Chapter 15
A slight detour.
I fought the smile wanting to curl my lips. Wyn was in my quarters right now. The mere thought of him relaxing in my space made fire race through my veins. It felt as if he belonged there, his rich scent coating my couch and filling the air.
Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Soon.
A growl rumbled in my chest at the mantra my inner fire was screaming at me.
I was getting tired of hearing it. If my inner fire didn’t tell me something different soon, I was going to disregard it entirely for the emotions cascading through me.
I was fairly certain Wyn was going to become the most important person to me.
My eyes closed at the strong urge to return to my quarters and ask his opinion of me.
My tail thrashed and my soul bashed against my ribs, as if it was trying to escape.
Where would it go?
Where else but down the hall to where Wyn was?
My fate had always been tied to him in some way, and I was beginning to suspect, no, hope, it was in a romantic way.
The more time I spent with him, the greater I liked him.
He was tense around me, but I’d seen flashes of humor and mischief I was curious about.
If only I could draw it out and indulge in it.
“Wyn,” I muttered.
My touchstone grew warm, and for one moment, I hoped it was Wyn pinging to ask me to return, but Talvax’s voice sounded in my ear, “Monqilcolnen.”
I removed the glowing blue stone and responded, “Yes, Captain?”
“I need to speak with you in my office. An issue has arisen.”
“On my way.” I pushed my touchstone into my pocket and forced Wyn from my thoughts to focus on my responsibilities.
I was just sitting on Monqilcolnen’s couch, waiting for Bobbinvoxlyn to wake up.
Cincin had demanded pets for a short amount of time, but now, she was asleep on a fluffy bed.
I flicked over the coding on my screen. It was my special project.
I was creating a code that could destroy an artificial intelligence.
Normally, I would’ve never thought of creating such a thing—I was close friends with Edith, after all—but she had asked me to.
Edith had seen the concern from the Council of Seekers about her, and it worried her too.
She never wanted to harm us, to harm anyone, so she’d requested I make a failsafe which could destroy her if she ever hurt someone.
I hadn’t wanted to at first, but, in the end, I saw the wisdom in having something to protect us, not only from Edith, but from any artificial intelligence intending to hurt the Drakcol Empire.
My fingers flew over the screen, making important tweaks, as I watched the simulation. I was getting close to succeeding. I was sure of it. I would, at some point, have to test it, but it would have to be done in a controlled environment so no harm was done to our own NAID system.
A beep was my sole warning before a face appeared on screen across from me—Cincin’s screen to watch something called “cat TV,” which Lucy also enjoyed.
But that man wasn’t whatever cat TV was.
He had dark green scales with peeks of white and black mottled skin.
His soft features and light purple gaze made something inside of me relax, though his eyes were oddly familiar.
He himself wasn’t someone I knew on sight, but he had to be someone Monqilcolnen knew well enough to simply allow to ping without waiting for acceptance, as was the norm and required by privacy laws.
Mouth opening and closing, I tried to think of something, anything to say, but nothing except a panicked squeak escaped.
The man didn’t appear surprised to see me, which shocked me almost as much as his sudden appearance.
He shifted his head slightly, and his silver hair fell over his shoulder.
My soul pounded. I knew who this was. That one movement was enough.
Prince Jemtonkilsol, older brother to the emperor as well as his advisor, and Monqilcolnen’s father.
I instantly offered my throat and babbled, “This is not what it looks like, Prince. I am watching Prince Bobbinvoxlyn while Prince Kalvoxrencol and Prince Consort Seth sleep. Commander Monqilcolnen is allowing the kit to nap here. Right now. Nothing else.”
He chuckled, shaking his head, and I was struck with the thought of how little Monqilcolnen looked like his father, who had a soft, gentle bone structure and narrow shoulders.
Monqilcolnen resembled his uncle and cousins far more.
But I realized why Jemtonkilsol’s eyes seemed familiar—they were the same shade as Kalvoxrencol’s.
In a deep voice, Jemtonkilsol asked, “Are you Wyn?”
My pulse picked up, and my tail twisted. “Y-yes. How did you know?”
“I have heard about you.”
By the stars, had Monqilcolnen told his parents about the puking incident? I certainly hoped not, but I doubted they’d remain oblivious. He’d told everyone. I swallowed. “You have?”
“Monqilcolnen speaks of you often.”
That warm, not uncomfortable feeling returned. “He does?”
