by Jade Waltz
“They are alive, Selena,” Kaede replied gently.
He didn’t want to divulge anything that could cause her more distress than she was already experiencing. She needed to remain calm and level headed until he got there. There was plenty of time for her to learn the truth about her mates’ conditions later, when he could comfort her in the safety of his Abyss.
“Kaica, Oeta, and their staff are working hard to keep them stable until you return. I am more worried about Z than your Circuli mates. At least they have a safeguard. No one can control Z if he spirals. Have you spoken to him?”
“Not yet,” she said, worry slipping into her tone. “I only came to earlier today. You’re the first person I’ve been able to reach.”
“How are you?” He didn’t want to have to beg for forgiveness now, across a distance and in front of an audience. He hoped she was willing to hear him out once they were on their way back to Destima. She seemed relieved to be in contact with him, which brought Kaede hope. “Have they treated you well?”
“Physically, I’m healed,” she murmured meekly. “But Kaede… my babies and my mates. How am I supposed to live on if something happens to them?”
“I am going to make sure you won’t ever have to worry about that,” Kaede swore, his heart breaking at her tone. “Selena, hold on. I am coming. When I get there, that ishing frax better be ready.”
Chapter Twelve
Selena
One moment, I was free-falling backward, and the next, all my senses returned, snapping back to me in full force. My face was wet from the tears that had fallen while I was… whatever that was. I opened my eyes as the vice-like grip released my hands to see Celyze was crying too, his eyes still swirling and staring blankly.
Sobbing, I wiped my eyes with both hands as I tried to piece together what had just happened. Somehow, he had done it. Whether by the will of the Stars or his abilities, he had been able to reach out to Kaede.
“How could you survive all that?” Celyze breathed, his voice so faint, I almost missed it over my heavy breathing. Shaking his head, he blinked several times, slowly returning to the present. “Who are you?”
“A heartbroken mother who just wants to get back to her mates,” I hissed. “Now you know how badly your commander messed up. If he had only tried approaching me diplomatically, you wouldn’t be in this position.”
There was no need to confirm anything he had seen, especially not in front of his clan. I may have trusted him to help me connect with Kaede, but we were still communicating on a need-to-know basis.
I could now be worth more to them if they wanted to use me to blackmail my mates. Tori had hinted that the base was slowly running out of resources, so I wouldn’t put it past their commander to seek a reward for returning me.
Why not try to profit off the situation?
Little did they know how easily Kaede could kill first and ask questions later. The CEG feared Kaede and the Fab Five because death followed in their wake, and rescuing me was all that mattered to him.
I just hoped I could convince him to spare this clan for being so kind to me.
“What happened?” Tori asked as she sat down next to Celyze and combed the damp hair back from his forehead. “You both were gone for a while. I was starting to get worried.”
“We all were,” Auro added, kneeling beside us. “You haven’t spaced out like that since we were captured.”
“What did you find?” Luwyn questioned, leaning with his shoulder on the wall nearby, wings fluttering wildly. “Is there something we should know?”
“Celyze was able to find my Head of Security. He’s on his way here,” I replied, hoping to direct the conversation away from questions about my clan and their connections. “He’s almost here, and he’s pissed. I wouldn’t want to be Xenak at the moment.”
“How?” Auro glanced between me and his sapphire brethren. “No one should be able to track you. We are too far from your galaxy and the CEG has never ventured past its borders. Only pirates and scavengers searching for easy money dare travel between galaxies.”
“I don’t know how, but the male following her is determined,” Celyze muttered, locking his gaze with mine once more. His body was no longer shimmering like stars in the night sky, and the white swirls in his icy blue eyes had slowed and dimmed. “Selena, what will he do once he arrives? There are innocents here who have done nothing to deserve his wrath.”
“I don’t have any power over what he does,” I replied, shrugging. “I can try to convince him to only take out his revenge on Xenak since he is the sole reason I am here. If you are looking for a way to come out alive, then all you have to do is make sure no one keeps me from him. You’ve helped me reach him and given him the information he needed to get here as fast as possible. He will spare your lives for assisting me; I will make sure of that.”
I scanned the four of them, finding alarm in all their eyes. “Just don’t betray me—or him—because he isn’t afraid to die to take down his enemy. His sisters have told me how many suicidal missions he undertook to find me the first time.”
“Selena, I will speak for my clan here. We will never betray you. I have opposed Xenak’s actions and taken you in.” Tori reached across the cushion and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “You are welcome to stay here until your bodyguard arrives. My mates will sneak you to the hangar to meet him. We want nothing more than to reunite you with your clan.”
Fresh tears poured down my cheeks at the thought of my mates’ conditions. I could sense that Kaede hadn’t told me the full truth. He was hiding something from me and I wanted—needed—to know what.
Were things worse than he had tried to make them seem? Was I about to return to find my nestmates on their deathbeds? Had my Shadow descended into darkness and wreaked havoc with his power?
“Even though I agree with Tori, there is a problem.” Luwyn kicked off the wall and floated over to us, his wings buzzing wildly in his wake. “By aiding you, we are putting ourselves in danger. The commander will see it as a betrayal of his cause.”
