The hanger bay was enormous.
A cargo shuttle hulked near the hanger door we’d just stepped through. On the landing strip sat a sleek black ship, slightly larger than the numerous fighters lining the walls. A cluster of people stood alongside the dark ship.
I screeched to a halt when I examined the group.
Xylo looked down at me in concern.
I recognized everyone who’d been in my room last night, but there were many others. The variations were overwhelming, and I needed to pause a moment to take it all in.
I was able to identify the two Circuli species. Xylo’s Wudox—with plant-like bodies and six vines—bore similarities to the aquatic aliens who’d invaded my room last night—though the latter had four tentacles. They must be the Ulax sister species. The two species varied widely in color, pattern, and texture, but both wielded natural blades somewhere on their bodies.
What struck me was the difference in Xylo’s appearance. Where his coloring and patterns reminded me of space, every other Wudox I could see looked more like plants. We had more in common than I’d thought. We each looked unlike others of our species. I wondered if he’d been subjected to the same isolation it had caused me.
Xylo silently watched me examine the other Wudox, looking from them to him. He carefully unwrapped the vine from my arm, a strained look on his face, then slid his arm free.
“I understand if you—”
I could hear the suppressed pain lacing every word. I turned to grab his hand before he could pull away and looked him straight in his teal eyes, willing him to believe me.
“Don’t you dare. I think you’re gorgeous. We’re kindred spirits, Xylo. I think we’ve both suffered the isolation that comes with being different. The Stars. Fate. Whatever you want to believe in must have brought us together, knowing we had a common bond. Don’t you dare think you aren’t good enough just because you don’t look like a common houseplant,” I scolded, giving him a broad smile.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then glanced at the group awaiting us. He squeezed my hand.
“Thank you. It is hard looking the way I do. Before you arrived, I never thought I would have a chance to bond with a nestqueen.”
“Xylo... you need to know I’m trying to absorb everything. It hasn’t even been a day, and my life has been turned upside-down. Please be patient with me.”
“I will. And Selena, I must tell you that you impressed everyone with your Galactic Common last night. I know you would rather mindspeak to me—and I am willing to relay for you—but I think you should practice speaking Common with others.” He paused and glanced over at the crowd. “We will continue this conversation when we have more time. Right now, you are needed.”
He relinked our arms and led me across the hangar bay.
As we neared, the group fell silent and parted to reveal a smaller cluster—three of who I recognized from the misunderstanding last night. Beside them stood two figures who were clearly neither Wudox nor Ulax.
One of the figures was clearly male, encased in a black bodysuit. A dark metallic visor wrapped around his head, disappearing into the blue-black shoulder-length hair that was tied back at his neck. A green cloth draped across his face, leaving his long, pointy, tan ears and a pair of curving black horns visible. A matching deep green cape flowed behind him.
The other was unlike anything I’d seen before, yet exotically beautiful—akin to the peacocks or tropical birds I’d read had once roamed Earth’s jungles.
Right down to the set of magnificent wings.
The arch of the wings was dark blue, fading to cyan at the tips. The coverts were green. The secondary and primary feathers were large and golden. Even folded, the wings were taller than I was, and they looked heavy. The top half of the body was covered with fine cyan feathers that graduated to larger and darker blue at the hips. Leathery avian feet with three golden talons and a large hind claw rested on the floor. I could just make out the tips of golden tail feathers behind them. Larger feathers cascaded from shoulder to chest in shades of blues, greens, and gold. The hands were surprisingly human but covered in downy teal feathers and tipped with wicked black claws. Blue and green feathers sprouted from the corners of the eyes to the top of their head in place of hair. An angular golden face and a sleek gold beak, framed by intelligent pale green eyes, completed the stunning picture.
What shocked me more than the exotic appearance of the alien was its clothing. A neon-green bandolier crisscrossed their chest—numerous pockets sealed with mirror-like buttons—and attached to a neon-blue loincloth. I’d never seen anyone dressed in such vibrant colors. On the Yaarkin ship, everyone who’d worn clothing had always worn black or dark colors.
Xylo’s voice pulled me away from my close examination of the two new aliens. “Prince Z’fir. Prince V’dim. I brought Selena as requested.”
Xylo bowed his head to two of the males I’d kicked from my room last night. They were princes! I was horror-struck. What would they do to me?
I shifted uneasily.
The last thing I needed was to have offended royalty. Perhaps I could convince my new escort to take me with them. At least I had his assurance I wouldn’t be harmed—they were there to protect me.
The Wudox Prince stepped toward me with a smile.
I examined him warily. His skin was dark brown, threaded with medium tan and rich green veins. Deadly-looking blades grew along the line of his thighs. The same vibrant green colored his mossy shoulders and the roots of his hair and vines, shading to a dark red at the petals and ends of his hair. Deep emerald eyes stared reassuringly into mine.
“I believe we—most unfortunately—met on bad terms last night. I am Prince Z’fir, third-ranking Prince of
