Project: Adapt - Found: A Space Fantasy Alien Romance (Book 1)

by Jade Waltz

  “Xylo didn’t mention any health restrictions. I don’t feel tired, and I really do want to see the terrarium. I promise if I get tired, I’ll tell you.”

  Odelm picked up his glass and guzzled the rest of the beverage before placing it on the counter. He scouted the room, then his eyes landed back on mine and he smiled.

  “It is a deal. I think I have something you would enjoy.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Selena

  The terrarium was a vast glass-like dome in the center of the ship. The uppermost part of the dome pushed out into space, providing for breathtaking views of the stars. Odelm said every interior room—mostly public spaces, some crew’s cabins, and the Royal Suites—on Destiny had a glass wall overlooking the terrarium. Between each level, a ring of lights illuminated the terrarium, simulating day and night to keep the crew attuned to the Galactic Standard day. The terrarium felt like an indoor version of the huge parklands I’d read about in my Earth studies.

  We wandered about as Odelm identified the different plants and their uses. All had a purpose—some were used for dyes and inks, others provided fresh fruit or nuts. The ship had about three years’ worth of food for the crew stored in the storage bay. The terrarium was designed to supplement those stores. They also provided the seed stock if they were able to locate a suitable planet to colonize.

  He explained the Destiny was an older vessel, gifted by the Aldawi for their assistance in the Yaarkin War. While the Aldawi were upgrading their fleet with their newly acquired technology, Prince Zirene had asked the Circuli princes what they’d like as a reward. The princes had requested a vessel to allow them to search for a habitable planet to establish a colony. All told, Destiny housed about a thousand Circuli, half not bonded to a nestqueen.

  The lake—okay, probably more like a deep pond—was a favored recreation spot.

  It was the perfect temperature for a swim and had a submerged cave system for exploration. In addition, it was fully stocked with fish—again helping supplement their stores as well as providing a hunting ground to keep the Ulax warriors sharp.

  As Odelm led me across the grassy field toward the pond, I looked up at the dome. Lights from distant stars and the immensity of space amazed me. Perhaps because I’d had few opportunities to look out at the stars—my cabin on the Yaarkin ship didn’t have a porthole. I’d been fascinated by the views ever since I boarded the Destiny. I’d be able to come back and lie on the soft grass and stare out at the passing planets and never be bored—

  I slammed into something hard and gasped as I fell backward.

  Before I could hit the ground, a strong cool hand grabbed my wrist and four tentacles wrapped around my torso, halting my fall. I was yanked upright and cradled tightly against Odelm’s body, my hands pinned between our bodies. Blinking hard, I stared up at him, willing my stomach back down out of my throat.

  Worried, Odelm looked down at me, scanning my face. As he saw me relax, his lips tilted up in a small smile.

  “You have to be more careful. What distracted you?” Odelm queried, his light tenor voice laced with humor.

  “I was lost in the beauty of space. Don’t you ever want to stop and just look at the stars?” My cheeks heated in embarrassment—both at my absentminded absorption in the view and the feel of his tentacles wrapped around my stomach.

  He tilted his head up to the dome, and I followed his gaze.

  We stayed that way, staring up at the stars, for several moments.

  “I come here often to relax and swim, floating on my back and looking up at the stars. Getting lost in my thoughts... It has been a favorite pastime of mine since we started this journey. It never gets old,” he confessed.

  Odelm stiffened and looked down. Startled, he tried to jerk away as he realized the position we were in—we were thoroughly entwined. He stared at his tentacles in shocked betrayal and hastily unwrapped them from my waist, then took a few unsteady steps back. His tentacles wrapped tight around his torso as he turned away from me. Taking a few deep breaths, he stood, head down.

  “I brought you in here to see the pond. I thought you might enjoy it since it is one of my favorite places.”

  He paused, and I thought I heard him mutter, ‘especially since the Ulax nestqueens are rarely here’—but I wasn’t sure.