“If you are afraid of incurring backlash for helping me, then why not return home with me?” I covered Tori’s hand, enclosing it with mine. “It sounds like you are barely getting by here. Judging by the lack of personal effects in your apartment, you wouldn’t have much to pack. Why not come with me? I’ll make sure you have a wonderful new place to call home.”
“That is a generous offer,” Auro muttered, collapsing onto the sofa in shock. “But how can you promise such a thing?”
“She can,” Celyze announced as his piercing, all-knowing eyes met mine. “Selena has powerful allies. Rewarding us with a better home wouldn’t be hard for her to accomplish.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he’s seen who I am and what I’m capable of,” I pronounced, holding Celyze’s gaze and hoping he would understand not to reveal what he had seen. “I am not speaking in veiled half-truths so you will continue to assist me. I understand the sacrifices you have made and will continue to make to help me escape. What I am offering is a chance to start over as a reward for your valiant efforts to work against your commanders.”
“It seems too good to be true,” Luwyn mumbled. “How do we know this isn’t some trap? A lie to convince us to ruin what we’ve built here?”
“Ask Celyze. He’s your clan brother,” I demanded, pointing at the sapphire male. “Ask him about the moon I live on, the clean, open air, and the sparse population of citizens who are just like you—refugees who wanted a new life, safe from the evils they fled. He will tell you that I’m not lying to you. Why would I offer you something I don’t have, knowing he could catch my lie?”
“Is it true?” Tori covered her face with glistening eyes. “There is such a place?”
“Before Xenak kidnapped me, I was enjoying my life with my clan. There are white sandy beaches, lavender waters, and a community of folks who want nothing more than a peaceful life doing what they love and raising their families.” Sheddi
ng more tears, I wiped at my eyes in frustration. “My clan and I set plans in motion to make Destima a beautiful place, and now, I don’t know if I will ever set foot on it again. Xenak wasn’t fibbing when he said my mates would die without me. It’s a mental trigger engraved in their genes and the reason Circuli females never travel without their mates. If my clan dies before I can return to them…”
Arms wrapped around me, pulling me close as a hand guided my head to a shoulder.
“I am going to make sure you get back to your clan so your children can grow up with their parents,” Tori whispered. “I believe you. Celyze’s silence speaks volumes about what he saw and proves what you’re saying is true.”
Being held by her was more comforting than I had imagined. I had only allowed my mates and Kaede to hug me close, but for some reason, Tori felt safe. Maybe it was because she had stuck up for me since I had woken up or because she was human and a victim, like me. Whatever had brought us together, I didn’t want to lose this instant connection.
“Tori views you as the daughter she’s never had. The way Xenak ripped you from your family repulses her, and she feels guilty about how he treated you, especially since you wouldn’t be here if not for her mate. For some reason, she is taking responsibility for her mate’s reading of the Stars. By helping you, she feels she can clear her conscience.”
“And her mates?”
“They will bow to their StarPyre’s wishes. Celyze doesn’t plan on telling them anything you don’t want to share. He’s curious about the Oetsae connected with Kaede, but he won’t mention it. It’s not his story to tell. However, he is concerned about how they will be welcomed.”
“My mates will listen to me, I swear it.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“Let me know if they plan on changing their minds.”
“I can only pick up what they loudly project nearby, but if they alter their plans, I will tell you.”
“Thank you, Vowels.”
“I’m yours to command.”
“Now that you know help is coming for you, does this mean you won’t help Commander Ryzen?” Auro asked in sad tones. “He probably can’t make it much longer in his current state.”
Pushing upright, Tori grabbed my shoulders and met my gaze. Her face was blotchy and red from crying, but not a highlighted blonde hair on her head was out of place. I wondered if this was an ability she picked up from her mates, allowing the highlighted hair they had given her to always look as perfect as theirs.
“I know you no longer need to visit him, but please, could you try to help him anyway? The Stars led you here for a reason, and it would be a shame if Ryzen is punished for his brother’s actions like you have been.”
I could feel the weight of all their stares upon me as they waited for my response.
While they were willing to help me, they also didn’t want to leave their unconscious commander. He was a hero and deserved to be saved for the sacrifices he had made.
“Tomorrow,” I sighed. As soon as the word left my lips, I felt a sense of relief flood me. “I will see him tomorrow so his brother can leave me alone for the rest of my short stay here. I don’t want his presence tainting me while I’m already so stressed waiting for Kaede to show up.”
“Kaede?” Tori tilted her head toward Celyze. “Is that the name of the Head of Security you were able to contact?”
“The male is dangerous,” the Cosmic Soul spat. “It will be a miracle if anyone survives his wrath. He is coming for her—and soon. Pray to the Stars that we survive his arrival.”
“You led someone so dangerous straight to the base?” Luwyn hissed, clenching his hands into fists. “Are you insane?”
“He’s only about three days away,” Celyze snapped. “And somehow, he was able to track her this far. I would rather reunite them as soon as possible—not to spare Selena’s mates’ lives, but because I believe the more time it takes him to find her, the more aggressive he will be when he arrives.”
