“Have faith in the Stars, Selena.”
“It’s becoming harder to do so.”
“Even so, you have me here with you, and this clan is willing to help you,” he advised, his voice like a gentle caress along my mental shields. “Do you trust him enough to let him in?”
“You promise to be there if I need you?”
“Always.”
Closing my eyes, I released a deep breath as I tried to calm my nerves. Sacrificing my privacy and allowing Celyze to enter my mental shields was necessary to reach my mates as soon as possible. Though I was uncomfortable with allowing anyone other than my mates—and now, Vowels—into my mind, that was no excuse when my clan’s lives were on the line.
“Are you okay, Selena?” Celyze whispered, squeezing my hands lightly. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. It isn’t too late to change your mind.”
“No, I’m fine,” I muttered, but my voice lacked the confidence I wanted to project. “This needs to be done.”
“I am ready when you are.”
Opening my eyes, I locked my gaze with his.
His ice-blue eyes froze me in place, capturing me in a trance-like state. My body refused to move. He tightened his grip on my hands as the tingling sensation returned, only this time, my veins felt on fire. I tried in vain to pull my gaze away when I caught a flicker of movement in the shimmering sapphire-and-white wings extending behind him. His swirling pupils mesmerized me, growing in intensity until they were too bright for me to handle. My eyelids refused to close; instead, the white glow of his eyes drew me in, dimming the rest of the world.
My senses dulled until I was nothing but a golden sphere stuck inside my void, but the enclosure that was no longer mine to control. An icy blue orb floated amid the blinding white world as if checking the perimeters.
“All is well, Selena.” The sapphire male’s tenor voice vibrated all around. “This took more force than I expected. I am afraid I may not have the energy needed to reach the distances you may need me to.”
“I didn’t mean to resist.”
“Don’t worry,” he comforted. “Your mind is stronger than my StarPyre’s. It is only natural for you to close off your mind, even unconsciously. Your mental shields are the strongest I’ve ever encountered outside of the commanders.”
“There are others stronger than me.”
“That may be true, but you’ve certainly presented a challenge,” he countered. “To proceed, I need to find your mates then use the Stars’ guidance to reach out to them.”
“Can’t you use the golden bond threads connected to my nestmates?”
“Those are yours only to follow. I can’t use a connection that is rooted in your mental shields, especially ones so faint. I fear if I attempt to travel along them, I might somehow damage them. Spiritual bonds are nothing to tamper with, especially as an outsider.”
“Just do what you need to reach my mates—or anyone I know, for that matter.”
“Will do,” Celyze confirmed. “This will get personal.”
“That never stopped Xenak,” I countered. “Though you are the better male by far. I appreciate that you’re being cautious and asking for permission.”
“I hope you don’t think less of me when this is over.”
The white void around me morphed into a million floating images as if a seamless sphere of screened recordings surrounded us. Unease filled me at the familiarity of the displayed clips. Things I didn’t want to see or experience ever again flashed before me, out of my control. The torture. The loneliness I’d had to endure, with nothing but my tablet and dreamscape to provide me an escape. Focusing on each image in turn, I noticed they all showed me at different stages of my life.
Waking up for the first time on a medical bed, strapped down and gasping for air.
Being poked and prodded with injections and nanobots.
Meeting Zirene for the first time in our dreamscape world.
Escaping the Yaarkins’ experimental ship.
Meeting the Circuli.
Defending myself at the Assembly.
Witnessing Zirene’s sire attacking Xylo and Odelm.
The scenes rapidly changed as if Celyze was searching for something or trying to solve a mystery revolving around me. I suspected he was trying to piece together who I was—or perhaps what I was—using all the evidence laid out before us, and the answer stood out, clear as day.
I wasn’t human like Tori. I was something more.
A product of the Yaarkins’ experiments. The prototype of their ultimate breeder, capable of bearing an army engineered with traits of the species they wished to conquer.
A collector of abilities to evolve the Yaarkins with each new generation.
Faces of my mates filled the screens, flying by one by one as if Celyze was searching for someone.
Zirene. Xylo. Odelm.
Z’fir. V’dim.
Mwe. Oeta.
Kaede.
Suddenly, something changed. The screens fell away as the white sphere surrounding us disintegrated into darkness. Instantly, I felt myself spiraling into oblivion beyond my control.
Chapter Eleven Kaede
An invisible force gripped him and wrapped its mental thread around his shield, demanding its presence be known.
The golden strand wasn’t Oeta’s or her father’s, though its odd sapphire tint reminded him of theirs.
Annoyed, Kaede answered, knowing REI would be able to cut any contact if needed.
“What is it?”
“Kaede?”
His mind was playing tricks on him. There was no way the voice that had haunted him for so long was now speaking to him.
Selena didn’t have the range—nor did her Oetsae.
“Who is this?” he demanded, in no mood to deal with another telepath on this mission. “Speak now or I will forcibly remove you and make sure you never even attempt to reach out to me again.”
“Kaede! It’s me, Selena!”
There was nothing he wanted more than to believe what she claimed, but he had dealt with too many liars and tricksters. He couldn’t blindly trust whoever had reached out to him, especially when he longed to speak to her and bring her home.
“You can’t be Selena.”
The mental thread flared, gold overtaking the
