by Jade Waltz
Odelm rubbed the back of his head with a frown as he plopped down in his seat. “What the Stars happened?”
Xylo lifted an eyebrow at his nestbrother’s groggy demeanor. “What part? You finding our nestqueen injured during your date? Or Oeta knocking you out for thrusting your extreme emotions upon the infirmary?”
Odelm’s pale eyes sharpened as if just the mention of last night had brought his memories flooding back. “Both. Selena first, and then tell me what that female did to me.”
Xylo held up his hand. “She only did what we all wanted her to do. If it had been up to Kaede, he would’ve partaken in your favorite sport and dropped you in the middle of the ocean to swim your way home in hopes of burning off your anger. Just be glad that his attention was occupied elsewhere.”
Odelm sat up, lifting himself enough to glance over the back of his chair, through the two panels of plated glass that separated them from their nestqueen. Sighing, he relaxed and faced Xylo with solemn eyes. “What’s her status? Any updates?”
“Her invader returned to attack her during your performance.” Xylo held up his hand to prevent Odelm from interrupting. “We have a name, ‘Xenak of Verya,’ and supposedly he’s working with something called a ‘Cosmic Soul’ to get his brother back, and he claims Selena has something to do with his disappearance. I don’t believe any of it. How can our nestqueen be responsible for his missing brother when we’ve been with her since we discovered her? But none of that matters—the only thing that does is that the male reopened the crack he formed last time he attacked her. If Oeta hadn’t threatened to have her father snuff out his existence, I would be afraid of what other damage he may cause to get what he wants.”
Odelm growled, his tentacles twitching uncontrollably around his waist like violet waves upon his chest. “The question is whether this Xenak is desperate enough—or willing to gamble that Oeta was bluffing—to contact Selena again to find his brother.”
“Do you believe he will?” Xylo tilted his head to the side, studying the musician. “What would pressure him enough to contact a stranger outside his galaxy—for Oeta said he wasn’t from ours—to break all natural, cosmic laws? There must be a reason beyond his brother’s life to chance angering the Fates and the Stars.”
“Would you do it for her?” Odelm jerked his head toward where Selena lay. “To what lengths would you go to bring her back to us if she was taken? If she was hanging onto her life by a thread?”
Xylo pursed his lips, not liking the direction Odelm had taken the conversation, but choosing to entertain the topic nevertheless. “As a Master Scholar with a healer background, I cannot say what I would do in that situation. A life for a life. Would I torture another to save our nestqueen’s life? That’s the question you want to ask me, and here is my answer. To protect our nestqueen and our clan, I would give my life to save hers. She is the center of not only our clan’s mental web but also a part of the princes’ triad. By taking them in as nestmates, she unwittingly united their Ulax and Wudox webs. Before, each only had access to the other species through their unique nestbrother’s connection, and now our clan shares one large net. Do you understand what that means?”
Odelm frowned in confusion. “No.”
“It means that she is truly the Circuli queen now.” He let that sink in. “If she wanted, she could take over Destima’s entire Circuli population, just like our Queens on Circul do. The princes are acting as her voice, as if she were an ordinary nestqueen, because they know that telling Selena would cause her to panic. She isn’t ready for any more changes or responsibilities at the moment. But that also means if she dies, she will not only take the princes with her—”
“But the whole Circuli population on Destima.”
They sat in silence, staring at each other as the truth echoed between them.
Xylo could sense Odelm trying and failing to deny the truth.
“If I must sacrifice another life to save Selena’s, I would, because my actions would not only save our nestqueen but all of the lives connected to her. Selena doesn’t have Circuli offspring or any offspring with the psychic capabilities to take over the population. Until she produces an heir, we must protect her at all costs, because there isn’t a nestqueen on the moon strong enough to take over,” he sighed. “Not at the moment, at least. There are a few who would be able to lead smaller communities, like apartment buildings or businesses, but not the full scale.”
“And they can’t because Destima isn’t theirs,” Odelm added, understanding the problem. “Destima was gifted to Selena to do as she pleased. We’re here on her behalf, and if she dies, everything that we’ve built will have been for nothing.”
“Now you see my dilemma,” Xylo replied, flicking his gaze to their slumbering nestqueen. “I can’t fathom what would make this male go to such extremes to break through Selena’s mental barriers unless he too had a dire need. Just like us, he will do anything to save the ones he loves—even if it means risking his own life. We need to figure out the connection Selena has with his brother—and fast—in hopes we can aid him before the desperate male does something disastrous. I don’t want to see any more harm happen to our nestqueen, and would rather try to help him to prevent any permanent damage done to her.”
“Which reminds me . . . I don’t know how to address my next concern,” Odelm muttered, looking everywhere but at Xylo. His coloring was tinted a nervous yellow.
“What is it, nestbrother?” Xylo questioned. “We are connected. You can ask me anything.”
Odelm breathed in deeply and exhaled before meeting his gaze. “During my date with our nestqueen, before I performed, we had a conversation.’
“And?”
“I promised her something,” he muttered. “But now I fully understand what my promise entails.”
