Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Selena
It had been four days.
Four days since Zirene left without a trace, not even visiting me in the dreamscape.
Four days since Kaede comforted my dark thoughts, only to leave me confused.
I leaned on my bedroom’s porch railing and stared at my creation below. Soon, the Destiny would arrive, and its crew would touch the ground of their new home for the first time. Hopefully, they would have a better time than I did.
Arms wrapped around me. “You should be excited, Selena. Don’t let Kaede ruin today with his harsh words.”
“Xylo… will everything be okay?”
“When you officially claim more nestbrothers?” Xylo asked. His vines slowly wrapped around my legs, creeping up my nightgown.
I shivered as I leaned back into his arms. “Will you be okay?”
“Yes.” He pressed his nose to my hair, breathing in its scent. “You make me happy… even before you owned all of this.”
“What about Odelm?”
“What about me?”
I jerked in Xylo’s arms as Odelm stepped next to us. I was so absorbed in Xylo’s touches, I hadn’t kept track of my connection with Odelm.
“She is afraid you will be upset about her taking in the princes,” Xylo replied.
“Is this true?” Odelm asked, brushing my hair back.
I turned in Xylo’s arms and faced Odelm, searching his face.
“It’s too late now… but yes, I am.”
“There is nothing I want more than to sire your offspring, but that can wait… and only if you want to.” He stepped forward, sandwiching me between Xylo and him.
“I was a fool to pressure you on the space station. You are all I need.” He cupped my face, glancing at Xylo behind him.
“All we need.” He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine, staring deeply into my eyes.
“Please forgive me,” he begged. His pale green eyes swirled with the emotions he sent through to me.
“I love you both.”
“I know… and we love you too.”
Nervously, I stood on the largest dock of the new spaceport, dressed in my official Aldawi uniform as Xylo and Odelm flanked me.
Kaede stood off to the side, his presence keeping the bystanders away.
I knew I still needed to have an assembly and introduce myself to the citizens, but I wasn’t ready—not now.
Deep down, I hoped Zirene would return to guide me and be present while I addressed the planet. I knew my nestmates would proudly support me, but it was Zirene who gifted me Destima, so it only seemed right for him to be there with me.
Vagren was a nice enough male and he took his job seriously, but he wasn’t his brother.
A crowd had gathered, watching the sky as they sent curious glances my way.
I tried covering my eyes with my hand but failed to block the brightness of the sun to allow me to look for the ship.
Xylo was surveying the crowd, and his vines weren’t wrapped as tightly as they normally were around his torso.
His twitching violet petal wings caught my attention. They were just what I needed.
I reached over and gently grabbed a petal wing, feeling its delicate silky texture between my fingers as I expanded it over my head like a hood.
“Selena? What are you doing?” Xylo asked, peering over his shoulder as his petal wing fluttered in my hands.
“You weren’t using this at the moment, so I figured I could,” I said, turning my focus on the sky.
“Is she using your petal for shade?” Odelm asked in awe.
“I never thought to use them as cover…”
A large boom echoed through the sky. I jumped, startled by the deafening noise as I scanned for its source.
Odelm moved closer, pressing me against Xylo.
A large domed ship flew through the sky, blue energy exhaust burning behind it.
Loud murmurs came from the crowd. Their attention focused on the Destiny instead of us.
We watched in silence as the Destiny flew down, slowing as it got closer.
“Shouldn’t it be moving slower than that?” Odelm asked.
Screams and shouts sounded as members of the crowd ran.
Kaede turned, his focus on me as he sprinted over to us. His black cape waved behind him as the Destiny skimmed the water, creating waves as it traveled our way.
He leaped and wrapped his arms around us.
I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming next. The world shifted around me, sounds muted as the salty taste of the air disappeared. I landed backward onto something soft as something heavy and hard landed on top of me, a groan escaping me.
“What was that?”
The weight instantly disappeared, and I opened my eyes to figure out where Kaede sent us.
We were in the middle of my bed in our master bedroom, my nestmates flanking my sides. Kaede paced the floor, his focus on the ceiling. It was a safe assumption he was doing something with the data on his visor.
“The gravitational pull was too much for the Destiny. We figured it would be a close call, but this confirms we were right about the Destiny not being able to leave Destima once it entered the atmosphere,” Kaede explained.
He jerked in my direction. “Selena, I have to go. While the Destiny landed safely, it did a considerable amount of damage to the space deck.” He held out his hand as his focus landed on Xylo.
