“She didn’t say you could yet, Nyx,” Kaede scolded. “You got ahead of yourself once again.”
Nyx stopped jumping as her smile fell. The last sister rescued my hands from her saddened sister, shoving herself between us.
“Kaede is just angry he can’t get laid cause everyone on this space station is afraid of him,” she chuckled. “Everyone but you, that is, but from what I hear, he couldn’t perform…” Laughter escaped her, tears falling from her golden-green eyes as she wiped them. Just like Kaica, she had scales, but hers were dark green and a wider, more reptilian shape. Her scales traveled from her nose to her ears and lightly down her neck, peeking between her long strands of black hair. “Interested if my scales go any farther?” she asked, jokingly. “You have to get me naked to find out.” She winked. “The name is Zesha. Need any hacking and don’t want to deal with my brother? Let me know; unlike him, I can deliver.”
“Why are you here?” Xylo asked.
“My sisters and I wanted to meet all of you and finally—”
“We figured the four of you should take your nestqueen to see the space station,” Aunya said, wrapping her arm around Nyx. “Selena has spent too much time cooped up and should see what there is to offer her.”
“What they are not saying, Selena, is they were hoping you would let them watch your cubs,” Kaede announced cockily.
“Like a date? An outing? What is there to do?” I asked, confused.
“There are plenty of things for you to do!” Nyx exclaimed, folding her hands in each other. “And tonight, we can take you out ourselves.”
“Wait, what? I didn’t even agree to go out yet, and now, you’re taking me somewhere?”
Nyx’s wings fluttered wildly, her cape fell, and she flew over to me, grabbing my hands and spinning me around.
“You are a female in your prime!” she shouted. “Let your mates spoil you, and when you return after spending an exciting day with them, we will take you for a girl’s night out!”
It sounded fun. I needed a break from all the drama, and spending the day bonding with my nestmates sounded refreshing.
“Okay.”
“Finally! We can spend time with the little cuties, and Kaede can’t keep us away!” Nyx screamed in excitement, flying over to her sisters.
“Wait… You’re really going to go along with their plan?” Kaede asked, confused as his arms fell to his sides.
“Why not?” I asked. “Are you saying I shouldn’t trust them?”
“No,” he replied, taken aback. “I just didn’t believe you would want to go out in public, especially after yesterday,”
I studied him and tried to piece together what he meant—what he wasn’t saying.
“As my Head of Security, do you believe I shouldn’t spend the day with my nestmates? Are you saying your sisters aren’t capable and trustworthy enough to watch my cubs while I am away?” I questioned, trying to figure out why he was acting strange about the whole topic. “Or do you not believe they can protect me tonight?” His eyes narrowed at that question. “That is it. You don’t believe they can protect me as well as you. You’re jealous I want to spend time with them, instead of you, aren’t you?”
“No, that isn’t it!” he growled, clenching his fists. “I was the one assigned to you personally, not them. I earned my right to be your Head of Security. They have their own missions and projects. It is my right to—”
“It is your right to do what, Kaede? Tell me what I can and cannot do? Control everything around me? News flash. The last person who tried doing that, I slapped. Do you really want me to resent you any more than I already do? Take the night off. Go teleport yourself away with the new toys you have. I don’t care.”
Kaede walked up to me, his mouth scrunched, stopping with a short distance between us. He stared me down, his eyes burning with anger.
“Is that what you want? You want me gone? Fine. But know this: I am the best guard you will ever have. Have fun with your new sisters.”
Chapter Twenty-Three Selena
Bright lights and signs lined the walls of the entertainment floor, designed to attract passersby in the dimly lit passageway. Multiple smells assaulted my nose as we passed food stands and stalls filled with salesclerks trying to sell their gizmos and gadgets from all over the galaxy.
The customers flowed smoothly in the uncrowded walkway. It was nice to have enough room to move around freely without bumping into each other. We could walk at our own pace without being worried about upsetting those behind us.
After Kaede threw his tantrum and teleported away, I didn’t waste any time getting ready to explore the space station. Xylo called my medical team to assist the Fab Five, just in case they had any questions.
I wondered if he was secretly unsure about leaving our cubs with a group of females we just met. Personally, I believed I wouldn’t normally have done so, but they were Kaede’s sisters—and even though I hated to say it—a part of Zirene’s special force. I didn’t know who else would be perfect for the job.
I followed the flow of the traffic with Xylo and Odelm on each arm. The princes followed closely behind, occasionally one of their appendages reaching out to wrap itself around a wrist or arm. Each time it happened, they would act embarrassed and apologize.
The four of them wanted me to dictate where we went and what we did since it was my first time exploring off of a ship. I aimlessly led them to different stalls and browsed their goods in wonder. I hadn’t purchased anything, and after a while, I felt guilty about giving shopkeepers false hope and wasting their time. My nestmates bought nothing as well, their matching slings hanging empty.