“What are you talking about?” Xylo demanded, not wanting yet another nebulous problem to be placed upon his lap. Being Selena’s Favored—and unofficial Primary—was harder than he’d initially thought.
“I didn’t know she was Destima’s Circuli queen, or I wouldn’t have promised her what I’m about to ask you,” Odelm explained. “Selena confided in me about not wanting any more offspring for a few years. She said she wanted more children, and understood her duty to provide heirs for the princes, but she wanted to wait.”
“I fail to see the problem,” Xylo stated, confused.
Odelm licked his lips nervously. “She wanted me to ask you and your research team about developing some sort of birth control. I’m not a scientist, so I don’t know what complications may arise, but she doesn’t want to interfere with our biological triggers. She is afraid that we might suffer if the birth control interfered with our spores. I tried to explain that Circuli see sex as a mechanism for reproduction, not a source of pleasure, and that we’d be fine if our biology was affected.”
“Would we? Would you? Are you fine with this?”
“How could I not be?” Odelm hissed.
“You’ve been pressuring her to allow you to sire her next offspring, and as her Favored, you automatically have the right to the first attempt.” Xylo crossed his arms and stared at his nestbrother. “Hypothetically, it should be nearly impossible to ruin her reproductive system. Her body constantly produces the eggs needed to mate with the species she is with, through the nanobots living in her system. Add how fast her body heals, attacking any foreign object in the process. In Selena’s case, effective birth control might be a manual with the instructions to reprogram her nanobots. Aldawi males can control their breeding cocks, preventing the barbs from engaging inside the female’s walls and injecting the venom to trigger their female’s body to ovulate instantly. If the Aldawi are capable of such control, then there must be a way for Selena to prevent her production of eggs unless she wants to be fertile. I will have to study our options.”
“So you plan to find a species whose females are in charge of their fertility, and then what? Coax Selena into mating with one of their males to ta
ke on those abilities?” Odelm hissed, leaning forward as he gripped his chair’s arms.
“I didn’t say that she had to take one in as a mate,” Xylo deadpanned. “We both know how she feels about sex. Just look at her and Kaede as a prime example—”
“Kaede’s drones.” Odelm pointed to the ceiling, switching to silently communicate over their bond. “We both know that the male is infatuated with her.” He waved him off. “Those two have been locked in a mating dance that could rival the Quaww, and yet both are too stubborn to confess.”
“My research team has been making bets on how long it will take for those two to finally face their feelings and admit them to the other,” Xylo chuckled. “It’s clear to anyone who watches them interact that they’re something more than client and guard.”
“And until our nestqueen figures it out, it’s not our place to tell her.”
“No, but it will be interesting when it happens,” Xylo beamed. “There is another betting pool on how they will confess. In a heated argument? Or when Kaede rescues her from danger? Or when they’re left alone somewhere?”
“A heated argument, no doubt. Those two lose their filters when they’re furious,” Odelm mused. “It’s one of the reasons why I love her, but she has gotten in trouble for the same quirk. All I know is, the sooner those two get past whatever is preventing them from accepting each other, the better. Kaede has been different ever since she bit him just over a moon ago.”
“Zirene mentioned it too,” Xylo added. “Something about how Kaede’s senses are overwhelmed around her, which is why he’s been keeping his distance.”
“Though we have been using him as a bodyguard for our dates.” Odelm shot him a look of confusion, while his coloring finally returned to normal. “Why would he purposely accept our requests if he can’t stand to be near her?”
“Why do you think?”
“You’re the scientist. I’m the musician, remember?” Odelm smiled. “Plus, he could have simply refused.”
“We still don’t know what species he was spliced with, unlike his half-sisters. I believe all signs point to him going into some sort of mating heat. He has always been complaining about his heightened sense of smell, but he’s never actively avoided her like he does now. Zirene mentioned him complaining about an increase in his core temperature, and his sisters have noticed how much more toned his body has become, which is why he designed his newest smart fabric uniform.”
“So he’s avoiding Selena to prevent himself from losing control, just like he did on the space station when she bit him,” Odelm muttered, a sense of understanding flooding their connection. “He said that he doesn’t want to mate with her while under the influence of an outside force. If he believes he’s spiraling into an unstable lusting heat, then he must be trying to follow his moral code, even if he’s rebelling against his biological needs.”
“Exactly,” Xylo nodded. “Especially his venom. He can easily force her to want him against her conscious desires. The male may be an ‘ishing frax,’ as our nestqueen loves to call him, but he is respectful of others’ rights.”
“You mean Selena’s rights.”
“True.”
A slight pop sounded as Kaede landed in the empty chair beside Odelm, flipping his legs over one arm while he leaned his back against the other and folded his arms behind his head. Chuckling to himself, he smirked. “I felt my ears ringing—I believe that was the old Earth idiom—so I came to see what you two are saying about me.”
“I asked Xylo if he’s ever seen your manhood, and how it compares to the rest of our clan.” Odelm shrugged. “You know, for research purposes, since we never learned what species you were spliced with. The three species Selena has in her clan all carry some sort of venom, so it wouldn’t be farfetched to assume you are similar to us.”
Kaede’s sly expression instantly dropped, and he almost fell out of his chair in shock. “What does my cock have to do with anything?”
