“I’m more interested in how her gem will react to proximity with the ones we haven’t extracted yet.”
“Agreed,” Karfic nodded, his focus on my necklace. “The gems themselves tend to flicker faster whenever they approach each other. It makes me wonder if they were once part of a single large gem that broke down over time into the smaller rocks and the dust-like particles that power the solar lamps.”
“That’s an exciting theory.”
“Perhaps if you’re interested, I can show you more of the cave system.” Karfic grinned widely. “When you have time, of course.”
I groaned internally.
Who tried to flirt with a female who was clearly on a date? He was incredibly confident to think he could steal me away from my nestmates, especially right in front of one of them.
His attention didn’t flatter me, and his whole demeanor felt . . .off.
It made me wonder whether he’d been bragging about his wealth earlier as an attempt to flirt with me. Well, his advances hadn’t worked. I hoped I hadn’t accidentally led him on by being friendly and inviting him to test-run the Main Island when we opened to the public.
Lesson learned; I wouldn’t do it again. I had enough males in my life, and honestly, I was still trying to figure out how to keep my clan happy, no matter how often they told me that they were.
“Perhaps next time I will bring my whole clan. I’m sure they would enjoy seeing this cave in person.” I tilted my head to my Favored. “What do you think?”
He sent me a smirk, and by the twinkle in his pupilless teal eyes, I knew he’d picked up my thoughts. “I believe they would. This moon is full of mysteries that my nestbrothers are eager to uncover. The connection between the gem and the dust clusters within the solar lamps is only the beginning of their curiosity.”
The sound of a sliding metallic door filled the corridor.
“If you’re done conversing, then let us enter,” Mafari said. “It’s getting late, and I still have work to do before I turn in for the day.”
My cheeks warmed in embarrassment.
I knew the afternoon wasn’t going as planned, and I had perhaps prolonged this trip, but I blamed Karfic and the lack of prior warning about the properties of the sealed chamber.
Not wanting to waste any more of the irritable old geologist’s time, I nodded. “Please lead on.”
“I’ll bring up the back in case you need help descending,” Karfic announced.
Mafari waved him off. “You know what to do. Let’s go.”
The emerald Trr’kiki crossed the doorway and disappeared beyond its threshold, his tail swaying at his feet.
“Let me go first.” Xylo released me and headed to the entrance, looking over his shoulder toward me. “I don’t see any light for some distance. You can use my bioluminescence to lead you through the cave.”
Smiling, I nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Following Xylo through the entrance, I carefully traced his steps along the rough pathway. Using his vines as support, I dodged the numerous stalagmites, my eyes straining in the light that radiated off his patterns and the faint glow of my spots.
The four of us descended in silence. The only noise came from our steps and dripping water echoing off the walls.
The atmosphere felt eerie, especially with Karfic behind me, probably watching every move I made. I had to suppress a shiver that threatened to rack my body. Without the comfort Xylo’s vines provided while wrapped around my wrists, I probably would’ve been hugging myself to calm my nerves or grudgingly accepting Karfic’s hand to lead me to our destination.
The further we descended, the more I just wanted to be home and alone with my clan, lying under the stars along the poolside.
Meeting new people was stressful.
A faint glow grew brighter and brighter as we approached a bend in the tunnel.
Mafari held onto the cave wall as we turned the long curve. With each step we made, the more light filtered through the exit. He halted at the end of the tunnel and inhaled a deep breath as his tail swayed happily.
“We are here.”
Chapter Eight Xylo
Xylo had never before wished he possessed Kaede’s reputation as a ruthless killer. Now, for once in his life, he wished for even more infamy than the stubborn male’s name carried.
If he weren’t on a date with his nestqueen and trying to gather answers she’d wondered about, he would’ve put the Karfic in his place. It was one thing to make advances on a female, but to do so in front of her lover was unforgivably rude.
He could tolerate other Circuli males and their longing. Stars, that was how he had ended up with Odelm as a nestbrother. But Odelm knew the unspoken rules of courting a female and often made his attempts whenever Xylo wasn’t around.
Zirene didn’t count, because Selena had technically been his before she had even met him. Even if he hadn’t, the prince was the reason why they were together on Destima at all.
He couldn’t fault the male—much.
If Zirene ever broke his nestqueen’s heart once again, he would get a tongue-lashing from Xylo. His nestqueen deserved better. Xylo wouldn’t interfere with their tentative relationship, but he was sure she hadn’t responded to the prince’s declaration of feelings for her.
He’d been able to pick that up a few times whenever Selena thought too loudly.
Out of the five mates in her life who were part of her clan, she had only said the three universe-changing words to her Favored—Xylo and Odelm.
She knew that she loved Zirene, but was still healing from his betrayal. She had forgiven him but still needed time. The dark prince wasn’t pressuring her at all, and if he ever did, it would become Xylo’s responsibility to check him.
His nestqueen