  He continued, his voice stiff. “I thought perhaps you would like to go for a swim?”

  “I don’t know how to swim,” I murmured, unsure why he’d closed himself off, just when we seemed to be relaxing around one another.

  “It is okay. Wudox cannot swim either,” he tossed over his shoulder as he walked toward the pond.

  I hurried to catch up.

  “What do you mean Wudox can’t swim?”

  “You know how leaves float? Buoyancy?” He avoided looking at me, focusing on the pond in front of us.

  “Yeah, I’ve read the basics, but what does that have to do with the Wudox?”

  We reached the pond's black sand beach. The sand felt warm under my feet, and the air held an odd tang. I dug my toes in the soft sand and looked at Odelm, waiting for an answer. He stared out at the still pond. There was no one in the pond at the moment, though we were not the only ones in the terrarium.

  “In many ways, they are a lot like plants, just as the Ulax bear many similarities to fish. Wudox cannot swim. Their bodies force them to float. The petals on their backs act like leaves and prevent them from diving. It is a funny sight to see them try.” His voice brimmed with laughter.

  “Why is that so funny?”

  “Because we like to drag them around the pond. Sometimes, someone will leave them in the middle of the pond just to watch them try and get back to the beaches. It is possible with a lot of effort and flopping,” Odelm chuckled, before sobering. “We would never do such a thing to a nestqueen. They would likely retaliate, and it would not be pleasant.”

  Odelm took off without any further explanation, splashing into the water. When the water reached his knees, he dove in, barely causing a splash.

  Excitement rushed through me as I stepped into the water, enjoying the feel of the liquid on my skin and the sand under my feet. The warm water felt divine. I paused, a peal of laughter escaping me as I spun in circles along the water’s edge, my face and arms raised to the sky. I had never felt so free, so alive. I sent another prayer of thanks to the Stars, the Fates, or whomever was watching over me.

  I grabbed the hem of my gown and pulled it over my head, tossing it onto the grass. I turned back to the pond with a smile on my face. Odelm had moved farther out into the pond, bobbing in the water. His violet ombre hair waved about his head, flicking drops that splashed against the surface of the water.

  “Is it safe to come in?” I called to get his attention, hands on my hips.

  He turned, his mouth open in shock. He simply stared for a moment before shaking his head to clear some thought.

  “Yes... let me come get you.”

  I watched as he dove, reappearing a few seconds later a short distance in front of me. He stood, wrapping his tentacles back around his torso as he approached.

  “I am not going to let you go deeper than your chest, not without knowing how to swim. That would be irresponsible, especially in your condition,” Odelm scowled. “I still cannot believe Master Scholar Xylo is not by your side where he belongs. He clearly does not value what he has if he is so cavalier with your safety. A bonded male always remains at his nestqueen’s side.”

  I stepped closer, my feet splashing in the water. Tilting my head up, I looked into his light green eyes with fury... and shoved him.

  Odelm stumbled backward, his tentacles unwinding to flail in the air as he regained his balance. He crouched warily as if preparing to defend himself from me.

  “Let’s get this straight. I wanted to get to know you and maybe one day become friends, but I guess I was wrong to believe you wanted the same. I get you distrust females, that there’s some history I’m unaware of. Whether you ever want t
o tell me is up to you, but don’t judge me based solely on that. I am not them,” I said, my voice steadily growing in volume as my anger grew. “And don’t denigrate Xylo. He has a job, and from what I can tell, loves it. I refuse to take him away from it just because I accidentally court-bonded with him. When we figure out whether to make our bond permanent, how we live and how much time we spend apart for work can be decided, but I am not ever going to be the reason he stops. Most importantly, whatever’s between Xylo and me is between us. Got it? It’s none of your business. He trusted me enough to give me freedom I’ve never had. To let me roam the ship by myself. To make my own decisions. He is this ship’s Master Scholar, so you should trust he is capable of evaluating the situation.”

  He just stood there watching me, shocked.

