Nudity wasn’t an issue, but private conversations and moments were. If he knew how I had been the dominant one in my relationships with my nestmates, he had to be viewing them…
“How many times, Kaede?” I demanded as I gave his chest a shove.
He pulled his hands from behind his head and placed them on my knees.
“Truthfully, Selena?” he whispered. “I have watched each one of them to make sure you were okay. I know Circuli males worship their nestqueens, but I had to make sure you were not being ganged up on and pressured to do something you didn’t want to do. My alliance is with you—not them. I only protect them because they are a part of your clan and have a mystic connection with you.” He looked away, facing the cubs playing in the pool.
“Every male around you has a special connection with you except me. How am I supposed to protect you when I am incapable of saving you mentally? Spiritually?” He sighed and met my gaze once more.
“I am just a super soldier, bred and designed to do one thing well, and that is to kill. But I can’t kill something harming you that is not in the physical realm, and I don’t know how I should feel about that.”
His words stunned me. He was right. How could a male designed to hunt and destroy his prey be successful when his target mentally attacked his subject? There wasn’t any physical evidence to trace whoever attacked me in my dreamscape. Therefore, it made whoever was assigned to protect me feel useless when their only weakness was being exploited to harm me, and there was nothing they could do about it.
“There is nothing you can do about it, Kaede,” I whispered. “If there was, I know you would have done it already. Face the facts—you can’t be perfect at everything.”
“That is where you are wrong, Selena. I am designing a portable device based on the dreamdomes which would record all the wearer's dreamscape sessions,” he announced proudly. “I am hoping whenever someone attacks you or someone else, the device would collect any evidence that would lead me back to them.”
“Kaede… I don’t want you to do anything that may harm you. As it is, your deportation device is faulty. It gets the job done, but I have never heard about the Aldawi being in pain whenever they shadowstepped.”
“I am just a soldier loyal to Prince Zirene. If there is anything I can do to become a better asset to him, I will do it.”
“Only him? What about me?”
“Prince Zirene rescued my sisters and me and gave us our freedoms. That is something we can never repay.”
So, he would always be loyal to Zirene first over anyone else. It was nice to know where the loyalty lines were drawn when it came down to Zirene or me.
Slowly, I climbed onto my feet, sticking my hand out for Kaede to grab. He hesitantly enclosed his gloved hand in mine, and I yanked, helping him to his feet.
I stared at my cubs in silence as they practiced jumping off the mini waterfall into the pool. Kaede remained by my side, not saying a word as he observed the Sanctuary.
“Kaede, can you at least tell me if Zirene is all right? I won’t ask for any more details about what is happening in the Aldawi Empire or CEG.”
He sighed. “He is fine, Selena. You would be the first to know when your Shadow is in danger.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter Forty-One Zirene
Zirene stepped outside onto the villa’s porch, into the darkness of the night. It was late, and Selena wasn’t with the others. It has been seven days since he last talked to her. Royak had called him away, afraid to discuss private matters over the channels.
It seemed there was some unrest brewing along their borders—but by the time he investigated the matter, all evidence was nonexistent. Missing ships lost cargo due to pirates, and rumors of a rebellion forming circulated, created by those in the black market furious at Zirene for killing the Yaarkins—their main source of entertainment.
He needed to try one more time to resolve things with Selena, for he didn’t know when he would have the freedom to do so again.
Duty would call him away again, and soon. The Quaww hostility on the space station was something he couldn’t shake. War wasn’t something he wanted to fall back into—but he would prepare, for it was his responsibility to make sure none of the battles or mind games came near Selena and her cubs.
There could soon be a time for him to require Prince V’dim and Prince Z’fir to join him. He would rather have them on Destima, leading its defense squad, but if a war was declared, he would need every experienced commander under his command available.
Zirene would not allow thoughts of war to distract him from his hunt. Tonight, Selena was his prey, and he would make sure he came out victorious—because if his brother was right, there might not be many more of these nights soon.
He inhaled deeply. Selena’s unique scent assaulted his nose. It was a special combination of an exotic flower and something slightly citrus, something that dominated the salty oceanic smell of the island.
He followed her scent’s trail easily to her location.
Selena was leaning on the stone railing, gazing at the island’s nightlife below, strands of her silver hair blowing in the gentle ocean breeze. The sheerness of her lavender nightgown left nothing to his imagination.
Zirene kneaded his hands along his thighs, wishing he could reach out and touch her, but he needed to wait until she accepted him and allowed them to be together. Until then, he would not pressure
