“It is life.”
“Well, I am neither Wudox nor Ulax. I will be keeping my children, no matter how they turn out or what gender they are. I won't abandon them. And I want whoever I’m with to raise them as their own.”
Kaede interrupted, laughing. “You forget that you carry Aldawi offspring—even if they turn out to be hybrids. The Aldawi have different thoughts about family and children.”
“And those are...”
“Females and males live in separate communities. While the males are politically and militarily in charge, the females are self-reliant businesswomen. The females pay taxes to the government and live in their own communities; the only males with them are their adolescent sons and the rare males they claim as mates. Typically, female Aldawi only interact with males when they are in heat. Then they will couple with any male—no commitments. Their sexual needs during heat drive them to seek out multiple partners for the entire week, usually staying at a female haven in neutral grounds outside a male community. If she becomes pregnant with a litter, she’s under no obligation to tell the male—or males—who sired them. The only exceptions are the rare cases of bonded or fated mates—Nova. Honestly, the temperaments of the genders do not mix well. They rarely want to deal with one another, other than during business deals or a female's heat.”
“Now what he said to me makes more sense,” I mused. “But he said he wants to claim me, not the other way around.”
“He’s hoping the difference in your species will allow him to do so to protect you and your offspring. Knowing your relationship status at the time of your mating was nonexistent may cause some issues since neither of you claimed the other. Failure to do so at the time of conception will raise questions. He’s hoping to have that resolved before we arrive.”
Turning to Xylo, I searched his worried face.
“Xylo, he knows about you and our courting bond. He said that as long as I didn't claim any other Aldawi, he would welcome any additional males I claim,” I stated soothingly, trying to banish his worries.
He traced my face with his teal eyes and visibly relaxed.
“It seems there is much to prepare before we get to the space station. It seems we may have a legal battle on our hands.”
Chapter Eighteen Selena
Kaede and Xylo spent another hour discussing preparations though I tuned most of it out. When they finally decided to call it a night, I walked them to the door and wished Kaede a good night, putting my hand out to prevent Xylo’s exit. Once Kaede had passed out of sight, I turned to face Xylo.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
He looked at me in confusion. “I was planning on going to my cabin to retire for the night.”
“We are court-bonded, right?” I leaned forward and grabbed his hand. “Isn't it a traditional part of your culture that you stay with me from now on? I mean, assuming you want to...”
He looked down at our entwined fingers.
“Of course, I do. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Raising my other hand, I ran my hand along his jaw, tipping his face up so I could see his eyes. He closed his eyes briefly as he leaned into my touch. The scales of his face felt cool against my hand but not hard—smooth and supple.
“I believe so. I asked you, didn’t I?”
“Then I would like that.”
He let go of my hand, and I slid my hand down his cheek in a last lingering caress.
Pausing before the door to the master bedroom, I turned to him nervously.
“I seem to have gotten ahead of myself. Do you need anything for tonight? What are we going to do about your belongings? Do you have to report to someone to get reassigned to my room?”
“I will deal with it tomorrow. Do not worry, Selena. Let us get ourselves settled and go to sleep. You need a lot of sleep in your condition.” A small smile crossed his face.
I opened the bedroom door and peered inside. I couldn’t see much. The room was dimly lit along the perimeter of both floor and ceiling. As I stepped across the door frame, the lights brightened, revealing the strangest furnishings I’d ever seen.
“What in the Stars is that?” I exclaimed.
Xylo looked over my shoulder to see what I was talking about.
“That is a Queen’s nestbed. One fit for royalty. It is large enough to allow up to fourteen nestmates to surround her—two in the center with her and twelve surrounding them.”
“You’re telling me your Queens have fourteen nestmates? And they need a nestbed this large?”
“They each have ten nestmates, last I heard. I do not pay that much attention to them after their treatment of our princes.”
The nestbed covered almost the entire room. There was enough open space around the nestbed for a few people to walk side-by-side. There were stairs built into three of the corners, while the back corner contained a table with an elegant lamp. Dark blue pillows decorated each of the outer sleep platforms, and the center was a lowered platform, its walls covered with pillowed pads. All the sheets were black.
In the corner, across from the nestbed sat an L-shaped couch wedged against the glass wall overlooking the terrarium. Two doors led to additional rooms.
It was completely overwhelming.
“So, how do we do this?” I asked, looking around the room.
“How about you get ready for sleep, and I will prepare the nestbed,” Xylo suggested.
“Okay. I won’t take long. Which door is it?”
Xylo pointed to one of the doors next to the L-shaped couch, and I nodded in thanks. I gasped as I pulled open the door and saw what lay within. These were the wash facilities? The room was enormous. To the right lay a pond-like bathtub with breathtaking views of the terrarium. It was filled from a flowing waterfall that constantly refreshed the bathwater. Baskets of
