sense now!”
“Selena and I are not together,” Kaede waved his hands in staunch refusal. “I am just cub-sitting her until your brother or one of her nestmates decides to return.”
“Oh! So you are into males, then!” Masmi clapped her paws together excitedly. “I knew you were one of us!”
Kaede groaned. “I don’t know why I put up with you two.”
“Because I’m your assignment,” I replied, smiling sweetly. “Perhaps you can go get me a drink? I am sure Masmi can page you if something happens to me.”
“Yeah, Kaede, get your assignment a drink,” Masmi taunted. “We don’t want her to wilt.”
Kaede muttered something under his breath before teleporting away.
Masmi returned her attention to me. “Now truthfully, has my brother treated you with respect? I meant it when I said I wasn’t afraid to bite his hide. I’ve heard rumors about how you’ve been treated and want to confirm them myself.”
“Rumors?” That caught my attention. “What rumors?”
She averted her gaze. “I heard rumors that my brother impregnated you and forced you to become his Seedbearer. I didn’t want to believe them, because I know Zirene has always been an honorable male, but I watched a broadcast of your trial on my vidscreen. I saw recordings of you slapping him across the face afterward. How can I deny the rumors, when all the evidence is stacked against him?”
“Masmi,” I replied, trying to decide how much to tell her. “It’s true that our relationship had a hard beginning. However, everything he’s done was with good reason. Zirene did impregnate me without my knowledge, but in a roundabout way, he was right to do so. He knew if he rescued me, the Assembly would try to claim that I wasn’t a citizen with rights, but a product to be used and experimented on. To prevent this, he impregnated me and claimed me as his Seedbearer, giving me my moon as a gift. I know that may be difficult to reconcile, and from the outside, his actions may look wrong and unredeemable, but I’m happy. Though we are still working on rebuilding trust, he has never disrespected me. I’m constantly amazed by how he allows my nestmates to live with me without restriction or complaint. I know how strict the Aldawi can be about relationships—once a male establishes a Seedbearer, the female can have no other male—but he doesn't care. All he cares about is making sure I’m safe and happy, and I am.”
“Are you sure?” She glanced around my room. “You can tell me if something’s wrong. You have my direct link now. When I see your call, I will make sure to answer right away.”
Nodding, I smiled. “Thank you, but believe me, I’m perfectly fine.”
She raised an eyebrow as if gauging whether I was lying. Once satisfied, she returned the smile. “I’m glad. It’s hard being the only female Darcaw.”
“Trust me,” I laughed, instantly relaxing. “It’s hard being the only female around here, too. I have a few female staff members, but they seem to fear me more than anything. I don’t understand why; I’ve been nothing but polite to them since I arrived.” I shrugged. “And Kaede’s sisters are never around. I assume they’re off completing another mission or something. There is Oeta—”
“The Chamber Master’s daughter?”
I nodded.
“Oh my Stars,” she gasped. “You have her with you?”
“Yes. She has been a
great help to one of my Favored’s research,” I replied, confused by her intense reaction. “Why? What’s wrong with her?”
Masmi shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong with her; I’m just shocked that she left the space station without her father. If any two females deserve a vacation, it would be you two.”
“I would love to take you up on that offer. In fact, Kaede helped me contact you to propose a deal. I’ve been trying to build Destima into a private resort,” I explained. “I have had an art and entertainment district built to allow artists and businesses to sell their work. There’s space for restaurants, bars, clubs, and such to fill too. My question for you is whether you’re interested in expanding your business on my moon and perhaps send some of your females to sell their products here? I can work out a business contract if needed, but I would need either your brother, Vagren, or one of my nestmates to assist me.”
“Let me make you a deal,” Masmi purred. “Visit my planet’s Harvest festival in a few moons, with Kaede and whoever else you want to bring, and I will have a set of offers ready for you.”
“Princess Masmi, you’ve got yourself a deal!”
Kaede returned shortly after I ended my call with Masmi. I assumed that he’d been listening in to the entire conversation and had been waiting for us to say goodbye before he nonchalantly teleported back—without my drink.
I made him leave right away to fetch one, and this time he returned almost instantly with a glass of Xowyn.
“Is there anything else I can get for you, your highness?” he asked mockingly, bowing at his waist.
“You haven’t given me a foot massage lately,” I said, wiggling my toes. “How about you give me one as an apology for abandoning me during that meeting?”
“I was there. If I hadn’t been, you wouldn’t have been able to move past introductions.”
“Fine,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t give you one.” He jumped onto the bed and kneeled before me, his intense neon-green eyes tracing my body. “How about I do something better?”