“He’s like that.” An indulgent chuckle escaped my lips. “Kaede has always been a fighter. That’s all he knows: fight and follow orders. Knowing him, he probably believes that it’s his fault I am here.”
“I can understand that.” Auro sighed. “I still blame myself for not listening to Celyze’s warnings when we were at the space station. Because of me, we were captured and almost used to breed food.”
“But if you had listened to him, you wouldn’t have met me.” Tori released me and faced her mates. “You know better than I do that the Stars willed us together. We needed to cross paths to face what the Fates have in store for us. That’s how I feel about this, too. This is another unfortunate event in our lives that will turn out well as long as we don’t resist the Stars’ path.”
“She is right,” Celyze agreed. “That is why I gave Selena’s guard the coordinates. Why fight the inevitable when he was going to find her anyway? I don’t want to be the reason she doesn’t make it back in time to save her mates’ lives. I will not dirty my hands anymore! Somehow, I didn’t foresee the invasion, whether the Stars didn’t want to tell me or I missed their signs. I won’t be the cause of another slaughter because our people kidnapped Selena and refused to return her.”
“What was the last thing the Stars told you?”
“To trust our StarPyre.” Celyze grabbed Tori’s hand and helped her up, his icy gaze locking with mine. “She knows what to do, and she believes we need to help you return to your clan.”
Chapter Thirteen
Selena
Sounds of island life surrounded me as the wind blew my silver hair. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the saline air as the warm suns bathed me in their rays.
The rolling lavender waves crashed on the white sands, lapping my bare feet.
It was as if the island were welcoming me home.
Only I knew this wasn’t real.
Lunkai shone down on me, my four nestmates’ doors were visible, and a sealed crack lined my void walls.
This was my dreamscape world, the one I had grown with for all those years.
Warmth engulfed me as a pair of strong arms surrounded me, pulling me against a familiar, soft body. A head snuggled the top of mine, breathing in my scent.
“I’ve been waiting too long for you to come to me, my Nova. I have been worried about you and the length of time you’ve been gone,” rumbled a raspy voice I knew.
Relaxing, I closed my eyes and leaned back into his embrace.
“How long has it been?”
“More than a painfully long month,” he growled, squeezing me tighter. “Even though you’re here now, it’s not the same.”
“I know,” I sighed. “I’m just grateful that our dreamscape connecting is unhindered by distance, unlike my bonds with my nestmates. You don’t understand how relieved I am to see you, even though this isn’t real.”
The world spun as he flipped me around to face him. I gasped, and my eyes flew open. A loud growl rumbled from him, eliciting a shiver.
“Don’t ever think this isn’t real.”
His amethyst eyes locked onto mine as he grabbed my face in his strong, padded hands and smashed his lips against mine, branding me. My hands found his chest, feeling his body rumble when I pressed into him.
Something within me snapped.
I needed him—the familiarity, the reassurance, and the comfort that he was indeed alive.
Cupping my ass, he lifted me off the ground as he deepened our kiss. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, ankles hooking at his back.
Suddenly, my world shifted and refocused. He was now sitting on a couch under the pavilion while I straddled his lap.
Gripping his thick fur, I pulled away from the heated kiss. Zirene continued to caress me with kisses along my neck as I caught my breath.
“You may say the dreamscape isn’t real, but this is real to me, Selena,” he growled, gently nipping at my ear. “This is the closest I can get to you for the time being, so I will make the
most of it. Until you are by my side, I will meet you here whenever I hear your call.”
Squeezing my sides tighter, he breathed, “I need you, Selena. I’m doing my best to hold it together, but every day without you slowly chips away at my sanity. Tell me where you are, so I can lead my whole fleet to you.”
“Zirene, I’m scared.” My voice shook as tears streamed down my face. “I don’t know where I am, only that I’m in some asteroid base beyond our galaxy. My cyan stalker, Xenak, is the commander here, he’s demanding I heal his brother or he won’t let me go home.”
Zirene’s head snapped back with pitch-black eyes and he snarled.
“It will bring me great pleasure to end that male’s life and kill anyone who supports him.” Another rumble erupted from his chest as his tail whipped violently against my leg. “No one steals my Nova—my Beacon—and lives to tell the tale.”
“Kaede will do the honors first.”
“What do you speak of?” His lip curled in anger. “Has my rogue agent found you?”
“Rogue?” Why would Kaede be searching for me without the permission or command of his Sovereign? “What do you mean?”
“I sent him after you once we found out that you had been kidnapped. My late father made a deal and paid someone to take you away. If I hadn’t defeated him and taken the throne, I would be chasing your trail with Kaede. Instead of accepting his mission, he took off in an unregistered vessel and removed himself from his family’s communication system. Even though Oeta keeps confirming he is indeed hunting for you, his actions have made me second-guess his intentions.”
My hands lost their grip on his fur as I replayed this information in my mind. I dismissed his comments about Kaede, for he had always been determined to work alone and in his unique way. Until I heard his side of the story, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions either way. Our time here was limited, and I wanted to preserve the illusion for a moment that everything would be all right.
