“I knew something wasn’t adding up about you.” He pursed his lips, his gaze flicking to my scar. “I kept sensing an echo through our connection, and sometimes, your chest radiates a golden aura, but I passed that glow off as yours. Interestingly, you both radiate the same gold color. It helps hide his existence within you. Without my keen eye and our telepathic conversation, I wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Can you do it?” Tori latched on to her sapphire mate’s arm. “Or do you need some rest beforehand?”
“Sadly, I am still recovering from last time.” He frowned, wrapping an arm around his mate. “But I should be able to do it tomorrow.”
Something dinged along the wall, lights flickering red and green. Vowels shimmered out of existence as Auro went to answer the vidscreen.
Zyxel’s face appeared on the other side, as stoic as ever.
“May I help you?”
“I am here to speak with Selena.”
Chapter Nineteen Selena
Luwyn took off for the ledge, leaving me with a silent Zyxel watching me closely.
“You wanted to speak to me?’ I hedged, not understanding why. I had done what had been asked of me and was now free to go. “Has something happened?”
“No, nothing regarding you, at least,” he muttered. “I was wondering if I could have dinner with you. There are a few things I want to address.”
I studied the apartment’s ledge and sighed. The last thing I wanted was to have a meal with one of the base’s healers, not because I disliked him, but because I wasn’t in the mood to deal with anything more thrown at me. Tori’s cabin had provided me a sense of comfort, and if I could remain here until Kaede arrived, I would. I didn’t want to accidentally bump into either of the twins again, either.
The ground level now felt unsafe with all of the unpleasantries that I could imagine happening.
“As long as I don’t have to cook,” I joked with a swift smile. “I haven’t learned how to yet.”
“Oh, I already prepared a meal, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Lead the way.”
He hesitated for a moment then slithered toward the nearest exit.
I followed in silence, not knowing where we were going and whom we would see. For all I knew, he was taking me to see the very males I was avoiding.
The farther we walked from the lifedome, the more confusing the hallways became, full of twists and turns. How could they know where they needed to go when each one appeared the same? There was no lettering or numbers, coloring, or symbols that marked which hall was what. Did they navigate by memory? Or did their wristbands lead them where they wanted to go?
Maybe the maze was a defensive tactic. The hallways could be long, twisty, and unlabeled to confuse any invaders, so the base crew would be able to divide, trap, and conquer.
All the crew members we passed eyed me with curiosity but dropped their gazes as soon as Zyxel slithered closer. I wondered if it was his position on the base or his massive size that scared them.
A pair of sliding doors opened ahead, revealing the room I had woken in the last time. Everything appeared to have been cleaned; even the massive bed in the corner had been fluffed up with a folded blanket draped along the side.
“Do you happen to know what he has planned?”
“Dinner and a conversation,” Vowels instantly replied. “Other than that, I can’t pick up anything, except that he’s nervous about something.”
“Any idea what?”
“Negative.”
Off to one side of the room, a buffet of foreign food sat on a table, equipped with canisters and empty glasses. At one end of the table sat an elegant chair. At the other, a cushion big enough to fit Zyxel.
It made sense that an Ezzaska would sit coiled on the floor rather than a chair, though I didn’t think this base was equipped with such luxury.
Using his tail, he pulled out my chair and tucked me in before letting his tail rest on the cushion. He must have picked up the gesture from Tori because I had never come across another species that seated a guest like that.
“I tried to prepare the foods that Tori enjoys. If she can eat it, it shouldn’t be dangerous for you to consume, either.”
“Thank you.” Scanning the display of colorful food, I wasn’t sure I could eat even a tenth of it. “This seems like a lot of food for the two of us. I thought the base was running low on resources?”
“We are.” Zyxel nodded. “But I can eat all of this and then some. Whatever you don’t eat, I will.”
“Am I eating some of your rations?” I covered my mouth in shock. “Why are you doing this? Tori’s clan was happy to feed me.”
“Everyone on this base has had their rations reduced for the time being.” He shrugged. “I am used to eating less than this, so you don’t need to worry. Times are tight, but things will be better once we start raiding pirates again.”
“That’s what I’ve been told,” I mumbled, picking up some sort of a leg dipped in green ooze and taking a whiff. It smelled like salt and seagrass. Still, I couldn’t stick my nose up at food when I didn’t know when I would eat next. Taking a bite, I ripped the meat from a bone as thick as mine, and it tasted exactly like it smelled.
My eyes watered at the saltiness as Zyxel offered a glass filled with red liquid. I guzzled it down to soothe my throat, not caring how I looked.
“I take it you didn’t like it?”
Placing the glass on the table, I shook my head. “It was far too salty for my tastes.”
“I will eat it, then,”
