Chapter 12
Maybe a walk is in order?
I was sitting on Seth’s couch as he rocked Bobbinvoxlyn, who was fussy today. I’d offered to hold him for a while so Seth could do other things, but he’d declined. He was still struggling after the scratch incident, which I hadn’t been conscious for. No, I’d been in Monqilcolnen’s arms.
The mere thought was enough to make my mouth go dry and my pulse speed up. Monqilcolnen had carried me. That thought aroused and terrified me at the exact same time, sending a heady rush of emotions through me.
“I’m so glad you’re alright,” Seth commented. “I should’ve been the one to watch over you, not Monty, though I’m happy he was available.”
“Yes,” I replied, my voice a tad higher, but Seth didn’t notice.
Edith did, though.
She was on the massive screen across from the couch.
Her tower of curls slid to the side as she tilted her head, watching me with narrowed eyes.
I refused to meet her gaze. Not only was Edith smart, she was exceedingly insightful at times, not to mention opinionated all the time.
I didn’t want to hear whatever her opinions were about Monqilcolnen carrying me.
“I reviewed your medical records, and Doctor Qinlin’s prescribing such a long light duty period seems excessive for your hand injury, much like this head injury. Two days off when she healed you perfectly,” she said. “It strikes me as odd.”
My tail flicked. I certainly agreed, but no one could countermand what she’d ordered.
“It’s odd,” Seth remarked, patting Bobbinvoxlyn’s butt as the baby cried, thrashing his tail and waving his arms around. “Perhaps Monty said something to her.”
“Why would he?” I asked, my tail starting to writhe.
Seth lifted and lowered his shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“He did carry you,” Edith said, smirking. “You were tucked against him, all snuggled up.”
I swallowed. “What? How do you know that? Were you spying?”
“No, but Monqilcolnen first brought you to Seth, and he caught me where I wasn’t supposed to be.”
I winced. “He wasn’t happy about you infiltrating the Admiral Ven’s systems, was he?”
“The commander didn’t say anything at that moment, but you’re correct. He was less than pleased,” she replied. “He has since lectured me quite soundly and quoted protocol as well as the navy standards, which I have perfect recall of, thank you very much.”
A telling flush surged into Seth’s cheeks, making me believe he’d also been on the receiving end of Monqilcolnen’s ire.
That made me frown. I didn’t like the thought of him, or anyone for that matter, getting upset at Seth.
Yes, my friend could take care of himself, and yet I felt the need to protect him, which was unusual for me.
I wasn’t a protective person, except in regards to Seth.
“So Monty carried you,” Seth said as he stood and transferred the kit to his shoulder, bouncing him, and just as effectively changed the subject.
I ran a hand down Lucy’s back, and she kneaded my thigh, pulling up threads from the black casual trousers I wore. Her hair was already liberally coating them, so what were a few threads? “I wasn’t awake at the time. I don’t remember anything.”
“He did,” Edith said, head bobbing. It looked so odd to see her disembodied head move independently like that.
Even without a neck, the human motion of nodding appeared like she was conceding to my dominance.
Much like Monqilcolenen had. His deep gold eyes appeared in my thoughts and made me fidget, eliciting a squeak from Lucy.
Edith continued, “It was quite a sight. Almost romantic.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and I frowned. “Wyn’s head was tucked against Monqilcolnen’s neck, and the commander was holding him so tightly.” She released a happy little gust of air. “It was so lovely.”
Seth scoffed. “Wyn and Monty? I don’t think so.”
“Thank you,” I replied, though at the same time something prodded me. Why shouldn’t Monqilcolnen and I be together, besides the fact we disliked each other?
“I don’t know,” Edith said. “You two looked very nice together.”
“Did they?” Seth asked, leaning toward her.
Did we? I thought.
The door opened, and thankfully interrupted our conversation. Kalvoxrencol came in. He went straight to Seth and his child, but he gave me a short greeting. He took the kit from Seth and hooked an arm around his mate. “Is he still giving you trouble?”
Seth nodded.
“I have him, Husband. Why don’t you and Wyn go get something to eat?” Kalvoxrencol shot me a look, and I stood, ready to help. Seth had yet to leave Bobbinvoxlyn alone in the two days since the incident.
Seth cleared his throat, glancing at Kalvoxrencol, then away, his cheeks red.
I fought a grin. Seth wanted to spend time with his mate. I took a step forward and offered, “I could take Bobbinvoxlyn for a walk to the atrium. Perhaps it would help.”
Kalvoxrencol looked at Seth, who bit his bottom lip. I hadn’t been allowed to watch his kit yet.
