Without waiting for V’dim, Selena reached for Z’fir and pulled him close, sandwiching herself between both males.
Selena smashed her mouth onto Z’fir’s and gripped his leafy hair. A moan escaped him as his vines wrapped around the three of them. Both males’ appendages entangled themselves around the three of them, holding them tightly together.
Odelm watched his nestqueen claim both princes. The joyous moment felt cheapened by the situation. They weren’t within the walls of their clan’s land—or anywhere private.
No. She engaged in something sacred in front of the whole Assembly and the crowd above.
Something deep inside him burned.
What was this feeling?
Letting go of his waist blade, he rubbed his chest to try to alleviate the pain to no avail.
Was she replacing them?
“Why do you think that?” Xylo asked, concerned.
“How can we compete with the princes? They look like traditional Circuli males and are more powerful than us. What use would she have for us, now that she has them?” Odelm replied sadly.
“You dare question our nestqueen? She has mentioned multiple times she would never have any Favored. Do you truly believe she has changed her mind? That she has replaced us?” Xylo questioned.
“How do you know this isn’t punishment for what we did? She just gave them the right to produce hatchlings with her. She hasn’t brought up hatchlings with me. Has she discussed it with you?”
“I believe she is angry with us, but I don’t believe this is some punishment. She isn’t like Circuli nestqueens. Remember that. That is why we both fell for her so fast. It is not in her nature to do such a thing, even with her inexperience and ignorance about social norms.”
“We have been in this chamber for far too long,” Odelm complained.
“I feel the same, nestbrother. I am ready for us to have our connection with Selena unblocked. I want to be able to hear her thoughts and sense her feelings once again and explain to her why we didn’t warn her.” Xylo glanced over and gently touched Odelm’s chest. “You are bleeding, nestbrother.”
Odelm looked down at his hand. His fingers had cuts that were already healing. The blue blood had dried up.
When did that happen?
“They are mine… You can’t have them. No one can. Once I complete the bond, and I will soon, it will be permanent,” Selena promised. “Don’t worry. I know how to please a male… My nestmates have no complaints.”
The Chamber Master clapped his hands.
“There have been no laws broken. The complaint against you has been deemed invalid. The Assembly has no right to interfere with the domestic relations of Selena’s clan or the management of the Aldawi Empire. I don’t believe there are any new complaints here. If I am correct, then I would like to end this session… which seems more like a personal attack on Selena than a respectable trial.”
“I beg to differ, if I may, Master Chamber,” a bright cyan and white male Quaww said.
A chill traveled along Odelm’s spine.
“Go on.”
“How is it fair for the Aldawi to keep all the new technology they gathered from the Yaarkin? We should have access to any new findings. Isn’t that part of the reason for the CEG?” the male Quaww representative asked.
“You are wrong,” Zirene growled. “Any new technology was shared among the CEG when we were all fighting the Yaarkin as a united front. When the CEG decided they had defeated the Yaarkin—even though there was evidence there were still stragglers in the galaxy—they disbanded their hunt. I had to spend both Aldawi and personal resources to finish getting rid of the Yaarkin because no one other than our secondary species wanted to help us clear what was left of them. Everyone believed they were no longer a concern because they were in the Aldawi territory, and not their own.” Zirene walked up and stood next to Selena and his new nestbrothers. “Now tell me, what right does the CEG have to anything we found in our own territory after the CEG abandoned us to handle it on our own?”
The male Quaww representative smirked. “That may be true, but we, the Quaww, believe it is odd you went out of your way to build a… sanctuary for the collection of demi-humans you have gathered, giving a select few free reins of the Aldawi territory as a super-soldier division, only to make one your Seedbearer and create offspring by her as an experiment, not knowing what the ramifications would be. What you are doing is dangerous to the safety of the CEG. You are allowing this female… Selena… to be the leader of the demi-humans by gifting her the moon they are stationed on.” He chuckled. “The one being who could help all of CEG’s troubles is tucked away with others like her, away from the rest of the galaxy. How do we know you would not create a super race to enslave and use the technology you discovered to conquer the galaxy?”
Zirene laughed, his deep bellows echoing through the chamber.
“Those are some accusations you have. Some could say they are war-declaring statements. I have no desire to rule the Aldawi Empire. Why would I want to start a galactic war only to govern? Makes no sense.” Zirene leaned over and grabbed Selena’s hand, bringing her to him and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She flinched in response before he pulled her close. “I rescued those demi-humans. I created a home for them, with jobs they can be proud of—with no fear that we would take advantage of them. Selena will not be dragged into whatever you are trying to accomplish. I will see to it.” He stared at the Chamber Master. “I will not allow anyone else to bully Selena on this floor.”
The Chamber Master nodded and looked over to the Quaww representatives.
“Is there anything else you want to state regarding your complaint?”
The Quaww representative ruffled his feathers. “A war is not what the Quaww is looking for, but
