“I want to visit the beach—to feel the warm sand between my toes.”
“That can be arranged.” His eyes twinkled in merriment as he offered his paw. “I know the perfect place.”
I accepted it, enjoying the soft warmth surrounding my hand.
My hair whipped around as the wind blew around my raised arms.
“This is amazing!” I yelled, glancing at Zirene.
He smiled, full teeth showing as he kept his focus on driving our purple and silver four-seater hovercraft on the spiral mountain road.
There were three entrances to my villa—the personal spaceport, the set of lifts primarily used by staff and deliveries, which went straight down to the base of the mountain, and the long windy road that twisted around the whole mountain to the bottom. He explained that both of the lifts and road ended at the same location, a small base filled with Vagren’s house and office, another warehouse, staff apartment, and a few other buildings.
Zirene picked the long route, explaining it would be the best way for me to experience the wonders of Destima for the first time—and see the progress being made on my vision.
He wasn’t wrong.
This was my first time actually being planetside. The bright colors from the local flora streamed by as the warm sun reflected off the dark violet waters. The smell of the saltwater assaulted my nose as I watched the lavender waves crash onto white-sanded beaches. The sleek white high-speed tram track bordered along the inside of the atoll, leaving the outside-facing beaches bare, protecting their natural beauty.
As we got closer, I could make out hundreds of spider-like devices with different colored cubed bodies working on various buildings from my design. The twelve bases were done, as a group of those devices was beaming material in place on the two unfinished apartments. All the larger buildings were each in a different stage of completion.
I lowered my arms and combed my hair with my fingers, trying to stabilize it from its tangled mess.
“Do you believe they will be done before the Destiny arrives?”
“Vagren reported this morning that everything is on schedule.” He paused as we approached the gate at the end of the road. The doors opened as soon as we were in range, only to close once more after we passed through.
“Selena… Destima’s citizens have been asking when you will be introduced to them. While they approve of your design, a few wished you had met with them first before you made such drastic changes to their quarters.”
We drove past a small group of demi-human workers walking by, all differently dressed, but in the same thin metallic material. They all stared up at us as we passed by, not knowing what to do. I smiled as I gave them a small wave. Shock and confusion crossed their faces.
Zirene laughed hard as I crossed my arms.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are,” he chuckled. “No one waves.”
“I froze! It was the first thing I could come up with.”
“Maybe I should have Vagren give you some lessons on how to address a crowd.”
“Why can’t you?” I asked, confused. I knew we had our differences, but I thought he would want to have an excuse to spend time with me.
“Selena…” he sighed. “I will have to depart soon.”
“But why can’t you teach me in our dreamscape while you are away? We are supposed to be spending time together to repair the damage already done.”
“I can’t guarantee I will always be able to pull myself away from investigations and important meetings to join you. It would be unfair to have you wait for me and have me disappoint you when there are plenty of other options available for you.”
We came to a stop next to a familiar gazebo, sitting on top of the warm white beach along the jungle edge. The waves seemed larger in person as dark clouds loomed in the distance.
He unbuckled his safety harness and turned toward me, grabbing my hand gently in his paws. Instead of the light and playful amethyst eyes I had grown used to, they were dark and serious as they locked onto mine.
“I can’t be here all the time. I have a territory to supervise and need to investigate whoever is responsible for assaulting you in your dreams. Do you know what that means?”
“You will leave me soon…” I murmured, failing to hide the hurt from the realization my time with him was being cut short so soon.
“As much as I hate it, yes, I have to, Selena.”
“When?”
“As soon as I can confirm the Circuli crew members as Aldawi citizens and have them sworn to me.” He squeezed my hands gently. “A week, tops.”
“When will you return?” I asked, surprised by the breaking of my voice. Why was I so upset? We weren’t together.
“I don’t know.” He licked his lips as his ears flicked slightly. “Do you even want me back?”
“Of course! You are our cubs' sire. They deserve to have you around to guide them.”
“They have your nestmates to be father figures for them and Pavryn to mentor them. You have a support system to help you with them. You. Don’t. Need. Me,” he growled.
“Perhaps I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.” I jerked my hands away from his. “I thought we were supposed to be working on us? How can we, if you are never around?”
“The dreamscape—”
“Is nice, but as you said multiple times, it’s not real.”
A black figure materialized behind Zirene. In an instant, Zirene jumped onto his hovercraft seat in a defensive crouch ready to strike.
“Sire. Prince Royak is paging you,” Kaede announced, his voice strained. “He said he tried contacting your tablet, but you weren’t answering. I took the initiative to tell you personally.”
Zirene jumped out of the hovercraft and landed in front of Kaede, lips drawn back.
“You know better than to sneak