“It is scientifically proven that a species’ reproductive system can help determine common ancestry,” Xylo advised, schooling the smile that threatened to appear. He knew he was reaching with this white lie, but couldn’t resist playing along. “Plus, Selena asked which of us had the larger phallus and whether there was a connection to how arrogant and egotistical the male was.”
“And what did you find?” Kaede asked, curiosity flooding his voice as he smiled wide. “Do you need me to give you a show? You know, for your research.”
“What do you have in mind?” Odelm replied. “Because Zirene isn’t here for you to compare yourself to.”
Kaede’s smile dropped, and his eyes turned toward Selena. Taking in a deep breath, he shuddered.
“I don’t have time for this nonsense. We all know I have the largest cock out of all of you.” Kaede waved them off. “There’s no competing against what I can bring. Anyway, I have things to do.” He stood and turned to leave, only to stop and look Xylo straight in the eye. “Don’t worry about giving me updates; I have Selena’s live feed running on my visor. But if that son of a husk shows up again, let me know. I can’t wait for my sisters to find the prick so I can sink my teeth in him.”
Chapter Fourteen
Selena
A warm hand held mine, instantly pulling me awake as I snapped my eyes open
“Hello, my little Nova,” Zirene purred. “How are you feeling?”
It took me a moment to realize where I was—and why. I took a mental inventory of how I felt. My body was completely fine other than a slight headache that threatened to worsen. Placing my hand on my forehead, I felt a spot that was slightly raised and tender to the touch. Hissing, I pulled my fingers away.
“Chyox, is there something you can do for her head? Usthu, please wake her nestmates. They are sleeping in our nestbed.” Zirene raised his paw toward the Wudox assistant healer. “Yes, you’re allowed to enter her room. Ayces, could you get something for her to drink, one of her favorites. And someone wake Oeta, I want her here to perform a scan.”
Xylo’s team sprang into a frenzy as they rushed to comply with Zirene’s orders. He sat still beside my bed, holding my hand. At least the male wasn’t being overly demanding; he was only taking charge of the situation. Personally, I believed he was overreacting a little about my condition, but I wasn’t going to complain. He was within his rights to be concerned.
Almost instantly, one by one, my nestmates called out to me with worried voices. Wincing, I closed my eyes at the sudden burst of attention through our golden threads. I could hardly make out what they were saying, as each one spoke freely without waiting for the others. Only the princes took turns addressing me, and they granted each other that courtesy solely due to their closeness.
Grabbing all four threads, I yanked, instantly silencing them as I caught their attention.
“I’m shaken, but fine. There’s a slight lump on my forehead, but Chyox is about to give me something to reduce the swelling. I have a headache brewing, either due to the head injury or my mental assault, but I would appreciate it if we could calm down on the chatter until it goes away.”
“We are on our way,” Xylo replied.
Releasing their hold, I felt all four of them slowly drift away, though their threads told me they were near.
Something pinched my shoulder. Gasping, I snapped my eyes open in time to see Chyox pull away with a needle in his hand.
“A warning next time?” I hissed, as I tried to reach for the injection site.
He batted my hand away. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Why?” Zirene interjected, glancing between the two of us.
“Because any added pressure upon the location could cause a reaction—”
“Chyox,” Xylo chastised. “Don’t take that tone with my nestqueen.”
Chyox pursed his lips and stepped away from me, eyeing the room of angry males.
“She shouldn’t touch her injection site, to ensure it stays clean and free of any germs on
her hands,” he scuffed. “You know how curious she is! I don’t need her contracting some rare disease because she wanted to touch something she shouldn’t.”
Rolling my eyes at the old Ulax, I sat up and crossed my arms. “I wonder how you came to be Senior Healer because your bedside manner needs serious work.”
The green Ulax shot me a glare. “You should know that I’ve been healing male warriors since before the Yaarkins invaded. There’s no reason to warn the patient before simple injections—”
“Because the only males you treated were already missing limbs or hanging onto life by their last thread,” I concluded. “I get it, Chyox, but you need to understand that you are no longer on a warship. You’re on a paradise-like moon, working with multiple other species and subspecies, able to live out your days without fear of the future. As you know, I am not Circuli, and I have no medical experience beyond being experimented on. I was always cleaned up before they let me go, so I never had to deal with the basics. So next time you see a patient making a simple mistake, instead of harshly reprimanding them, calmly explain why. All this tension could have been averted if you had only explained to me what you were doing and what you expected me not to do.”
The infirmary fell silent as Chyox’s green coloring slowly shifted to a nervous brown.
“I’m sorry, Queen Selena,” the Master Healer mumbled, averting his eyes. “It won’t happen again.”
Gently, I reached for the subdued male, not understanding the abrupt switch in demeanor. Grabbing his closest tentacle, I halted his retreat as a shiver passed through him.
Reinforcing my shields, I looked beyond my walls and saw Chyox’s violet sphere a short distance from my own. He had two solid mental threads connecting him to the Circuli princes, and surprisingly, a very faint thread led to me. If I hadn’t focused on his mental sphere, I would never have spotted our connection.