Levi gave him a flustered smile. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
Jaeyoung looked both amused and deeply proud of his friend. “Congratulations. Not only did you successfully deliver a newborn, you are officially the first cis man to ever do so.”
“Do I win a trophy?” Levi asked.
“Yourbabyis the trophy, obviously,” Paz said. He looked overjoyed as he brought his face closer to Dai’zee. “Who’s the cutest little Maeleon? You are.” He pouted. “Aww, I kinda want one too. Don’t you?”
“No,” Jaeyoung said, deadpan.
“I don’t believe that for a second,” Paz shot back without hesitation. He pressed his cheek next to Dai’zee’s. “How can you resist this face?”
Dai’zee turned her head and gummed Paz’s cheek, making him giggle. I did not think he was being hyperbolic. Now that he knew it was possible, I could practically feel Paz’s desire for a Maeleon baby of his own forming in real time. But there was no rush. Only time would tell when his turn would come.
“Phew,” Levi said, leaning against me. “Dai’zee has the right idea. I’m starving.”
“You worked very hard,” I reminded him. “Let’s get some food in you.”
Levi grinned eagerly. “How does that manage to sound both sweetandsexy when you say it?”
18Epilogue: Levi
Something interesting happenedto me the day after Dai’zee’s birth.
Our little family spent the morning outside, basking together for our daughter’s meal. Zat’tor and Dai’zee closed their eyes, letting their feelers float towards the sky like wispy outstretched arms. The whole photosynthesis thing was a surprise, but considering how closely Maeleons resembled plants, it made sense. Since I couldn’t turn the sun into nutrients like my mate and daughter, I just enjoyed the sun the old-fashioned human way.
I released a contented sigh as we sat outside together in the grass, letting the sun soak into our skin. A cool breeze flowed through the village, ruffling my hair.
At first, it sounded like a whisper. I chalked it up to the sound of the wind.
But then the whispering grew louder, and the formless breeze warped into something that sounded like a recognizable word.
My eyes snapped open. I looked around to see if Zat’tor had said anything, but he was silent and tranquil. No other villagers were around. There was nobody who could’ve spoken.
Brushing it off as my imagination, I closed my eyes again and relaxed.
The whisper came again. It was soft, a delicate murmur close to my ear. A shiver jolted me. It felt like a voice was calling out to me in words I couldn’t make sense of, yet still understood.
I slowly rose to my feet. The motion pulled Zat’tor from his trance. Dai’zee was still dozing in his lap.
“Is everything all right, Levi?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said distantly. “I hear... something.”
Zat’tor’s gaze flashed. “Ah. It finally happened.”
“Huh?”
He stood beside me, cradling Dai’zee in his strong arms. A knowing expression lit up his eyes. “Come. Let’s go to the Sweetfields.”
I followed silently, distracted by the whispering in my head. My heart picked up speed as we reached the edge of the sprawling flower fields. The voices were louder here. Each word was crystal clear, like it was being spoken against the rim of my ear. I couldn’t translate the words into human language. The translation module didn’t modify it, either—it bypassed the ITM and went directly into my brain.
“I hear them,” I murmured.
Zat’tor smiled at me. “Didn’t I promise you would eventually understand?”
I thought back to one of our earlier conversations, back when we cleaned up the ship’s wreckage. Zat’tor said he heard the voices of the flowers. I’d assumed he was being figurative—until now.
I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh, sweet air. Floral scents danced around us as the breeze carried the aroma across the land. The flower voices weren’t overwhelming or overly loud. They were comforting. Welcoming. As soon as I recognized them, they blended pleasantly into the background like a gossamer song.
