Chapter 31
Is long distance even possible?
“I got it?” I asked for the third time, staring at my orders while warmth filled my veins.
Qinlin growled, tail flicking. “Yes, you received the position on the Vvekian ship. Now leave me alone before I inject you with something unpleasant that will render you senseless for hours so I don’t have to deal with your idiotic repeating of questions.”
Knowing she wasn’t lying, I darted out of the medbay as quickly as possible. My soul thrummed, and energy filled every cell as I practically bounced down the corridor. I’d never expected to get the position, but I’d applied anyway. At first it had been to get away from Monqilcolnen…
I came to an abrupt halt, making the morlash, who was right behind me, smack into me.
The crash sent them to the floor and bruising pain down my spine.
Wincing, I turned around to assist them.
The morlash was on their rounded back, stuck, their frantic rocking made the artificial light wink off their shiny gray exoskeleton.
After a quick apology, I assisted them, numbly listening to the barrage of angry words.
As soon as they were on their feet, they skittered off.
Fuzzy noise filled me as I watched them vanish around the curve of the ship.
Without much thought, I changed directions and headed toward Seth’s quarters.
I needed to discuss this with someone, and who better than my closest friend?
I rang the chime, and only a moment later Seth called out, “Come in.”
The door slid open and revealed Seth on the custom couch Kalvoxrencol had designed for him.
It allowed him to recline. Unlike traditional Drakcon couches that had no backs, one part of the couch had an over-stuffed back and the rest was back-free for Prince.
Lucy was sprawled on his lap, completely disinterested in my arrival, and a book was in his hand.
I glanced around his quarters, and while I saw plenty of baby clutter, I didn’t catch a glimpse of Bobbinvoxlyn or Kalvoxrencol.
“Can I speak with you?” I asked.
Seth waved at me, gesturing to the space on the end of the couch. When he moved his legs slightly, Lucy cracked open her golden eyes in warning. Seth was about to disturb her lovely nap, which wouldn’t do.
“Careful, don’t break your Earthen law,” I warned him. For some reason, it made him smile, but he didn’t shift again.
“What’s up?” Seth asked, setting his book down.
I cleared my throat, readjusting a few times before I found my voice. “I was accepted to take the engineer position on the Vvekian ship.”
His eyes widened. “How long until you leave?”
“Once we rendezvous, I will go aboard their ship and remain until we reach Earth.”
“I know you must be excited,” he commented, fiddling with his thick sweater, “but I’ll miss you.”
“I will miss you too.” And I would. Seth, Bobbinvoxlyn, Urgg, and Edith were now my family, but they weren’t who I was concerned about.
“We’ll have to spend as much time as possible together until then.”
“Indeed.”
“And we’ll talk when you’re on the Vvekian ship.”
“I would like that.” He didn’t seem to be understanding my true concern. Swallowing the urge to keep silent, I forced out, “I don't know how Monqilcolnen will react to my news.”
Seth’s eyebrows drew together. “Doesn’t he already know? I know I’m a bit underinformed when it comes to anything regarding the drakcol or navy regulations, but I thought the commander of a ship was in charge of all personnel. So didn’t he approve the assignment?”
“No,” I replied. “Monqilcolnen relinquished anything regarding me to Doctor Qinlin. She’s the one who accepted my application.”
“Oh. Now I get it. So he has no idea?”
“None. I'm concerned Monqilcolnen will react badly or be hurt about my decision, like I’m abandoning him.” The word made me wince.
I was loath to do that to anyone. Oh, I’d healed my wounds from childhood, but at the same time, they had shaped part of who I was.
I never wanted anyone to feel as if I’d left them behind, especially not Monqilcolnen.
“So you intend to accept?” he asked.
“I do. It will be an excellent move for my career.” My tail hooked around my ankle while my fingers played with the hem of my shirt. “What if what we are doesn’t survive the separation?”