“Time is of the essence. All medical personnel are required to report.”
“I didn’t want my first patients in the new hospital to be from an emergency like this,” Xylo murmured as he climbed out of bed.
“Let me know if there were any casualties…”
“I will make sure he reports to you and gives you an update about the princes,” Kaede said as he gripped Xylo’s shoulder.
Their bodies shifted, folding into Kaede’s chest-piece before disappearing.
A sob escaped me.
Today was supposed to be a joyful day, filled with new beginnings and reuniting with the princes. But instead, the Destiny crashed, causing damage, injuries, and possibly death.
Odelm wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close against his body. He placed his hand on my head and guided it to his chest. Tears streamed down as he rubbed my back, sending calming sensations through me.
“Selena… Selena…” Odelm whispered, shaking my body gently.
I opened my eyes to familiar light speckles glowing in the darkness. Rubbing my eyes, I lifted my head off Odelm’s chest.
“What time is it? Do you have any news?”
“There was some damage to the spaceport, but everyone is safe and accounted for,” Xylo replied.
I jerked awake from the sudden reply, turning toward the source’s voice.
There on the edge of the bed sat Xylo and both princes, all three bodies glowing as the dim moonlight shone through the bedroom’s windows.
I crawled over and climbed onto Xylo’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck, and gave him a quick kiss. “I am so proud of you.” Pulling away, I glanced over to the princes. Their faces were filled with worry and desire.
“Are you both well?”
“Now that we finally have a place to call home,” Z’fir breathed.
I gave Xylo another kiss, thanking him before I unwrapped myself from him and scooted myself toward the princes.
Placing my hands on top of theirs, I sighed. “I don’t know what to say other than I am sorry for accidentally severing our bonds. I truly didn’t mean to—”
“We know,” V’dim replied, rubbing his cool thumb over the back of my hand.
“Xylo said I should be able to reclaim you both… how do you want to do this?”
“Just take them, Selena,” Xylo said. “Claim them right here in front of Odelm and me.”
“But…” I bit my lip and peered over at Odelm. “I don’t want to…”
“It’s alright, Selena,” Odelm murmured. “I am fine.”
I sighed, trying to dispel the nervousness coursing through me. This wasn’t a light matter. After tonight, I would have two more permanent members in my clan, allowing a total of four others access to my inner emotions and thoughts. My privacy would become almost nonexistent once I took them.
My nerves calmed; eyeing Odelm, I knew it was because of his guidance. He nodded, confirming my instincts.
Releasing their hands, I pulled V’dim’s face to mine and kissed him.
Closing my eyes, I licked his slit and asked for entrance.
He moaned as a familiar warm feeling washed over me, but this time, I could see the court bond’s golden thread as it formed.
His tentacles rubbed up and down my body as I traced the inside of his mouth with my tongue.
He tasted like the drink they served me back on the Destiny—the fruity creaminess of a “Mystic Nightfall.”
Slowly, I pulled away and pressed my forehead to his, feeling the coolness of his scaled skin. Opening my eyes, I stared into his half-lidded ones.
“Welcome back.”
“Thank you, nestqueen Selena.”
I turned toward Z’fir and smiled. “Your turn.”
He nodded and gave me a small smile. I reached for his face as I closed my eyes, smashing my lips onto his fuzzy ones. I nipped the soft bristle as the same familiar warm feeling coursed through me as I tied my newest nestmate to me. He groaned in reply as our court bond snapped into place.
I pulled away and laid my head on his shoulder, breathing deeply as he held me.
“I did it,” I murmured. “I reestablished the court bonds.”
The bed dipped as cool hands gripped onto the zipper along the back of my uniform.
“Let us complete our bond,” V’dim breathed.
“So we never feel lost again.” Z’fir peered in Odelm’s direction. “I don’t know how you could live like that over the years. The four days away was torture of the worst kind.”
“Selena was like sampling fresh water on a hot summer day after going without for a long time, only having a small amount out of necessity but craving more,” Odelm replied.
“Since she finalized our court bond, permanently binding our lives together, I have been feeling like I am constantly swimming in an ocean of water, never to be restricted from happiness ever again… Finally, I was free from all the pain I suffered, and wondering if I would be missed… if I mattered.”
Twisting my body around, I faced Odelm. “You do matter! Never forget you are mine, Odelm… that mark proves it!”