Chapter 8
Kayog
Islipped three more dipramine pills into the secret compartment of my bracer.
It was a tricyclic antidepressant that had long been discontinued on most planets.
It was not an ideal medication. But it was the only one that somewhat worked to slow—and sometimes even stop—my pineal gland from functioning.
When it kicked in, the drug helped numb the noise and the unbearable headaches that drove me insane.
A massive influx of joyous emotions was fine.
For that reason, I had no problem participating in sports events or performing a concert.
I loved the physical pain and focus that athletic endeavors provided.
The same could be said about being surrounded by the cheers, excitement, and thrill from the crowds attending my shows or competitions.
It was once they ended that everything went downhill.
Once the dust settled, people reverted back to their less pleasant emotions such as anger, jealousy, sorrow, and hatred—all of which individually felt like being stabbed by a dagger.
And once all of them mixed into one chaotic maelstrom, it subjected me to sheer agony.
So many times, I fought between the urge of gouging my eyes out or destroying the source of the pain—the people broadcasting those foul emotions. And that made crowds a true nightmare.
Still, today I could potentially see my love again. My innards painfully twisted every time I contemplated the possibility that I would see fear and disgust in her eyes. The only thing that gave me hope was Isobel telling me that Linsea was still waiting for that dinner I owed her.
The anger I initially felt about the priestess approaching Linsea on my behalf quickly faded.
Beyond the fact that she had done it out of genuine love for me, it had also been the boost I needed to stop being so pathetic about being honest with my soulmate.
If I couldn’t be truthful about myself with her, then we weren’t meant to be together.
By talking to my dove, Isobel made her more receptive to what revelations I had to make.
My pulse racing with trepidation and anticipation, I flew to the campus and began my canoe training.
My disappointment at not seeing Linsea show up at all turned into sorrow when I finished and entered the hangar to wash then store my canoe.
I took double the time to complete that task in the hope that she might have slept in or been otherwise detained.
Heartbroken when she still failed to appear, I went into the shower, trying to come up with any rational reason to explain her absence.
Based on Isobel’s comments, she believed Linsea would come to my training.
However, in retrospect, my friend never claimed that my mate had confirmed she would.
And then I felt her.
My heart leapt in my chest, and I nearly slipped and broke my neck in my haste to finish washing and rinsing myself for fear she would leave, thinking she had missed me.
Other Temerns would simply lower their psychic walls enough to allow their counterpart to perceive their emotions and thereby confirm their presence.
I couldn’t do that without causing significant distress to my mate.
I forced myself to come calmly out of the showers. Fuck me, she was beautiful! Standing next to my canoe, she was gently running her fingers over the edge. The most irrational jealousy surged through me as I wished she was caressing me that way.
She jerked her head in my direction, a timid and slightly hesitant smile blossoming when she saw the expression on my face. Only once she turned to fully face me did I notice the two bags in her hand. I snorted and shook my head at her as I closed the distance between us.
“Hey! I thought I owed you dinner?” I said with false outrage.
She glanced at the bag in her left hand before peering back up at me with a mischievous expression.
“Oops! You make a fair point,” she said with pretend dismay before shrugging. “I guess that means that you now owe me two dinners.”
I laughed and bowed my head in concession, my heart filling to bursting with joy. My wretched mind had imagined a billion different nightmarish ways in which our next meeting would go. But just like that, my dove had made it so easy and painless. She was truly my soulmate.
“Deal,” I said with a grin.
“How are you?” Linsea asked softly, the genuine concern she felt for me seeping into her voice.
That, too, had a pleasant warmth spreading through my chest.
“I’m doing good. Much better, thank you,” I said in a gentle tone.
Although I intended to go into far more details, I didn’t want to do it here.
“I’m glad to hear it. I figured you might be hungry after the type of intense training you perform,” Linsea said sheepishly, showing me the bags.
“I’m absolutely famished,” I replied sincerely.
I’d barely eaten since the incident, feeling too distraught to be able to stomach anything.
“Do you want to eat off campus?” Linsea offered.
