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 reveal 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
