by Jade Waltz
Zirene picked the long route, explaining it would be the best way for me to experience the wonders of Destima for the first time—and see the progress being made on my vision.
He wasn’t wrong.
This was my first time actually being planetside. The bright colors from the local flora streamed by as the warm sun reflected off the dark violet waters. The smell of the saltwater assaulted my nose as I watched the lavender waves crash onto white-sanded beaches. The sleek white high-speed tram track bordered along the inside of the atoll, leaving the outside-facing beaches bare, protecting their natural beauty.
As we got closer, I could make out hundreds of spider-like devices with different colored cubed bodies working on various buildings from my design. The twelve bases were done, as a group of those devices was beaming material in place on the two unfinished apartments. All the larger buildings were each in a different stage of completion.
I lowered my arms and combed my hair with my fingers, trying to stabilize it from its tangled mess.
“Do you believe they will be done before the Destiny arrives?”
“Vagren reported this morning that everything is on schedule.” He paused as we approached the gate at the end of the road. The doors opened as soon as we were in range, only to close once more after we passed through.
“Selena… Destima’s citizens have been asking when you will be introduced to them. While they approve of your design, a few wished you had met with them first before you made such drastic changes to their quarters.”
We drove past a small group of demi-human workers walking by, all differently dressed, but in the same thin metallic material. They all stared up at us as we passed by, not knowing what to do. I smiled as I gave them a small wave. Shock and confusion crossed their faces.
Zirene laughed hard as I crossed my arms.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are,” he chuckled. “No one waves.”
“I froze! It was the first thing I could come up with.”
“Maybe I should have Vagren give you some lessons on how to address a crowd.”
“Why can’t you?” I asked, confused. I knew we had our differences, but I thought he would want to have an excuse to spend time with me.
“Selena…” he sighed. “I will have to depart soon.”
“But why can’t you teach me in our dreamscape while you are away? We are supposed to be spending time together to repair the damage already done.”
“I can’t guarantee I will always be able to pull myself away from investigations and important meetings to join you. It would be unfair to have you wait for me and have me disappoint you when there are plenty of other options available for you.”
We came to a stop next to a familiar gazebo, sitting on top of the warm white beach along the jungle edge. The waves seemed larger in person as dark clouds loomed in the distance.
He unbuckled his safety harness and turned toward me, grabbing my hand gently in his paws. Instead of the light and playful amethyst eyes I had grown used to, they were dark and serious as they locked onto mine.
“I can’t be here all the time. I have a territory to supervise and need to investigate whoever is responsible for assaulting you in your dreams. Do you know what that means?”
“You will leave me soon…” I murmured, failing to hide the hurt from the realization my time with him was being cut short so soon.
“As much as I hate it, yes, I have to, Selena.”
“When?”
“As soon as I can confirm the Circuli crew members as Aldawi citizens and have them sworn to me.” He squeezed my hands gently. “A week, tops.”
“When will you return?” I asked, surprised by the breaking of my voice. Why was I so upset? We weren’t together.
“I don’t know.” He licked his lips as his ears flicked slightly. “Do you even want me back?”
“Of course! You are our cubs' sire. They deserve to have you around to guide them.”
“They have your nestmates to be father figures for them and Pavryn to mentor them. You have a support system to help you with them. You. Don’t. Need. Me,” he growled.
“Perhaps I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.” I jerked my hands away from his. “I thought we were supposed to be working on us? How can we, if you are never around?”
“The dreamscape—”
“Is nice, but as you said multiple times, it’s not real.”
A black figure materialized behind Zirene. In an instant, Zirene jumped onto his hovercraft seat in a defensive crouch ready to strike.
“Sire. Prince Royak is paging you,” Kaede announced, his voice strained. “He said he tried contacting your tablet, but you weren’t answering. I took the initiative to tell you personally.”
Zirene jumped out of the hovercraft and landed in front of Kaede, lips drawn back.
“You know better than to sneak up on me, Agent Kaede,” Zirene hissed, advancing on him until he was leaning into Kaede’s personal space.
Kaede calmly tilted his visored head, exposing his neck as he met Zirene’s gaze.
“And you know I wouldn’t interrupt the small amount of private time you have unless it was urgent… Sire,” he clipped Zirene’s title, annoyance lacing his voice.
Zirene hissed, daring Kaede to flinch. When he didn’t, Zirene stepped back, his tail jerking agitatedly.
“Selena, I am sorry I have to cut short our time together,” he huffed, refusing to look at me. “Stay here and enjoy yourself with Agent Kaede. When you are ready to go, he will return you home to your nestmates.”
“Zirene…”
He glanced over his shoulder, failing to disguise the sadness in his eyes. “I hope to continue this… If you will let me.”
I unclipped my safety harness and climbed out on his side of the hovercraft, leaping onto the ground. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pressed my head against his back, feeling the warmth radiating from his fur. His tail wrapped itself around my leg as I felt him exhale.
“I understand your duty comes first… I just wish things could be different between us…”
He patted my hand and pulled away. “I will see what my brother needs.”