“Yes. Very often. Almost daily.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as my tail writhed. Monqilcolnen spoke of me, and not to just anyone, but to his parents. Why that sent bolts to my chest, I had no idea, but I liked it. A lot. I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I remained silent.
Jemtonkilsol simply stared at me with a soft smile for several long moments before asking, “How old are you?”
“I am twenty-four, Prince.”
“Interesting.”
Was it? Why?
“Do you like serving on a ship?”
“I do, though I’m not permanently assigned to a ship. I work with Prince Consort Seth and Edith on her independence.”
His eyebrows went up slightly. “That is an honorable and important posting.”
“Seth—I mean, Prince Consort Seth gave it to me. We’re friends.”
“I believe you’re not giving yourself enough credit, Wyn. If you were not up to the task, someone would’ve tried to reassign you.”
Possibly, but I highly doubted it. Seth was very important to the Cohort, to the council, and to Edith. It would’ve taken a great incompetence on my part for anyone to go against Seth’s wishes. But I wasn’t going to contradict the prince; he could believe whatever he liked.
“My son wouldn’t tolerate anyone incompetent, nor would he praise you so effusively in front of me and his xapher as much as he has,” Jemtonkilsol remarked.
That warmth flooded me again. “He praises me?”
“He does,” Prince replied, smiling again. “Often.”
I had no idea what to think about that.
“Monqilcolnen is special,” he said.
I immediately agreed. “He is. He is the purest spiritual soul ever tested.”
Prince laughed. “He is, but that’s not what I’m speaking of.”
My brows drew together.
Jemtonkilsol continued, “I’m older than my brother Kontolmakqilnen by a great deal, fifteen cycles, and I mated younger than he did.
I was only seventeen. I and my mate, Dilvonsil, both wanted children right away, but they didn’t wish to use a nesting facility.
Dilvonsil wanted to carry whatever children we had. ”
Natural conception rates were very low. It was unusual for someone to have a natural pregnancy anymore, let alone carry their child.
“It took years,” he said. “Monqilcolnen and Hallonnixmin were born in the same cycle.”
I knew this, but I didn’t bother to say that. Interrupting Jemtonkilsol would be beyond rude, even if I could get the words out.
“My Dilvonsil almost died to bring our kit into the world. Monqilcolnen is my only child, and he is beloved by us both. That’s why he’s special, not his soul type or the strength of his connection to the Crystal.”
My eyes dropped to the floor, my shoulders kissed my earlobes, and my tail strangled my ankle.
I wasn’t special. I had no parents. I had a normal seeker soul.
Yes, I’d made a place for myself. I was a decent lieutenant.
I had no doubts about who I was, but I knew my worth.
I was average, and I was content with that fact. I had to be.
He kept speaking as if he didn’t see the tension radiating through me. “He needs someone as special as him to walk beside him in life.”
Not me. I understood. While nothing was happening between us, Prince was warning me away from his child. I didn’t blame him. I was aware of who I was. I didn’t even need this warning.
“Which is why I am so glad he has someone like you.”
My eyes shot up. What? “We-we’re not… No, you don’t understand.”
“You are very special to him, Wyn, and I’m grateful. That is all I ever wished for him, to follow his soul,” he said, offering me his throat.
I shot to my feet. “No! This isn’t… We’re not…” Why couldn’t I get the words out?
Prince also rose to his feet and moved closer to the screen, so it was only his face. “You don’t have to accept him, but know your worth.”
I helplessly shook my head. I did. Jemtonkilsol was the one who didn’t understand.
A fussy cry sounded, interrupting us, and he commented, “Best take care of the kit. I’m sure we’ll speak again.”
The session ended, and I gaped at the blank screen. What had just happened?
“You should’ve woken us up,” Seth said as he took a smiling Bobbinvoxlyn from me. He placed kisses on the kit’s round cheeks, and Bobbinvoxlyn gurgled in happiness.
“Did he eat?” Kalvoxrencol asked, brushing his claws through Bobbinvoxlyn’s brown hair.
I fought a smile at Kalvoxrencol’s protectiveness. “I fed him. Edith told me what he needed, and I was happy to do it.”
“I did,” Edith said, popping onto the screen, making Lucy squeak as it interrupted her view of the feathered animals she liked to watch.
“You interrupted Lucy,” Kalvoxrencol commented, and I silently agreed. The little house goddess did enjoy her entertainment, and she shouldn’t be denied it. Lucy was in agreement. She went up on her back legs and pawed at the screen, squeaking in angry demand.