“That would be great, if you don’t mind,” I said, my heart soaring.
“I don’t mind. Is there any specific place where you feel comfortable?” she asked, her emotions loudly broadcasting that she truly wanted me to be at ease, and not out of some misplaced sense of obligation.
I shifted on my talons and chose my words carefully before speaking.
“Truth be told, the most comfortable place for me would be my house. But I don’t want you to think I’m some sort of creep if I invite you there,” I said, tension audible in my voice.
To my shock, Linsea smiled, her aura radiating something akin to relief, as if she had hoped for that very answer… which didn’t make sense.
“Your house it is, then,” she said in a factual manner.
I gaped at her, flabbergasted by the ease with which she agreed.
“Are you sure?” I asked, uncertain.
“Yes, Kayog,” Linsea said firmly. “I trust you not to harm me.”
A powerful emotion nearly choked me as I basked in the divine light that emanated from her.
“Never, my dove,” I replied, shocked to even be able to form any word.
Before I could flinch inwardly at using the term of endearment, the wave of pleasure emanating from Linsea both appeased me and whipped the possessiveness I felt towards her into a frenzy.
It tickled me pink that she was still responding so positively towards me, especially after how much I dreaded that this reunion might turn sour.
After relieving her of the two bags, I took flight, happy to leave behind the painful chaos of the campus stirring to life as more and more students started their day.
There was something magical about flying next to my mate.
My mind swirled with images of our nuptial flight, of countless adventures of us soaring through the skies surrounded by nothing but pristine nature, the caress of the wind, the warm rays of the sun, and the enthralling aura of our love swirling around us.
I wanted this so badly I could taste it.
Linsea gasped as we approached our destination, and she finally noticed a lone house sitting by itself in the middle of a tiny island in the river.
“Is this your house?” she exclaimed, flabbergasted.
“It is,” I replied smugly.
“You own an entire island?!”
I chuckled. “Technically, this is too small to be called an island. It’s actually an islet measuring a little over sixty square meters.
And sadly, no, I do not own it. Normally, you cannot build a residence here.
But the mayor was kind enough to grant me a special permit to temporarily settle here for the duration of my education,” I said as we began our descent.
From a bird’s eye view, the house was shaped like a cross with slightly slanted dark roofs. They were all solar panels which allowed me to enjoy most standard creature comforts without having to be connected to the city grid.
“It is a deployable home, designed specifically for my needs. So it’s perfect for me to travel anywhere with it,” I explained as we landed.
Although not perfect, this home was my haven.
Over the years, it had been the only thing that kept me from going entirely insane.
If I could go back in time, I would have made a few additional tweaks, but this was more than good enough.
I loved the huge reflective windows all around that always had light flooding in, while affording me the privacy I craved… Not that anyone ever came here.
I opened the door and waved her in before following her inside.
Even with the door still open, the dampening effect of the house almost had me moaning with relief.
Entering the shelter of my home always made me fully grasp how painful things had been.
Considering people were only just getting up, it distressed me to realize how insanely sensitive I had grown of late.
However, while coming home elated me, I immediately felt the shift in Linsea. I wouldn’t call it discomfort, but it affected her not in the most positive way. It was to be expected for anyone unused to this type of environment.
“Whoa!” Linsea whispered to herself, frowning slightly as she looked around the room, trying to figure out what exactly unsettled her. “This feels weird.”
“Yes, that’s normal,” I replied in an appeasing tone.
Her eyes widened in sudden understanding.
“Oh wow! This feels like an anechoic chamber! It’s like there’s no echo!” she exclaimed.
My smile broadened. “It is kind of the same principle, but it’s not for normal sound. This house is designed to block psychic signals.”
She slightly recoiled, confusion settling on her beautiful face. “Psychic?” Linsea repeated.
I nodded. “There are quite a few things I need to explain to you. But first, let me give you a quick tour. Then we can settle at the table and talk while we eat.”
“Sounds good,” she replied, the relief and excitement radiating from her confirming she had hoped I would come clean about certain things.