Chapter 14
NIM
Brynn nestled between Sim and me, contentedly nibbling on leftover dried meat. Her skin glowed, and her scent mingled pleasantly with ours. Even in this sparse prison chamber, she managed to make everything feel like home.
A soft chirp drew our attention. The sacred hiscat that had been following Brynn emerged from the shadows, its iridescent fur catching the dim light.
The creature padded over to Brynn, rubbing against her barely there pregnant belly with unusual affection.
From previous texts and from interactions with other races, her belly will grow with our child.
Unlike for us, the only way to impregnate a female was to leave our seeds inside a mechanical womb containing an unfertilized egg harvested from female manaties before they became extinct.
Looking at Brynn and imagining her belly grow with our child - no matter if it was Zirc's, Coone's, or Roqs, I felt my cock stirring. I understand now my cousin Crix's fascination with pregnant females of other species. His porn stash comprised of pregnant females, and pregnant males.
"We need to move quickly," I said, meeting Sim's gaze over Brynn's head. "Getting Onork to the White Tribe ruins is our priority now."
Sim's tail twitched. "What about Orange Lake? Crix needs to examine her."
"The White Tribe ruins first," I insisted. "It's the safest place to establish a base. Our fathers would never think to look there." I paused, choosing my next words carefully. "And there might be knowledge there. About Manasty reproduction."
A commotion outside our door interrupted us. Nif's booming voice carried through the stone walls. "But I want to see the pretty Ne- oof!"
The sound of multiple hands slapping him quiet made Brynn smile despite our tense situation.
"Some guard you are," CG's exasperated voice followed. "Keep your mouth shut about what we saw earlier."
I rose, signaling Sim to stay with Brynn. When I opened the door, I found CG's entire crew trying to restrain an overly excited Nif. The huge manasty's eyes lit up when he spotted me.
"Your Highness! How's the ba-"
Three hands clamped over his mouth at once. Sinx looked ready to strangle him.
"My apologies, Kru'h Nim," CG said formally. "Nif sometimes forgets the meaning of discretion."
I studied them carefully. They knew too much already - about Brynn's true identity, about her pregnancy.
It made them dangerous. Yet Onork trusted them, and he had proven loyal before.
It is unfortunate, or maybe fate, that Onork was capture harboring the hiscat and ended up here.
On the same cell as the seer! If I were my fathers, this coincindence smells like a conspiracy.
My fathers will execute them all. Even if Onork was my fathers' teacher.
"If word of this reaches anyone," I said quietly, letting my authority fill the space between us, "I will personally ensure your deaths are neither quick nor painless."
Nif's eyes widened comically above the hands still muffling him. His beast reacting to my alpha command. Then he narrowed his eyes. Clearly, he wasn’t cowed by alphas nor royal heirs. Good. Brynn chose them well.
"We understand," CG replied solemnly. "Your mate's secret is safe with us."
The sacred hiscat chose that moment to slink through the doorway, regarding CG's crew with alien intelligence. To my surprise, it approached Nif, sniffing his legs before letting out an approving chirp.
"Well," Sinx remarked dryly, "if the hiscat trusts him, I suppose we have no choice."
CG snorted.
The hiscat then marched back back to the room, its tail held high. Amazing how these males did not cower or ran for the nearest exit. I leave one heavy look at the three of them before I went back and close the door. It's time for us to leave.
Back inside, Brynn was finishing her meal, though her movements had grown sluggish with fatigue. "You think the White Tribe had answers?" she asked, returning to our earlier conversation.
"They were the most advanced in genetic research before their fall. And they welcomed other species more readily than any other tribe." Sim answered while he stroked her arm absently. "If anyone understood cross-species breeding, it would have been them."
Suddenly, a small, delicate burp escaped her. She covered her mouth, blushing furiously.
Sim and I chuckled, the tension breaking. "Excuse me," she mumbled, embarrassed.
"Never apologize for enjoying your food," Sim said, nuzzling her neck. "You're eating for at least two now."
"Speaking of which..." Brynn set aside her food, frowning slightly. "My belly feels really heavy."
We all looked down at her abdomen. What we saw made my breath catch. Where there had been just a slight swelling before, now there was an unmistakable curve.
"That wasn't there yesterday," Brynn whispered, panic creeping into her voice. "Is it supposed to grow this fast?"
The hiscat pressed closer to her, purring loudly. Its presence seemed to calm her somewhat, but tears still welled in her eyes. "What if- what if my human body can't handle this? What if something's wrong?"
Sim immediately wrapped his arms around her. "Shh, my heart. We won't let anything happen to you."
I straightened, my mind racing. We needed Crix's expertise more urgently than I'd realized. The accelerated growth could be normal for a Manasty pregnancy - but with her kind? There were too many unknowns.
"We leave now," I decided. "The sooner we reach the White Tribe ruins, the better." Sim and Brynn nod at me and wasted no time preparing themselves.
When we rejoined the others, Zulkir led us through a hidden passage, revealing an elaborate network of tunnels beneath the prison.
The sacred hiscat trotted ahead, seeming to know the way instinctively.
Others were scared, even Xy looked stiff knowing a hiscat was joining us.
He had years of training on how to contain one.
Some of CG's crew, those closest to him, were not afraid.
"The cart system still works," Zulkir explained, gesturing to a large mining cart equipped with crystal-powered engines. "It will take us most of the way to White Tribe territory."
As we boarded, Nif couldn't contain his excitement at riding in the ancient cart. His childlike wonder contrasting with his gruff personality would have been endearing if it weren't so dangerous to our secrecy. CG and Sinx flanked him, ready to silence any outbursts.
I held Brynn steady as we navigated past steaming pools that cast rainbow reflections on the cave ceiling. The ancient sigils carved into the walls seemed to pulse with their own light, telling stories I wished I could read.
Sim hung back with Sinx, ensuring our tracks would be covered. Onork sat near the front with Kaelor, deep in quiet conversation, while the hiscat curled protectively around Brynn's feet. I’m sure Sim will ask me later why I’m not afraid of the creature.
As we approached the outskirts of the White Tribe territory, I felt Brynn lean more heavily against me.
Her hand rested protectively over her growing belly, and I covered it with my own.
Whatever answers awaited us in the ruins, one thing was certain - I would do anything to protect her and our child.
The cart began to slow, and ahead, I could make out the first signs of White Tribe architecture - elegant spires of crystal and stone, now partially collapsed but still magnificent.
Somewhere in those ruins lay the answers we needed.
And possibly, if my suspicions about Crix were correct, a way to ensure our future.