A gentle hand on my wrist made me look up into Seth’s deep brown eyes. He squeezed my hand before letting go. “Then what you have wasn’t all that strong to begin with.”
“We’re just starting,” I defended.
“I know.” Seth ran a hand through his hair. “Shit, that sounded so bad. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. But, Wyn, if you and Monty are permanent or going to become mates, wouldn’t such separations happen in your careers?”
I offered my throat in concession. The navy did try to keep mates together, but unless you had a genetic bond forged by the Crystal—like Kalvoxrencol and Seth or anyone who sought the Crystal for their soulmate—it wasn’t guaranteed for a placement together.
And there was the matter of my current work.
I was on Tamkolvanloknol studying Edith; Monqilcolnen was here on the Admiral Ven—a long-haul passenger ship. We would spend a lot of time apart.
Perhaps we weren’t meant to be together.
But I wanted us to be, so badly. I’d never thought of forever until Monqilcolnen, but now that I had, I couldn’t accept anything less—I was fairly sure.
“I can delete your application or any record of it,” Edith suggested as she appeared on the abnormally large screen in the middle of the shared space.
I wasn’t shocked about her appearing. She was now limited to Seth’s quarters on the Admiral Ven, and she was always checking on Seth and Bobbinvoxlyn as well as doing whatever it was she was doing back on Tamkolvanloknol.
Seth started, though, and Lucy hissed, racing toward one of the bedrooms. With a low swear, he pressed his hand to one of his thighs.
“You scared Lucy, Edith,” I chastised, then turned to Seth. “Are you injured?”
“One of her back claws got me.”
I reached out for him. “Let me escort you to the medbay.”
He flushed bright red. He shook his head. “They’re just scratches.”
“Still.” I was hesitant to leave him untreated for even the smallest injury. Humans were rather fragile, all things considered.
“Kal will worry,” Seth said.
That was true. Kalvoxrencol was abnormally protective of his mate. The instant he heard about Seth in the medbay, he would be there, in a panic, snarling at everyone.
“Fine,” I conceded. “But make sure to have Prince clean the wounds thoroughly later.”
Seth’s flush deepened, and I chuckled. Even after three cycles mated to Kalvoxrencol, he still reacted the same way when any intimacy was discussed between them. It was natural for Prince to lick any of his mate’s wounds clean; this could hardly be the first time, as much as Seth acted like it was.
Edith spoke up, “I have scanned Seth, and the scratches are nothing to be concerned about as long as they are properly cleaned and cared for.”
Then that was something Kalvoxrencol could attend to later.
“Did you want me to delete your application?” Edith asked with a massive smile as she bounced on the screen. “I’m more than happy to.”
“That wouldn’t help. Doctor Qinlin already knows and has approved.”
Her well-wrinkled brow crinkled even more. “I could even delete her notes, but there’s nothing I can do to assist in removing the memory from Doctor Qinlin’s mind at this time.”
Thank the Crystal for that.
“Also, I think Wyn actually wants to go,” Seth remarked with a chuckle.
“True, but you both seem sad and I wish to help.”
Seth bobbed his head. “A truly normal response, but sometimes people can’t help. They just have to listen and support their friends.”
I intently watched them, wishing I had my screen to check Edith’s coding as well as take notes.
Seth and Edith were fascinating together.
From studying her coding as intimately as I had, I knew she displayed a remarkable amount of emergent independence and thought whenever with Seth, her program evolving and growing right before my eyes.
The two of them had a close relationship, and at times, it seemed as if Seth was her teacher in all things human or emotional.
Edith looked at me. “I would like to assist, but Seth’s right. I have nothing to offer but my presence, and as Edith Smith once said, ‘If your partner truly cares about you, they will want what’s best for you, not just themselves.’”
“Monqilcolnen cares about you, Wyn,” Seth said, his hands disappearing into his thick sweater’s pockets. “He’ll see that this is something you want.”
I believed that as well, but what I didn’t know was whether our short relationship would survive the separation.