“I am sure he has a decent reason.” I shrugged, a gesture I picked up from spending so much time with demi-humans in recent years. “You know as well as I do that he hates boredom and always needs to stay occupied, or else he may go mad and kill someone.”
“You’re right, but still,” she sighed, sounding defeated. “Who knows what else he is hiding from us? We are supposed to be a team, but he doesn’t act like it.”
“You haven’t been treating him like a part of the team, B.” I paused, testing her reaction to me using her nickname. When she didn’t seem to notice, I smiled despite myself. “Ever since Selena was discovered and Z pulled Kaede from leading the Fab Five, you two have been butting heads more often than you used to. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is keeping more secrets from his sisters.”
“I hate to say it, but you might be correct,” she replied, her eyes scanning the length of my body. “Other than your feet, you are covered. Just keep your face hidden, and I believe you’ll be fine.”
“Even with the bulge along my back from my wings?” I asked, turning to the side.
She pursed her lips. “I won’t lie—it does look odd. However, there are plenty of winged species within the CEG, so no one will assume you are Quaww. We may get some curious stares because everyone knows that avian species keep their wings unbound, much like the Circuli do with their appendages.”
In another time and place, I would have attempted to flirt with her, wanting to kiss those lush lips of hers. It didn’t matter to me that she lacked wings and a beak or had flat, five-toed feet that lined up in the front, leaving her heels bare. She was beautiful to me despite our differences.
I’d become concerned for her safety once I saw that both her toes and fingers lacked claws, leaving her naturally defenseless. No wonder her human ancestors had been easily conquered. Their teeth weren’t even sharp enough to adequately defend against an enemy.
“Anyway, let’s get going.” B turned toward the door, which automatically swooshed open for her. “I want to confirm your innocence so that we can move forward. Perhaps I can help Kaica with her mission once Oeta finishes scrying you.”
“Why would Kaica need your help?”
She glanced over her shoulder as sadness flooded her eyes.
“Xylo and Odelm may not make it.”
Four
Bryeca
We made it through the palace halls without incident. I hadn’t expected a problem, but emotions were running high due to the recent change in rule, so I decided I’d rather be safe than sorry. A female and a Quaww walking amongst the Aldawi could’ve been bad news, but luckily most of the males within the palace knew not to mess with the Fab Five. Now that Z was in charge, we wielded more power than ever.
Mess with his clan and be prepared to die. As Zirene’s personal super-soldiers, we were an extension of his family.
I’d like to see Z get his paws on anyone connected to Selena’s kidnapping. If I were the Quaww merchant who had started this all, I would hide on some remote planet and pray to the Stars that Z didn’t catch a whiff of my hidden location.
After speaking with Oeta, I was even more positive that my gut feelings about Qran were accurate. But I also knew that evidence was vital to prove his innocence. I couldn’t allow my personal feelings about him to cloud my judgment.
What she had told me about Kaede had shaken me. If my brother had kept his spacecraft a secret from us all this time, did that make me a poor leader? Did he really think he couldn’t trust his sisters?
Perhaps Z had been right to criticize our behavior toward him. While we were having fun on our hunting missions, Kaede had been stuck guarding Selena while she remained hidden in the safety of her villa for a month.
With the new technology available to us, Kaede could have accomplished many things in an uneventful month. Selena’s team had been able to build most of Destima’s new buildings within a week with the gems and bots. Who knew what in the Stars’ creation Kaede had been able to do within that time?
“Are we going to travel in silence? Or will you tell me what’s bothering you?”
I opened my eyes and glanced at the cockpit door.
Qran was leaning against the threshold with his arms crossed, only the faint glimmer of his golden beak showing from underneath his hood.
“Why should I tell you?”
“Because deep down, you know that I was just a victim in the wrong place and time. I’m still on your side.” He sat down on the Co-Captain’s chair as if he belonged there, crossing his arms as he leaned back and kicked his taloned feet onto the edge of the control panel. “Now, let’s act as if I’m not bare-feathered and you aren’t taking me to get my memories searched. Tell me what’s wrong.”
I checked in with LUO, who reported that we were still a few hours away from Destima, even with our superior engines. We were only halfway through our journey.
How could I trust myself around Qran?
We were alone on my personal ship, Furious, where we had spent intimate times together between missions, away from my siblings.
“Why do you want to know what’s bothering me?” I mumbled and glanced out the cockpit’s window, watching the star systems fly by. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about what Oeta will see?”
“That would be a waste of time,” he muttered. “I offered to be searched, even though it’s a procedure only done to