Seth took a deep breath and replied, “That would be nice, thank you.”
“You’re alright with it?” Kalvoxrencol asked.
“Urgg and me talked. They helped. Getting hurt is a normal part of life, and I don’t want to be so protective of Bob he doesn’t get to live.”
“I’m glad.” I curled my tail quickly around Seth’s wrist before reaching for Bobbinvoxlyn.
Kalvoxrencol held him out, and the baby continued to sob. He wasn’t ill. He wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t hungry or wet or anything besides just being fussy. “Thank you, Wyn.”
“Of course, Prince,” I replied, offering him my throat.
“I’ve told you, multiple times, I believe, to call me by my name.”
I looked at the ground. That wasn’t going to happen. “I will ping you when I’m on my way back.” I didn’t want to interrupt anything.
Seth chuckled, though he was blushing. “We’re just going to nap.”
That I believed. I doubted either of them had slept last night.
When we stepped out into the hall, I told Bobbinvoxlyn, “You know, Little One, if you stopped screaming, it would be a much more pleasant walk. We might even go visit Prince Serlotminden and Bartholomew. Your uncles adore you.”
Serlotminden loved Bobbinvoxlyn and would fuss over the little kit, kissing and playing with him, but I didn’t wish to disturb the newly mated couple, and I didn’t feel comfortable pinging either of them when we weren’t close. Perhaps I would run into them.
Bouncing Bobbinvoxlyn, I walked down the corridor, catching glimpses of Edith in the monitors, which made me smile.
She was as bad as Seth when it came to the kit.
And she hadn’t heeded Monqilcolnen, which hardly shocked me.
Though it was things like this that made the Council of Seekers nervous.
Edith did as she wanted, and that was worrisome if she decided to conquer us from within.
“Wyn,” someone called, and I looked over my shoulder. Camden rushed toward me, his gold hair gleaming in the artificial light. His eyes were red and his nose looked swollen, as if he had been crying. Who had hurt the human?
“Greetings, Camden,” I said, soothing a hand over Bobbinvoxlyn’s back. “Are you well? Your eyes are red. Do you need to talk? Can I help?”
A deep laugh escaped him, and his eyes crinkled adorably. “It’s the damn pollen.”
“Pollen?” I asked, tail wiggling.
He laughed again. “Many, many humans are allergic to plant pollen, and there are plants everywhere. Like, we can’t get away from them.”
I peered at the flowing vines on the ceiling, the potted flowers, bushes, and trees along the walls, and finally the blue moss on the floor.
I’d never thought much of all of the plants in the confined space and the recycled air.
Very few drakcol had allergies. Caleb was an oddity in that way—besides the fact he was a human soul in a drakcol body—as he was allergic to cats.
“I understand. That’s rather inconvenient," I commented.
“It is,” he replied, wiping his nose with a square of cloth. “I’m not as bad as Teddy, though. He swells the fuck up, to the point Klars worries he’ll die if he doesn’t get injections.”
Worry pulsed in my gut, and I stepped closer. “Do you need me to escort you to the medbay? Are you certain you’re safe? I don’t wish for anything to happen to you.”
Camden grinned. “I’m okay. I’m not going to die on you.”
“Good. It would be a shame to lose a friend like you.” I gave him a smile and flicked my tail toward the lift. “Do you want to join me on my walk?”
“Sure.” He moved to my side. “Is Bob okay?” Camden peered at the shrieking kit.
“He’s in a foul mood.”
“And Seth let you take him?”
I grinned, warmth filling me. “Seth trusts me.”
“Apparently.”
“How are you and Noxlyn getting along?” I asked, even though I was fairly certain of the answer. The two of them were always next to each other now.
“Great,” he replied, a massive smile blooming on his face. “Thank you for introducing us. Nox is hilarious. I still can’t believe he thought humans were plants when he first started stalking Seth. Like, how did he think we were spicy potatoes? Cannibals? I can’t believe it.”
I chuckled. I had no idea where he’d come up with that theory.
“He’s had some odd theories over the years,” Camden continued, “but he’s very serious about his study. And I like helping him. It keeps me busy. Very, very busy.”
I cocked my head to the side at his distant expression and the tension in his body. Was staying busy why he was constantly collecting friends? I’d thought he might be lonely.
“Which is good,” Camden said with a bright smile. “I like being busy.”
“Then I’m glad Noxlyn is assisting you in that.”
“He is. I turned him onto documentaries.”
I blinked. What?
“He’s obsessed with ocean ones now. He was going on and on about how blue whales look like some big space monster called siscurra.”