Odelm growled, his tentacles twitching uncontrollably around his waist like violet waves upon his chest. “The question is whether this Xenak is desperate enough—or willing to gamble that Oeta was bluffing—to contact Selena again to find his brother.”
“Do you believe he will?” Xylo tilted his head to the side, studying the musician. “What would pressure him enough to contact a stranger outside his galaxy—for Oeta said he wasn’t from ours—to break all natural, cosmic laws? There must be a reason beyond his brother’s life to chance angering the Fates and the Stars.”
“Would you do it for her?” Odelm jerked his head toward where Selena lay. “To what lengths would you go to bring her back to us if she was taken? If she was hanging onto her life by a thread?”
Xylo pursed his lips, not liking the direction Odelm had taken the conversation, but choosing to entertain the topic nevertheless. “As a Master Scholar with a healer background, I cannot say what I would do in that situation. A life for a life. Would I torture another to save our nestqueen’s life? That’s the question you want to ask me, and here is my answer. To protect our nestqueen and our clan, I would give my life to save hers. She is the center of not only our clan’s mental web but also a part of the princes’ triad. By taking them in as nestmates, she unwittingly united their Ulax and Wudox webs. Before, each only had access to the other species through their unique nestbrother’s connection, and now our clan shares one large net. Do you understand what that means?”
Odelm frowned in confusion. “No.”
“It means that she is truly the Circuli queen now.” He let that sink in. “If she wanted, she could take over Destima’s entire Circuli population, just like our Queens on Circul do. The princes are acting as her voice, as if she were an ordinary nestqueen, because they know that telling Selena would cause her to panic. She isn’t ready for any more changes or responsibilities at the moment. But that also means if she dies, she will not only take the princes with her—”
“But the whole Circuli population on Destima.”
They sat in silence, staring at each other as the truth echoed between them.
Xylo could sense Odelm trying and failing to deny the truth.
“If I must sacrifice another life to save Selena’s, I would, because my actions would not only save our nestqueen but all of the lives connected to her. Selena doesn’t have Circuli offspring or any offspring with the psychic capabilities to take over the population. Until she produces an heir, we must protect her at all costs, because there isn’t a nestqueen on the moon strong enough to take over,” he sighed. “Not at the moment, at least. There are a few who would be able to lead smaller communities, like apartment buildings or businesses, but not the full scale.”
“And they can’t because Destima isn’t theirs,” Odelm added, understanding the problem. “Destima was gifted to Selena to do as she pleased. We’re here on her behalf, and if she dies, everything that we’ve built will have been for nothing.”
“Now you see my dilemma,” Xylo replied, flicking his gaze to their slumbering nestqueen. “I can’t fathom what would make this male go to such extremes to break through Selena’s mental barriers unless he too had a dire need. Just like us, he will do anything to save the ones he loves—even if it means risking his own life. We need to figure out the connection Selena has with his brother—and fast—in hopes we can aid him before the desperate male does something disastrous. I don’t want to see any more harm happen to our nestqueen, and would rather try to help him to prevent any permanent damage done to her.”
“Which reminds me . . . I don’t know how to address my next concern,” Odelm muttered, looking everywhere but at Xylo. His coloring was tinted a nervous yellow.
“What is it, nestbrother?” Xylo questioned. “We are connected. You can ask me anything.”
Odelm breathed in deeply and exhaled before meeting his gaze. “During my date with our nestqueen, before I performed, we had a conversation.’
“And?”
“I promised her something,” he muttered. “But now I fully understand what my promise entails.”
“What are you talking about?” Xylo demanded, not wanting yet another nebulous problem to be placed upon his lap. Being Selena’s Favored—and unofficial Primary—was harder than he’d initially thought.
“I didn’t know she was Destima’s Circuli queen, or I wouldn’t have promised her what I’m about to ask you,” Odelm explained. “Selena confided in me about not wanting any more offspring for a few years. She said she wanted more children, and understood her duty to provide heirs for the princes, but she wanted to wait.”
“I fail to see the problem,” Xylo stated, confused.
Odelm licked his lips nervously. “She wanted me to ask you and your research team about developing some sort of birth control. I’m not a scientist, so I don’t know what complications may arise, but she doesn’t want to interfere with our biological triggers. She is afraid that we might suffer if the birth control interfered with our spores. I tried to explain that Circuli see sex as a mechanism for reproduction, not a source of pleasure, and that we’d be fine if our biology was affected.”
“Would we? Would you? Are you fine with this?”
“How could I not be?” Odelm hissed.
“You’ve been pressuring her to allow you to sire her next offspring, and as her Favored, you automatically have the right to the first attempt.” Xylo crossed his arms and stared at his nestbrother. “Hypothetically, it should be nearly impossible to ruin her reproductive system. Her body constantly
