“Kaede really does believe in the Cosmic Power,” Oeta’s mental voice murmured in awe. “What he said is true. If he truly believes that they are stars in the same constellation, then they will see each other once again.”
“Can’t you confirm his belief?”
“I cannot. I doubt even my father could until the constellation is completely connected at last. Until then, it’s up to the living stars to find each other.”
“What if I don’t believe in the Cosmic Order?”
“Then you are missing all the signs around you,” Oeta replied in a sad tone. “You should treasure the moment you find your constellation—nothing else will matter once you do.”
“What about you?” I challenged. “Where are your missing stars? I haven’t heard you mention any mates.”
“That is because I haven’t come across them yet. When I do, I won’t fight our connection.”
“I’m not fighting anything. It’s her.”
“Keep telling yourself that.”
She didn’t allow me time to reply as she searched my memories until the moment Kaede had first discovered Selena and me. Oeta only rewound the scene once before continuing backward in time. Hearing my crew torture Selena, feeling them pull my feathers out, getting captured in my quarters, and then observing my crew asking for forgiveness and another chance.
Instead of stopping there, she barreled on, too fast for me to track. Images and sounds all blurred together into one inseparable mass.
Suddenly, Oeta stilled at the exact moment I had first met Selena aboard the Destiny, watching me teasingly flirt with her as I tried to get a rise out of her mates.
Little did I know at the time that those males were the exact ones that surrounded her in real life before she was kidnapped.
“I’ve made my judgment.”
“And that is?” I asked, confused by her cryptic tone.
“You are innocent,” Oeta replied, her voice seeming lighter as if she was relieved that I had been telling the truth all along. “While I don’t agree with all of your life choices, you had nothing to do with the Beacon’s kidnapping.”
“So, will you tell B right away? Or will you report to Z first?”
“It depends. Now that I don’t have to suffocate you out of existence, I can ask you an important question. What are your plans going forward?”
“What kind of question is that?” I asked, shocked by the sudden change of subject.
“A simple one, so answer truthfully.”
“I want to petition Z to let me join B’s search for Selena.”
“What about your relationship with Bryeca?” Oeta questioned. “What makes you believe that she even wants you as a partner? She’s used to completing missions alone. What if she would rather go without you?”
“I would rather be aboard a ship than planetside. However, if B refuses, I will ask to remain on Destima and protect Selena’s clan. I could use this guest room or one of the spare bedrooms at the villa if Z allowed it. In any case, I want to return to work. Sticking around with no ship or mission will only drive me insane and make me more miserable about my lack of feathers.”
“So, you will stop pursuing Agent Bryeca?”
“Of course not. If she wants nothing to do with me now, I will wait until my feathers grow back then present myself to her once again. Maybe once Selena is safe and peace returns to the empire, she will be more open to what the demi-humans call ‘dating.’”
“Don’t you have plans to settle down in a home, gather a flock, and create offspring?”
“Who said anything about offspring? All I want is for B to call me hers.”
“No one,” she said, her tone too happy for my liking. “I will tell Bryeca you’re innocent before I report to Sovereign Darcaw. My work here is complete.”
Seven
Bryeca
Leaning against the wall as I watched Qran get his mind scried was nerve-racking.
I had seen enough of these procedures to know that he wasn’t resisting. The only sign that he felt any unease was the twitching of his feet; other than that, he was lying completely still.
What I was nervous about was what Oeta would discover as she scanned through his memories.
Would she see every time he had attempted his mating dance—and each of my rejections? What about the times we’d had sex? Qran was a very passionate lover, and we enjoyed getting lost in each other’s arms between missions.
Would watching the memory again arouse Qran? Glancing at his untented loincloth, I sighed in relief.
I considered what to do with him once Oeta declared him innocent. Do I want him as my partner to travel the galaxy, searching for Selena? Once we left together, there would be no way to get rid of him other than going against Z’s wishes and dropping him off at some random spaceport. Even I wasn’t that cruel.
No, if Z assigned him to my mission, I would have to accept him. I didn’t want to hurt the fragile relationship we had.
I knew my rejection had hurt him, but he had said harsh things to me too. Blame my many years in isolation and only having my siblings to talk to. While I was better at conversations than Selena—bless her—I wasn’t a normal CEG citizen, growing up in a social environment.
None of the demi-humans were socially adept, which was why we enjoyed living together. When the Circuli had moved to the Main Island, many misunderstandings arose due to cultural barriers and social awkwardness on both sides. The Circuli kept to themselves, even among their own kind, while the demi-humans often created a stir with public displays of affection.
How could they have known that the Circuli didn’t kiss?
A loud moan from Qran filled the room as he covered his face with his forearm.
Stars, I had forgotten to dim the lights while lost in my thoughts.
“Sorry!” I ran to the wall and waved my hand over the control panel,
