Chapter 13
Why do you smile at other people?
My tail wiggled toward Wyn’s as a burning emotion churned in my gut.
I hadn’t intended to see Wyn today, as he needed to rest from the injury I’d inflicted on him.
I’d pressured Qinlin to order more rest for him than strictly needed because I’d worried he wouldn’t properly take care of himself, and she’d complied with little issue, though she’d muttered about annoying instincts and couples.
I had no idea what she was talking about, but I was glad Wyn had more time—time I believed was necessary.
I’d been on my way to lunch when I’d spotted Wyn and Camden standing incredibly close together.
Wyn had been smiling, relaxed as could be, and Camden had called him “babe.” Although I didn’t understand what the word meant, I’d detected a softness in his tone that didn’t belong there if I had anything to say about it.
NAID had supplied a translation, infant and child, but neither had matched the gentleness, which led me to believe it was a human endearment—one that did not belong to Wyn.
It was highly probable they were courting.
A growl rose in my throat that I had to swallow.
My instincts screamed that I grab Wyn and never let him go while my inner fire demanded, Not yet.
I was growing tired of the insistent needs tearing me in opposite directions.
The only direction I wished to go was toward Wyn’s side.
I had waited cycles for him and whatever he would mean to me, and I was getting tired.
I wanted to snatch what I wanted, regardless of my inner fire or even fate.
I brushed a hand over Bobbinvoxlyn’s head, my claws dragging against Wyn’s chest, and the kit quieted for a moment, looking at me with Seth’s warm brown eyes, before returning to his previous fussing.
“It was kind of you to take him,” I told Wyn.
“I wanted to help,” he muttered, eyes on the small kit.
A frown threatened to crack my mask, but I forced it away.
Why was Wyn so uncomfortable around me? When we’d met again over three years ago, I’d assumed it was my status and the fact I was his commanding officer, but now I wasn’t as sure.
Wyn regularly associated with my cousins, who were princes.
Why should he be comfortable with them and not me?
“You’re nice like that,” Camden said, and my tail flicked. Why was he here? “Wyn is always so nice.”
Wyn glanced at him with a slight smile, and I forced myself to take another breath instead of letting the growl building in my chest free. Being with the two of them at the same time probably wasn’t wise, and yet, the thought of leaving Wyn beside the attractive human was something I refused to do.
“He introduced me to Noxlyn,” Camden continued, even though neither Wyn nor I had said anything. “I’m helping Noxie study humans.”
“A worthy avenue for his soul,” I replied.
Noxlyn was a dedicated seeker, though his mind was more like his father’s than his mother’s in my limited knowledge of him.
Qinlin loved mysteries, which was why she gravitated toward medicine.
She liked healing and solving the puzzles her patients presented, which was also the reason she desired to be a doctor on a long haul transport; we often gave her access to odd or entirely new illnesses.
Fynlincoxmin, Noxlyn’s father, was a seeker more bent on grand knowledge and wide avenues of thought.
He didn’t specialize, unless one could count all communications between all species a specialty. Or being flamboyantly annoying.
Noxlyn appeared to be of the same vein. Humans were too broad to be simply classified, but he would try, though. I wished him well.
“I think soul types are odd,” Camden confessed, glancing at Wyn, which made me fight a snarl. This human needed to keep his eyes to himself or be willing to lose them. “Your Crystal said I was a creator soul, and yet I don’t do any type of art.”
I paused in my step, ignoring the crowd around us, and stared at the human as warmth began to bloom in my gut.
At times, I simply knew things, especially if they related to the Crystal.
I was connected to it, as all spiritual souls were, but I was even more so than usual.
When I stared at Camden and put aside my annoyance with the human, I felt his creativity.
He seemed like a work of art himself. Lovely, with his golden hair, pinkish skin, and deep blue eyes.
But beneath that was a crack which oozed and seeped.
Hurt, perhaps? I suspected he’d been damaged, as all the humans we’d rescued had been.
Or perhaps this damage had been inflicted long ago.
Camden met my gaze unflinchingly. His eyes almost begged me, but for what, I could not say.
“What do you see?” he asked, his voice tentative while a blindingly fake smile tugged on his lips.
“You,” I replied. “I see you, Camden.”
He flinched, his shoulders curling inward like he wished to vanish.
“I see the polish and the cracks, both art in their own ways. The Crystal marked you well. Those who create are not just artists or writers. Some foster new life in such ways as gardening, teaching, repairing, designing, and befriending those who need it. Your creativity is only limited by yourself. And,” I said, “soul types are simply guide posts. You are more than what the Crystal said. You are not just a creator soul. You are Camden. You’re many things. ”
“Ah.” His eyes darted down, and I could practically see the shield he was wrapping around himself. He was hiding, but that was his right. Everyone processed what happened to them differently, and he was no exception.