  I was sick and tired of the sly remarks about how I shouldn’t be alone and how Xylo should remain by my side. It was kind of him to care for my safety—though given his feelings about females, I didn’t think it had anything to do with me specifically—but his attitude needed to change.

  “A friend”—he laughed derisively—“with a female?”

  “Yeah. Why is that so hard to believe?”

  “I am a severed male. Once rejected, females do not want anything to do with a severed male. Why would they want a male who had been deemed not good enough for another female’s nest? Unbonded males cannot understand how it feels to be court-bonded and to have it severed. A bonded male's life revolves around their nestqueen. Sure, everyone on the ship works together efficiently. But socially? I am an outcast. There are a number of severed males on this ship, yet we are all alone. That phantom ache from the severed bond—” He cut himself off, voice pained. His eyes bored into mine, a plea in their depths.

  “Want to know something? I was an outcast too. An experiment not worthy of anyone’s time or attention, always separate. I still am. I’m the only one of my kind, thrust among vastly different species I am struggling to understand. Believe me, I understand what you’re saying. I may not know how being severed feels, but I can empathize. Feeling the difference my newly formed courting bond with Xylo makes—though I don’t fully understand everything about it—I can imagine how devastating it would be if it were severed. It gives me comfort.”

  Embarrassed by my rant—how much I had inadvertently revealed—I looked down at my feet and rocked back and forth in the sand.

  Silence fell between us as I watched the water lapping against my feet. I wasn’t sure what had possessed me to spill my feelings to him, but now that I had, I hoped it had cleared the air, and we could start again. Glancing up, I kicked water at him and smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Look. Can we start over? You brought me here to teach me how to swim. Can we?”

  His eyes roamed my body before he settled his gaze on mine.

  “I am not going to lie and say I understand you. You are a strange female. But if learning how to swim is what you want, I shall teach you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Xylo

  “Let’s get this straight. I wanted to get to know you and maybe one day become friends, but I guess I was wrong to believe you wanted the same. I get you distrust females, that there’s some history I’m unaware of. Whether you ever want to tell me is up to you, but don’t judge me based solely on that. I am not them. And don’t denigrate Xylo. He has a job, and from what I can tell, loves it. I refuse to take him away from it just because I accidentally court-bonded with him. When we figure out whether to make our bond permanent, how we live and how much time we spend apart for work can be decided, but I am not ever going to be the reason he stops. But most importantly, whatever’s between Xylo and me is between us. Got it? It’s none of your business. He trusted me enough to give me freedom I’ve never had. To let me roam the ship by myself. To make my own decisions. He is this ship’s Master Scholar, so you should trust he is capable of evaluating the situation.”

  Selena’s mental outburst was laced with so much anger, Xylo dropped his tablet. The three healers across the room eyed him questioningly.

  “Something wrong?” Usthu asked.

  Xylo took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He tilted his head. “Just an outburst from Selena. It seems she is angry at someone and telling them why, in no uncertain terms.”

  Xylo glanced at Usthu and the others before picking up his tablet up off the desk. He could not believe what he had just overheard. She did not want him to stop his research and resign from his job just because they were court-bonded?

  He had been surprised enough when she had not demanded he accompany her on her tour earlier. Pregnant females typically required their nestmates to be around them at all times. Sometimes a nestqueen would even demand a change in their new nestmate’s job once their bond was established—much less after they became pregnant. This was beyond anything he could have dreamed—she did not want him to change anything, she wanted him to continue being a Master Scholar if he wished.

  Pride filled him.

  She might not be Wudox or Ulax, but he could not have asked for a better female. Xylo could tell she was caring and thoughtful of others. She did not let her traumatic upbringing destroy her life or make her fearful. She looked at life with such wonder, and her requests were so small. Mostly, she seemed to hunger for new experiences.

  He wanted to give her everything he could. He wanted to prove to her he was nestmate material. Right now, what she needed most was research on Aldawi and human pregnancies. He needed to prepare, to make sure her labor went smoothly.