“Go on. I am sure Kaede can protect me from the scary waves,” I said, wincing at how awkward my joke sounded.
He nodded and jumped into the hovercraft. I watched in silence as he turned the vehicle around, driving near Kaede and me. He slowed down and nodded at Kaede before speeding away.
Once he disappeared down the street, I sighed and faced the waves, not knowing what to say to Kaede, now that we were alone. The storm clouds were getting closer, their darkness looming over the waters. A gust of wind blew my hair back, making my steps falter.
I would not let Zirene’s sudden departure or the oncoming threatening weather ruin my moment. This was the first time I had ever touched land, and I was going to enjoy as much of it I could before Kaede ushered me away to safety.
Kicking off my boots, I dug my feet into the sand, feeling the fineness along the bottom my feet and squishing between my toes. I could taste salt in the air as the wind picked up, and a blanket of humidity fell on me.
Taking in a deep breath, I screamed, letting out all the pent-up frustrations.
As I ran into the water, a wave hit my legs, pushing against me as if as I had hit a wall. I stumbled and fell backward, landing into a familiar pair of arms.
“Good thing I was put in charge of protecting you from these scary waves,” Kaede chuckled against my ear, his voice sending chills down my spine.
“Kaede…”
He stood me up, stabilizing me on my feet as his hands lingered on my hips. We stood there in silence, watching the clouds come in as the waves lapped against our legs. His body pressed against mine, I was hyperaware of the weight of his hands, rubbing my silky sundress against my skin. Heavy breathing drowned out the surrounding sounds.
“Kaede… how can you touch me after everything I did?
” I whispered.
He sighed and dropped his arms, backing away from me. I turned and faced him, needing to fix the awkwardness between us.
“Can’t you drop it?” he growled. “It wasn’t your fault, and you had no control over your actions.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No, Selena. Can you listen to me for once without questioning me?”
Thunder rumbled behind me as the sky cried on us.
“Can you answer one thing?” I begged.
“What?” he asked, refusing to meet my gaze as his dark hair blew behind him.
I brushed my hair back, holding onto its end to prevent it from flying wildly in our faces.
“Did we have sex?”
“No,” he snapped. “And it’s insulting you believe I would take advantage of you.” He shrugged in anger. “I am your guard. I must protect you. Not fuck you whenever you beg me to!”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I wasn’t trying to—”
“But you did!”
Lightning flashed, and a loud crack of thunder followed, far too close for comfort. Kaede’s attention jerked to the clouds above.
“Selena, take my hand. It’s time to go,” he demanded urgently.
I hesitated, looked down at his gloved hand, and then grabbed it.
The world tilted as my ears popped, and a wave of nausea passed through me.
We appeared on the balcony overlooking the sanctuary.
Kaede swiftly placed my hands on the railing and leaned next to me as the rainwater dripped off, splattering onto the floor. I kept slowly blinking to clear the slight dizziness caused by the teleportation.
“I did my duty, but before I leave you to your nestmates, I want you to know something,” he said. “Some species have a belief… a theory… the stars are lost souls, waiting to be reborn. They believe the constellations are the stars’ loved ones, connected together in the afterlife.” Kaede paused and glanced over, gripping the railing tightly. “Poetic, isn’t it?” he chuckled. “Makes sense, though. How else would people have a sudden connection with another? Or multiple others?” He looked up at the sky, staring at stars peeking through the dark clouds, and sighed.
“What I am trying to figure out is whether you are a star waiting to complete your own constellation, or a black hole—a supernova—pulling your loved ones into all the danger and trouble that seems to always surround you. Why does everything seem to revolve around you? And what are you going to do to stop yourself from hurting those who follow you?”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Selena
It had been four days.
Four days since Zirene left without a trace, not even visiting me in the dreamscape.
Four days since Kaede comforted my dark thoughts, only to leave me confused.
I leaned on my bedroom’s porch railing and stared at my creation below. Soon, the Destiny would arrive, and its crew would touch the ground of their new home for the first time. Hopefully, they would have a better time than I did.
Arms wrapped around me. “You should be excited, Selena. Don’t let Kaede ruin today with his harsh words.”
“Xylo… will everything be okay?”
“When you officially claim more nestbrothers?” Xylo asked. His vines slowly wrapped around my legs, creeping up my nightgown.
I shivered as I leaned back into his arms. “Will you be okay?”
“Yes.” He pressed his nose to my hair, breathing in its scent. “You make me happy… even before you owned all of this.”
“What about Odelm?”
“What about me?”
I jerked in Xylo’s arms as Odelm stepped next to us. I was so absorbed in Xylo’s touches, I hadn’t kept track of my connection with Odelm.
“She is afraid you will be upset about her taking in the princes,” Xylo replied.
“Is this true?” Odelm asked, brushing my hair back.
I turned in Xylo’s arms and faced Odelm, searching his face.
“It’s too late now… but yes, I am.”