“Wyn is an exceptional seeker,” I remarked in an effort to change the subject.
Wyn’s tail writhed. “I’m fine.”
“You’re more than fine.”
Camden smiled. “He is.”
Wyn’s tail moved faster as he bounced Bobbinvoxlyn, who wouldn’t stop fussing.
“I quite like being friends with him,” Camden said, grinning.
“Great, great friends,” he said again, looking directly at me.
I blinked. Was he attempting to claim Wyn?
Camden would have to fight me for him, and I would crush him.
“I’m so glad you came with us on this walk, Monty.
I think having a group like this is so much better. ”
“Quite,” I replied.
“Oh,” Camden said, pushing Wyn toward me.
I caught Wyn’s shoulders, my tail grasping his for the barest moment by instinct before releasing him. Bobbinvoxlyn screeched such a racket that several people turned to us. Wyn bounced him, patting his back. I pulled them closer, running a hand over the kit.
“Are you well?” I asked Wyn while glaring at Camden who was smiling innocently, his eyes darting between Wyn and I.
“I am fine.” His tail brushed mine before darting away.
The minuscule touch was enough to send my soul racing. I swallowed, staring down at Wyn while he looked straight up at me. The crying vanished. The crowd disappeared. Nothing remained besides Wyn and me, just us. Together. Like we were meant to be.
Not yet, not yet, not yet, but soon, my inner fire whispered.
“Sorry,” Camden said loudly. “Someone came too close to me, and I was afraid of knocking into them.”
“I understand,” I replied. “Seth has much the same issue with crowds and people touching him. Though, in the future, you shouldn’t shove Wyn or someone, especially when they are holding a kit, lest they get hurt.”
“Of course. My bad.” Camden smirked at us. “Nox!”
Noxlyn appeared as if out of thin air, and I contained a frown.
He was blessed with a rather rare inner fire—the ability to hide in plain sight.
Unless you were looking for him, he could vanish from your sight.
It was dangerous in many respects, as he could potentially enter restricted areas, since NAID was never purposefully searching for him, though he had told me of his inner fire himself when he came aboard.
Now, NAID was monitoring restricted areas for him specifically, but I truly didn’t think it was a needed precaution.
He mainly used his inner fire to study the humans unnoticed.
Personally, I saw nothing wrong with Noxlyn using his inner fire in such a manner, but I knew my cousins wouldn’t agree with me if they knew. But then again, both Serlotminden and Kalvoxrencol had human mates, which made them biased on the matter.
Camden draped an arm over Noxlyn’s shoulders with a wide grin that felt more real than any I’d seen from him. “Funny seeing you here.”
“Not really,” Noxlyn replied, eyes flicking to Bobbinvoxlyn.
Apparently, the first human/drakcol kit merited study for him. Kalvoxrencol could never know of Noxlyn’s gift, or threats, violence, and a challenge would ensue.
“And look who’s with me, Monty and Wyn. Together.” Camden emphasized the last word and waved at us.
As far as I was aware, Noxlyn didn’t have a visual impairment, so he knew of mine and Wyn’s presences.
Perhaps something had developed recently.
If so, it hadn’t been logged and reported to me properly.
I would have to ask Qinlin about it. All of the crew and civilians' health fell under my purview, and I wanted to keep everyone healthy while also providing support as needed.
“That means little,” Noxlyn replied, crossing his arms.
“I don’t know. I think your bracelet and data collection would look really nice in my quarters,” Camden remarked.
Noxlyn snorted, but he placed a hand over a finely crafted silver bracelet embedded with deep red jeptil stones that glittered constantly, as if lit from an internal source.
It was a lovely and expensive piece of jewelry that no doubt his father had bought for him.
Fynlincoxmin spoiled his kit excessively.
I glanced at Wyn, wondering if he knew what was going on, but he lifted one of his hands, palm up, in clear confusion. No matter. Camden and Noxlyn seemed to have developed a friendship, which was good—for everyone.
Camden whispered something to Noxlyn, who frowned, which, in turn, made Camden smile brighter.
Something about the two of them together relaxed me.
They were friends, which I believed Camden needed desperately, as did Noxlyn.
Fynlincoxmin had kept Noxlyn close most of his life, not allowing the young drakcol to spread his wings and meet new people and see new places.
My eyes flicked to Wyn, who still stood in front of me. Would he become a close friend I needed? My inner fire told me nothing different, and yet, friendship wasn’t what I craved.