  Her health and that of her offspring was his highest priority.

  He was also concerned about what the Aldawi wanted with her—and what they might do with her hybrid offspring. Xylo needed to discuss with Selena what she wanted to do with her new family. He was willing to care for her offspring. It did not matter if they were Aldawi and not his. From his research into humans, it seemed they, Circuli, and Aldawi had profoundly different cultural views about relationships, family dynamics, and offspring. He would do everything in his power to ensure the choice about what to do with her offspring would be hers. He just hoped neither CEG nor the Aldawi would take that decision away from her.

  “Xylo, what are your thoughts about the fear-based threat displays from Selena? She mentioned she had never growled at—”

  Chyox’s question was interrupted by the sound of the infirmary doors opening. Xylo turned to see Kaede stride in.

  Kaede was a mystery to Xylo. His conforming black bodysuit covered him to his neck. His deep green cape flowed behind him as he marched into the room. On his left forearm, he wore a matching black armband—one that was clearly much newer tech than the wristbands the crew wore. Kaede’s Destiny-assigned band wrapped around his right wrist.

  It unnerved Xylo that Kaede kept his face covered. The dark metallic visor wrapped around his head, and the cloth draped over his face made reading his facial expressions impossible. Xylo knew of no species with similar long and pointy tan ears or a pair of curving black horns. The fact Kaede refused to share his species with Xylo made his interest in Kaede rival how much he was interested in Selena and her offspring.

  He was fascinated.

  Kaede’s mind felt shielded like Selena's—Xylo could not sense any thoughts or feelings from him. He radiated danger. Someone Xylo did not ever want to cross—he had heard how ruthlessly Kaede killed and how good he was at it. Rumor had it, none of his targets had ever escaped him or his crew.

  Though Kaede had appropriated a task that bonded males usually performed, Xylo was glad he had been assigned by the Aldawi to protect Selena. She could have no better protection. It was just something Xylo would need to come to terms with.

  “Selena has permitted you four to be her healers. My contact is pleased that she trusts you with her offspring and her health. You will be held responsible if anything happens to any of them,” Kaede announced with authority, coming to a halt in front of Xylo’s desk. “My contact does not want you to r
eveal anything about Selena to anyone, other than to your princes or to me. Only you four and the princes are permitted any knowledge of their data. It is to remain strictly confidential. If any information is leaked, it could put Selena and her offspring in grave danger. Do you understand and acknowledge these restrictions?”

  Xylo looked at his colleagues, receiving nods of agreement from each. He returned his gaze to Kaede, wishing he could see the male’s eyes, hidden as they were behind his visor.

  “We acknowledge and agree. Our goal is to provide the best care possible to Selena and her offspring. We will not share any information about them with anyone other than our princes and Selena herself. Are we to pass anything we learn to you?”

  Kaede nodded once in acknowledgment, then looked down at his armband. A few taps and a large holographic projection appeared. The display was half Kaede’s height and just as wide, though the neon-blue and green text was unreadable from Xylo’s position.

  “This is everything we gathered about Selena from the Yaarkin vessel. She is the prototype for their next generation, code-named Project: Adapt. They needed a new biological base for the next-gen technological upgrades that dominate their species and hoped humans would prove feasible. Through mech-tech additions and genetic manipulation, the Yaarkins created Selena capable of pulling genetic data from others to manipulate her DNA. Her body was designed to adapt to the attributes of the species she was introduced to, adopting key traits to ensure her survival.”

  Xylo asked, “That seems a dangerous trait to engineer. I would think the subjects might become too powerful?”

  Kaede nodded. “Possibly. It’s clear they had tools to keep her controllable. They taught all their human subjects the archaic human English—the only language they were allowed—to make communication difficult if any of the experiments escaped or were sold, to keep their location hidden. They bribed her with useless studies about Earth and humans to keep her complacent. Their files show they considered her a failure. They were never able to force an adaptation. To cut their losses, they tried selling her—to my client.”