“Yes. We need to report to the bridge and make sure everyone is accounted for,” V’dim explained.
“Can I at least walk you to the docking tunnel doors?”
They both nodded.
I wrapped my arms around each male as they led me to the nearest door. Pushing down the sadness threatening to surface, I grabbed Z’fir’s face with both hands. His dark brown scale-like skin looked good against my own bronze hands as I pulled his head down mine.
“Be safe.” I closed my eyes and kissed him, sending all my thoughts and well wishes to him. He shivered in my hands as I ended the sweet kiss, opening my eyes to see his emerald pupilless ones locked onto mine.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
I nodded as I let go of him, and turned toward V’dim, surprised he had moved and was nearly pressed against my back. His turquoise eyes searched mine as I faced him as if asking—wanting—to be kissed too.
Stepping onto my toes, I gave him a gentle kiss, feeling his coolness on my lips.
“Return to me.”
Suddenly, I was sandwiched between both Circuli princes, their appendages wrapping us together as each male pressed against me, holding me close.
“We will come back to you, Selena.”
“You are our nestqueen. There is no place we would rather be.”
“When we reunite, I shall claim you both and ease any torment you may be facing. I will be waiting.”
They gave me one last squeeze before slowly untangling themselves from me. I watched them as they said their goodbyes to the rest of the group traveling on the Glorious, then entered Destiny’s docking tunnel.
Before the doors shut, they both glanced back at me, but I refused to cry.
These males may have been bound to me for political reasons, but that didn’t mean I didn’t care for them. They were friends and allies on the Destiny and deserved everything I could do to help them.
Xylo and Odelm held me in silence as we watched the Destiny slowly disappear while the others boarded the Glorious.
I felt like a tiny part of me was leaving with them.
The halls of the Glorious were as sleek as it appeared outside. All the edges had a line of different colored lights that brightened with each step we took. Another set of doors opened, revealing the ship’s bridge.
A real bridge.
Three Aldawi males, dressed in dark gray, sat at their stations, facing the open glass wall, focused on their takeoff routine. One desk behind them remained empty with its projected screens displayed. A large throne sat across from it against the wall, facing the whole room.
Royak and Zirene were speaking with a tan Aldawi male, standing next to the display table in the center of the room. He appeared much older than the other males, graying along his edges and dressed in a silver kilt suit similar to both princes. The three looked up from their charts as Xylo and Odelm led me closer.
“What is a female doing on my bridge?” the older male hissed as his amber eyes hardened.
Halting in our tracks, Xylo and Odelm unwrapped their appendages in a defensive stance in front of me.
Zirene and Royak growled in reply, their stances aggressive as they turned toward the older male.
“That female is my Seedbearer and mate, Captain. Selena is welcome anywhere on this ship. If you have a problem with that, you can get your nearly retired frax off my ship,” Zirene snarled.
The captain’s body trembled, his face wincing in pain as he gripped the table.
“But she—”
“I warned all of you about who I was picking up before we left and gave you the option to transfer. None of you did.” Zirene snarled, eyeing the others in the room. “This isn’t up for debate. Accept it and respect her or leave.”
The three workers saluted and nodded as the captain straightened, his tail flipping aggressively. The older male turned toward Royak, avoiding Zirene’s stare.
“Surely, you agree with me, Sire. Prince Zirene is out of line.”
Royak chuckled. “No, you are. I agree with him.”
Frustration settled at the realization he didn’t have an ally in the room.
“I believe you both are making a grave mistake.”
“No, you are,” Royak replied.
“Agent Kaede, please escort this unwanted captain off my ship. He isn’t to be allowed in my fleet or Prince Royak’s. Transfer his status to the available restricted military roster, and perhaps, our brother will take him.”
Kaede shimmered into existence behind the captain with one of his pistols drawn.
“Lead on,” he barked.
The captain saluted. “You know where I will be once you realize your mistake.”
“The only mistake I made was allowing you on my ship with your history. Change is happening; don’t get lost in the past. If you can’t handle that, then retire.”
The room watched as Kaede escorted the male, unfazed by what had happened.
Was Kaede so feared by the CEG that the captain didn’t try to resist? Or had the captain’s stale beliefs finally caught up with him?
Xylo and Odelm kept their defensive stance until the pair went through the doors. I reached out and gripped one of their appendages, connecting to them through our golden threads.
“It’s okay, loves. He is gone and won’t be able to hurt me.”
“Loves?” they both responded at the same time, their voices confused.
“Yes, loves.” I pulled the males closer to me, forcing them to relax beside me as they wrapped their appendages around my wrists and the rest returned to their defensive position. “I wanted to test a nickname, a title for you both to see how it sounded. I love you both, yet calling you my nestmates while it’s the same title both princes share… feels unfair to you.”
“I thought you didn’t want to have Favored… or to play favorites. Naming us loves will do that,” Xylo explained.
“I thought it would be my way to say I love you—to both of you—but with fewer words…”
“No… stop, Selena. I like it. If that is what you want to call me, go ahead.” He pulled me closer to
