Holding Xylo’s arm tightly, I waited impatiently for Kaede to open the shuttle’s side door. I couldn’t wait to step foot onto Base Island, even though I hadn’t explored the Main Island yet.
Which reminded me: I needed to come up with better names than the ones Zirene had probably given them. If Kaede had named them, he would’ve owned up to his choice, so it must have been my dreamscape male. The moon circled his star system’s capital, Lunkai, after all.
The names were a problem I would have to solve later, perhaps when I finally opened the Main Island to Aldawi Academy students. I couldn’t wait for the island to come alive with tourism; I believed that would be the morale boost the citizens needed.
The door finally opened, revealing a landing pad set-up similarly to my villa’s. The shuttle slowly powered down, revealing the busy sounds of workers nearby.
Along the side was a much larger garage, with one wall open to allow small hovercrafts and citizens to travel in and out without worrying about bumping into each other. A long line of shuttles, transports, and hovercrafts was waiting idly inside. My garage only housed one of each, since Kaede and his sisters stored their vehicles elsewhere.
Beside the garage was an office building attached to a large warehouse, next to a cave entrance with tram-like tracks disappearing inside.
Glancing around, I could spot many Aldawi and demi-humans stopping and staring at our shuttle as if they couldn't believe that I was here in person.
That's what I got for organizing a moon-wide speech.
I didn't want to be famous, or anything even close. Simply being declared Zirene's Seedbearer had added extra work to my plate.
However, I could never run away from my new responsibilities, no matter the consequences they came with.
"You’ve arrived!" beamed a bright, cheery voice.
Two figures emerged from the office, dressed in similar black trousers and matching neon-yellow bandoliers.
I stilled as they neared, my smile slipping from my face.
Fear gripped me.
Images of the male who had tried to kidnap me during my escape flashed before my eyes, blurring the past with the present.
This man had the same scaly skin covering his reptilian body, with forehead ridges that turned into long tassels. A pair of finned ears framed his head, and his face came out to a point, with slitted nostrils and wide mouth.
Someone shook me, snapping me out of my trance.
“Selena?” Xylo asked, his deep voice filled with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“He reminded me of someone.”
Xylo wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer against his side. A few vines snaked around my arm as if they, too, were trying to comfort me.
Kaede stepped before us, blocking my view of the approaching males as he surveyed them. Something about his proximity comforted me; he brought me a greater sense of security than I wanted to admit. Was I dependent on his presence? Or was it just a comfort to me to remember that he’d always rescued me when I had needed it?
In any case, I instantly felt safer knowing he was close by.
“Is something wrong?” an unfamiliar, dark voice asked. He sounded older, almost wise, and different from the brute voice of the male who had once tried to abduct me.
“We can leave if you want, Selena,” Kaede insisted, entering something on his wristband. “Or I can ask another agent to escort you both on this date . . .Stars, I could hack their data systems and give you all the information about your precious gem.”
“No, I’m fine.” I pulled away from Xylo’s side. “Just had a moment.”
“May I ask why?” the reptilian male inquired.
“Kaede,” I said instead of explaining. He snapped his gaze to mine; his neon-green slitted eyes focused through his advanced visor. “Thank you, but I can handle this.”
He nodded. “As you wish.” He retreated behind me, his black cape flaring in his wake. Pausing for a split moment, he leaned close to my ear and whispered, “I will always be watching.”
“I know,” I muttered.
Satisfied, he disappeared.
Sighing, I berated myself for my reaction. I needed to face my fears.
The male before me wasn’t the one from my past, and I needed to learn to separate those who harmed me from other members of their species. Just because someone of his species had tried to abduct me, didn’t mean he would.
With Q being Quaww, he was a prime example of this lesson.
The Quaww were the archenemy of the Aldawi. The formation of the CEG and their peace treaty was the only thing preventing either side from settling their ancient strife with violence. There were likely nefarious dealings happening along their shared border that could be brought to the Assembly’s attention, but neither side had done so—a stark refusal to show any sign of weakness to the enemy. To me, the conflict sounded like a spat between siblings, but I knew tensions were growing serious because it had weighed on Zirene’s mind lately.
Zirene had assured me there was no need to worry as long as I remained on Destima for the time being. The Quaww couldn’t reach me so deep within Aldawi space. By staying on his capital's moon, I was making it nearly impossible for anyone to abduct or harm me, which would harm Zirene in the process through our Nova-Shadow bond. Anyone who dared hurt me would break the peace treaty that united the galaxy to protect its occupants from outside forces.
Stepping forward, I gave the pair of males a quick bow, dipping my head slightly as a sign of respect.
After living on the space station, I’d learned that most species didn’t shake hands in greeting unless they were acquainted at a personal level. Due to my high-ranking social status, I couldn’t salute these males, at least not unprompted. I had learned that the hard way from Zirene.
I was mated to him—a prince—within our own empire. They saluted us, and it was up to me whether or not I replied in kind. I knew Zirene wasn’t trying to