“There is nothing I want more than to sire your offspring, but that can wait… and only if you want to.” He stepped forward, sandwiching me between Xylo and him. “I was a fool to pressure you on the space station. You are all I need.” He cupped my face, glancing at Xylo behind him. “All we need.” He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine, staring deeply into my eyes. “Please forgive me,” he begged. His pale green eyes swirled with the emotions he sent through to me.
“I love you both.”
“I know… and we love you too.”
Nervously, I stood on the largest dock of the new spaceport, dressed in my official Aldawi uniform as Xylo and Odelm flanked me. Kaede stood off to the side, his presence keeping the bystanders away. I knew I still needed to have an assembly and introduce myself to the citizens, but I wasn’t ready—not now.
Deep down, I hoped Zirene would return to guide me and be present while I addressed the planet. I knew my nestmates would proudly support me, but it was Zirene who gifted me Destima, so it only seemed right for him to be there with me.
Vagren was a nice enough male and he took his job seriously, but he wasn’t his brother.
A crowd had gathered, watching the sky as they sent curious glances my way.
I tried covering my eyes with my hand but failed to block the brightness of the sun to allow me to look for the ship. Xylo was surveying the crowd, and his vines weren’t wrapped as tightly as they normally were around his torso. His twitching violet petal wings caught my attention. They were just what I needed.
I reached over and gently grabbed a petal wing, feeling its delicate silky texture between my fingers as I expanded it over my head like a hood.
“Selena? What are you doing?” Xylo asked, peering over his shoulder as his petal wing fluttered in my hands.
“You weren’t using this at the moment, so I figured I could,” I said, turning my focus on the sky.
“Is she using your petal for shade?” Odelm asked in awe.
“I never thought to use them as cover…”
A large boom echoed through the sky. I jumped, startled by the deafening noise as I scanned for its source. Odelm moved closer, pressing me against Xylo. A large domed ship flew through the sky, blue energy exhaust burning behind it. Loud murmurs came from the crowd. Their attention focused on the Destiny instead of us. We watched in silence as the Destiny flew down, slowing as it got closer.
“Shouldn’t it be moving slower than that?” Odelm asked.
Screams and shouts sounded as members of the crowd ran.
Kaede turned, his focus on me as he sprinted over to us. His black cape waved behind him as the Destiny skimmed the water, creating waves as it traveled our way.
He leaped and wrapped his arms around us.
I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming next. The world shifted around me, sounds muted as the salty taste of the air disappeared. I landed backward onto something soft as something heavy and hard landed on top of me, a groan escaping me.
“What was that?”
The weight instantly disappeared, and I opened my eyes to figure out where Kaede sent us.
We were in the middle of my bed in our master bedroom, my nestmates flanking my sides. Kaede paced the floor, his focus on the ceiling. It was a safe assumption he was doing something with the data on his visor.
“The gravitational pull was too much for the Destiny. We figured it would be a close call, but this confirms we were right about the Destiny not being able to leave Destima once it entered the atmosphere,” Kaede explained. He jerked in my direction. “Selena, I have to go. While the Destiny landed safely, it did a considerable amount of damage to the space deck.” He held out his hand as his focus landed on Xylo. “Time is of the essence. All medical personnel is required to report.”
“I didn’t want my first patients in the new hospital to be from an emergency like this,” Xylo murmured as he claimed out of bed.
“Let me kn
ow if there were any casualties…”
“I will make sure he reports to you and gives you an update about the princes,” Kaede said as he gripped Xylo’s shoulder.
Their bodies shifted, folding into Kaede’s chest-piece before disappearing.
A sob escaped me.
Today was supposed to be a joyful day, filled with new beginnings and reuniting with the princes. But instead, the Destiny crashed, causing damage, injuries, and possibly death.
Odelm wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close against his body. He placed his hand on my head and guided it to his chest. Tears streamed down as he rubbed my back, sending calming sensations through me.
“Selena… Selena…” Odelm whispered, shaking my body gently.
I opened my eyes to familiar light speckles glowing in the darkness. Rubbing my eyes, I lifted my head off Odelm’s chest.
“What time is it? Do you have any news?”
“There was some damage to the spaceport, but everyone is safe and accounted for,” Xylo replied.
I jerked awake from the sudden reply, turning toward the source’s voice.
There on the edge of the bed sat Xylo and both princes, all three bodies glowing as the dim moonlight shone through the bedroom’s windows.
I crawled over and climbed onto Xylo’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck, and gave him a quick kiss. “I am so proud of you.” Pulling away, I glanced over to the princes. Their faces were filled with worry and desire.
“Are you both well?”
“Now that we finally have a place to call home,” Z’fir breathed.
I gave Xylo another kiss, thanking him before I unwrapped myself from him and scooted myself toward the princes.
Placing my hands on top of theirs, I sighed. “I don’t know what to say other than I am sorry for accidentally severing our bonds. I truly didn’t mean to—”
“We know,” V’dim replied, rubbing his cool thumb over the back of my hand.
“Xylo said I should be able to reclaim you both… how do you want to do this?”
