“Nothing you should worry about,” I choked, feeling my cheeks burn. “I don’t seriously moan while I drink this, do I?”
“You just did.”
I covered my mouth. “Oh, Stars.”
Chuckling, he raised his glass to toast me and gingerly took a sip. The curiosity in his eyes quickly transformed into confusion as he pulled the drink away. “It just tastes like tea.”
“Itistea,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “It may seem unremarkable to you, but the drink means a lot to me.”
“How so?” He studied the steamy beverage, swirling it around in its cup.
“It reminds me of home.” A smile bloomed on my face as I took another sip. “It’s one of the first beverages my mate Xylo offered me, and since then, it has always been my favorite. My mates tend to play a game to see who can offer it to me first. Recently, my children joined in, believing it’s some competition.”
“That sounds”—he paused as his fiery gaze met mine—”pleasant. The loving environment you describe seems so… foreign… and yet, wonderful. My brothers and I had companionship when we were traveling together, but we kept to ourselves and didn’t allow others in.”
“Why not?”
“The universe is filled with surprises, but for every good thing, there is an equivalent evil. That is the way of life. Sometimes it’s harder to find a shred of light amongst the darkness that tends to surround us.”
“That’s why I refuse to lose hope.” I reached for his hand and gave him a gentle squeeze. His eyes widened as he stared down at our enclosed hands as if he were shocked I had voluntarily touched him. “My life was filled with horror and captivity until I met my mates. They taught me how to trust and see the good in others. Without them, I wouldn’t be the female you see before you.”
“Are you sure this is wise?” he cautioned, glancing in the direction Kaede had exited. “We shouldn’t be touching.”
“Why?” Turning my head toward the door, I wondered what he might fear.
“As much as I enjoy you touching me, I worry about what your guard may think,” he said as I followed his gaze to my hand on his. “I don’t want to experience his threat turning into a reality.”
“I don’t know how my touching your hand would anger him,” I muttered. “He may be protective of me, but he isn’t unreasonable.”
“How can you say such things when you welcome someone with such a short temper as a mate?”
“What happens between Kaede and me is none of your concern,” I growled, pulling my hand away as his fiery eyes locked with mine. “Don’t let jealousy color your perceptions. If you don’t want me to touch you, then I won’t, but don’t bring whom I take as a mate into this. Kaede may be overly aggressive at times, but he’s doing what he wasdesignedto do; he’s protecting what’s his. Ryzen is lucky Kaede didn’t outright kill Xenak for everything he’s put my clan through.”
“Murder shouldn’t be a default reaction to those who disagree with him.”
“Nor should kidnapping.” I raised my eyebrow. “But we both know what happened.”
Smirking, I took another sip of my drink and studied the crimson male. He couldn’t take out his frustration on Kaede just because he didn’t agree with his actions. My grumpy guard was far from perfect—or personable for that matter—but he did his jobwell.If he didn’t, Zirene wouldn’t have placed me under his watch in the first place, regardless of our romantic connection.
“Look, Zyxel.” I sighed, placing my empty glass on the table. “I think you are a kind male, and I feel comfortable around you, but if you ever want a future with me, you need to stop trying to convince me to abandon my connections with my mates.
“I don’t understand why the Stars crossed our paths now. I can’t change how I feel. Kaede ismine, regardless of your approval. The sooner you can understand this fact, the better it will be for both of us.”
“Selena, I just can’t stand idly by while he’s showing the beginnings of his mating cycle,” he protested, his voice full of concern. “Did his Ezzaska parent ever warn him about what would happen? Allowing any males outside his clan into his territory is dangerous. If I had known about his current state, I would’ve been hesitant in asking to join you on this journey.”
“None of us demi-humans know who our parents are.” I frowned. Hearing myself speak the depressing truth out loud made me realize how important it was for me to return to my children. “All we know comes from our own experiences or research. Those who were lucky enough to discover what species they shared features with were able to more learn about themselves. Unfortunately, Kaede and I haven’t had the luxury.”
“He’s part Ezzaska; I know it,” Zyxel urged, his voice radiating certainty. “All evidence points that way.”
“Including the fact that I mistook you for him,” I mumbled, frowning.
Now that I had seen them side by side, I was embarrassed by the mistake that I had made, even though I had been drugged at the time.
“Precisely.” He nodded. “Now that I’ve met him, I can see how you did. This is why I wanted to speak to you—I hoped you would warn him about the nature of his genetics.”
“You understand that this is his vessel, right?”
I grabbed both of our empty glasses and returned them to the drink dispenser.They disappeared as soon as I pulled my hands away. If this ship hadn’t been built by Kaede, I would have been surprised, but I had become used to his advanced technology. Smiling, I selected a pair of refills and set one in front of Zyxel, who mumbled his thanks as I returned to my seat.
