Chapter 29 #2
“N-no. No!” Z’fir stammered. “That is not what he meant.” He glanced at V’dim with a wry chuckle before his focus returned to me.
“No. We would never be so bold as to ask such a thing of you. Certainly not for such a purpose! What V’dim was trying to say is we would need you to relax and drop your mental shields, allow us into your mind. ”
“Would it hurt?”
“No. It can, but only if you resist. The greater the resistance, the greater the pain. But we do not do that. We would not violate someone’s privacy like that without extreme need—such as the investigation of a crime,” Z’fir explained.
“What would it feel like?” Panicked thoughts of accidentally fighting the intrusion—and the pain it could cause—flooded me.
I felt another soothing wave from V’dim and relaxed into it.
“Not unlike the way it feels when someone knocks on your mental barriers to begin a psi conversation. You will feel something caressing your thoughts instead of your mental shields, and it would last longer and go deeper. I expect it is probably similar to how you telepathically communicate with your nestmates—but without the familiarity of a bond thread,” Z’fir answered.
“Understand, this level of scanning is extremely intimate. Even nestqueens might not go this deep with their own nestmates—not even their Favored. We will know everything,” V’dim murmured, his turquoise eyes tracing my face as his thumbs continued to stroke my cheeks.
Closing my eyes, I took a few breaths, trying to process. I was terrified at the thought of allowing such intimacy, but it could certainly be a huge help to have the princes on my side. Perhaps they could help my voice be heard—
My whirling thoughts were cut off when V’dim’s hands slid from my face. My eyes snapped open. The princes had backed away, returning to their couch as if they knew I needed space to think.
The gesture warmed my heart and went a long way toward gaining my trust. It was incredibly thoughtful.
“How about we eat lunch first. Allow you some time to think about it?” Z’fir suggested as he opened his wristband’s screen.
“Would you like something to drink, Selena?”
I nodded to V’dim. “Yes, please.”
“What would you like?”
I smiled at him. “Surprise me.”
And just like that, the tension broke as I giggled.
“What is funny?” Z’fir questioned, looking up in perplexity.
“Just a game I’ve been playing. A way to try out all the Circuli cuisine that is foreign to me—to test whether someone can guess what I might enjoy. I was wondering what V’dim will choose.”
He chuckled and glanced at V’dim.
“And how can I join this game that has made you smile?” His emerald eyes filled with amusement.
“You can pick my lunch. Surprise me. Don’t worry, I haven’t found anything I couldn’t eat or didn’t like. So far.”
The room filled with our shared laughter.
“You are interesting, Selena. Not many would be brave enough play such games with us.” V’dim’s voice was laced with humor.
I shrugged. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me.”
V’dim walked over to the dispenser and returned with a clear glass filled with a purple, blue, and green layered drink. He handed it to me with a smile. “Tell me what you think.”
I took the drink and sipped. A rush of fruity creaminess flooded my taste buds.
“This is good.” I sighed and licked my lips. “What is it?”
“A Mystic Nightfall.” V’dim glanced at Z’fir and smiled. “So, I take it I passed your test?”
I hid my smile behind my glass. “I guess you could say that.”
The door dinged.
Z’fir stood. “That is our lunch. Now, it is my turn to see if I can pass.”
V’dim returned to the drink dispenser as Z’fir answered the door. An Ulax male pushed a cart inside, eyeing me with curiosity.
“We can handle things from here, thank you,” V’dim said.
The male nodded and left, the door closing behind him.
V’dim brought over two silver beverages and set them on the central table as Z’fir unloaded four dishes. Z’fir explained each dish to me as he slid a portion onto a plate and handed it to me.
“You know this is cheating, right?” I chuckled.
“Not if I tell you which one I ordered for you. The others are just samples of our favorites for you to try. The nut-encrusted fish dish is the one I picked for you. Tell me what you think.”
Picking up a utensil, I took a bite of the fish. The nuts gave the fish a crunchy outer layer while the inside remained moist and flaky. I closed my eyes and moaned at the exquisite taste.
I held up my hand. “Delicious! You passed.”
I took another bite and focused my attention on the princes. They sat beside one another, a few of their vines and tentacles entwined and dug into their own meals.
A few moments later, V’dim looked up and asked, “So, has anyone failed your game?”
Tilting my head to the side, I thought about it. “Kaede.”
They started, and Z’fir questioned, “What did he do?”
I smiled and chuckled again. “He didn’t choose, he copied Xylo’s choice. He cheated because he knew I already liked it”—a laugh escaped—“though he didn’t know what it reminded me of.”
They looked confused.
“How did it reminding you of something mean Kaede failed? What did it remind you of?” Z’fir asked.
Eyeing them, I hesitated, wondering what they’d think of my answer.
“Why the hesitation?” V’dim asked, bewildered. “It is just a drink.”
Smirking, I took a sip of the Mystic Nightfall. “It tasted like Xylo.”
Their mouths fell open in shock, and they stared at me.
Yep. About the reaction I’d expected. I set my drink on the table, and we ate in silence, the princes at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe I’d confessed to that. Now, they didn’t seem to know how to respond. Perhaps it was a cultural thing, and I’d just said something offensive.
I chewed at my lip a moment.
“I’m sorry if I said something offensive. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It is fine, Selena. We did ask. We were just taken by surprise. I have never heard a nestqueen talk about their nestmate like that,” Z’fir said as he set his and V’dim’s empty plates back on the table.
“Neither have I. Do you need that drink that reminds you of him? Should I get you one?” V’dim paused. “But how do you know how he tastes? When you bit him?”
I choked. “Sure... let’s leave it at that.”
I hid behind my drink in mortification as I watched them trying to process my answer.
Z’fir changed the subject, perhaps sensing my discomfort. “Have you thought about our request?”
I had been thinking about it during our meal. There were pros and cons, but it seemed to me the potential benefits far outweighed any loss of privacy. I decided to give them a chance.
“I will trust you. Just tell me what I need to do.”
“We have obviously never tried this with a human before, so we do not know how you will react. I do not want you to fall if you get dizzy or faint, so maybe you should lie down on the couch. Close your eyes. As you lower your mental shields, we will touch you to facilitate the connection. We will let go when we finish,” Z’fir explained.
I placed my drink on the table and laid back on the loveseat. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath, trying to relax. I heard movement beside me, and one hand slid to cup my cheek. Another took my hand.
I cautiously lowered my mental shields and felt two cool presences glide into my mind. I relaxed. There was no pain.
As they slid against my thoughts, I felt my consciousness drift away.