Were the bonded males nervous about their nestqueen taking more into her clan?
Along with the enclosed clearing, many large display screens—which would be used for future advertisements and announcements—hung around the walls of the wing tunnel, showing various locations amongst the military academy, where over one hundred thousand Aldawi warriors resided. Each screen displayed a live stream of a sea of Aldawi males from a different angle, all compacted in a ship hangar, waiting for me to speak.
They didn't know how I had gotten here, or what troubles I had faced, and none of them probably cared.
The only thing that mattered was that somehow, the Fates had made me the new owner of Destima, and I had plans that would forever change their lives.
My nestmates stood behind me, with Zirene close by as a symbol of support from his people—our people.
Stars, it was still hard for me to come to terms with that reality.
Supposedly, Kaede was leading the Fab Five in handling security. They had told me not to worry, promising that no security was truly necessary because no danger was lurking on this moon.
It was the mysterious voice that concerned them.
I couldn't blame them. I was worried too. Who knew when, and where, he would strike.
Personally, I hoped he found his brother so he could leave me alone.
“We will protect you, Selena. There is no need to worry,” Xylo assured, his deep mental voice like a light caress along with my shields. “Focus on the here and now, so you can be free to do whatever you want later.”
“Like our date?”
“I... Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to ask Vagren or Zirene to contact a geologist about touring the mine,” he replied, his mental voice strained. “There wasn’t any time to do so last night, not after you honored me as your Favored.”
“We were in a rush this morning, also.”
“I promise I will set up our date whenever we find downtime next,” Xylo swore. “Think of it as a reward for once this is over.”
“Make it good,” I teased. “For now, let me focus.”
“Yes, my nestqueen.”
Sighing, I felt him withdraw from my shields, leaving me to my own thoughts. Only that I knew I wasn't alone; I could sense my Ulax males sending calming sensations through our bond. From my short conversation with Xylo, I had proof that they were listening, ready to help me if I needed it.
Hopefully, I wouldn’t.
A loud ping echoed through the domed lobby, cutting through the noisy commotion, instantly grabbing everyone’s attention. Silence fell across the crowd.
Raising his paws, Vagren scanned the room, his eyes taking in the massive crowd.
“Welcome citizens of Destima to this glorious day!” Vagren announced, his voice booming over the music hall’s speaker system. “A month has passed since the Circuli crew landed, making this beautiful moon their home. Along with our new citizens, we have gained a new leader whose dreams amaze me to this day. Let me introduce you to Selena Darcaw of Destima, Seedbearer, and mate of Second Prince Zirene Darcaw.”
The Aldawi within the crowd saluted, while the demi-humans clapped as Vagren stepped away, gesturing for me to take his spot. The Circuli waved their appendages in the air, making their section appear like long grass swaying in the wind.
Letting out a deep breath that I didn’t know I’d been holding, I sighed, nodding to him as I stepped up to the podium.
The crowd continued to cheer as I surveyed them, trying to measure up to the importance of this moment. These people were looking to me for answers, and it was my time to provide them.
Off in the distance, a glint of color caught my eye. I spotted Oeta’s fuchsia mohawk and purple glass-like wings, and her glowing eyes met mine. A black mental thread similar to Mwe’s, only glowing fuchsia instead of magenta, caressed my mental shields. Oeta nodded once, flashing her wings to confirm her identity. I welcomed her thread, knowing my shields would remember her unique signature for the future.
“You are an elusive female when you want to be, Seedbearer,” Oeta’s mental voice chuckled. “But not enough to escape your admirer, it seems. I am standing guard to interfere in case he tries to intervene. If you ever need my aid, don’t be afraid to reach out, even to ask me to watch your gorgeous cubs.”
“Thank you,” I smiled at her, knowing that the crowd would assume I smiled for them. “I may need your assistance sooner than you believe. Let’s talk sometime in the coming days.”
“I will be waiting.”
I felt her disconnect, leaving my shields unharmed.
Vagren raised his hands once more, silencing the crowd.
“Thank you, Organizer Vagren,” I said, giving Zirene’s half-brother a quick nod. “I am Selena. Like some of you, I am a Yaarkins survivor. Others may know me as the nestqueen to the Circuli males behind me. However, what brought me to Destima is my position as Seedbearer to the Second Aldawi Prince, Zirene Darcaw.”
Taking a deep breath, I paused for effect.
“In celebration of the birth of our cubs, Prince Zirene gifted me this moon to rule as I please. In all honesty, if not for my support system, I would be lost on how to proceed, but I thank the Stars for them.” I licked my lips nervously. “What could a female who came from nothing to stand before you today know about leadership? I will be honest with you all—nothing. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to learn how to be a good leader. I have studied CEG law. I am not only Prince Zirene’s Seedbearer, but also have two Circuli princes as my nestmates. My two Favored nestmates are both intelligent and esteemed in their respective fields. Every day I’m grateful for the males in my life because they have surrounded me with knowledge, understanding, love, and the motivation to learn.
“As I learn, I will receive guidance from experienced leaders. Prince Zirene has assigned Organizer Vagren to be
