Releasing Xylo’s wrist, Kaede glanced at his nestbrothers lying with their backs against the headboard. “I am not against knocking any of you unconscious to keep the four of you from pushing yourselves too hard. If you want to test my limits and try to out-stubborn me, know that I will win. Selena cried in my arms for too many nights, beating herself up over what happened to you. Don’t make her suffer any more as we try to reclaim our lives.”
The sudden urge to leave the nestbed deflated as quickly as it came, leaving Xylo ashamed for his thoughtlessness.
He was Selena’s Primary and the clan’s leader when it came to caring for their nestqueen. Instead of focusing on his recovery so he could be healthy enough to do his part, he’d been about to attempt to rush off to the infirmary without a thought to his condition.
“Look, Xylo.” Kaede sighed, combing his hair back as he tried to untangle the strands from his curved horns. “I didn’t mean to sound as harsh as I did, but the truth of the matter is that the best thing you and the rest of the clan can do is focus on recovering. Selena and our unborn daughter are in good hands. With Euouae here”—dropping his hand, he jerked his head toward Selena’s golden Oetsae—“he will be able to report the moment anything goes awry. I know because my Oetsae, REI, always lets me know when I’m neglecting my health.”
“Kaede is right.”Euouae waved his hand, and a projection of a female demi-human body materialized in its wake. The golden silhouette spun slowly while a silver orb gently pulsed within its torso.“This is my host’s body. Currently, she is resting since I have taken time off from healing your clan to speak with you. I know Selena’s body better than she does, and I must keep her in prime shape. It would be best if you focus on yourself instead of worrying about her health for the time being. Once she is further along with her pregnancy, I am sure you will be of help.”
“How long is a demi-human pregnancy?” Z’fir asked. “Do we have time to heal before she needs us?”
“She is only a few weeks along,” Euouae replied, waving his hand over the display again. The silver orb enlarged, and a timeline chart appeared at its side. “If she follows the Earth-born human gestation length, she has about thirty-six weeks left of her pregnancy.”
“Thirty-sixweeks?” V’dim gasped, peering at their nestqueen. “How can it be so long?”
“I am more concerned about how we will be able to keep up with her demands, especially in our condition,” Z’fir muttered, looking between Odelm and Xylo. “I know her body needed a massage… and demanded pleasure.”
“She didn’tdemandit,” Odelm corrected, shooting their nestqueen a glance. “She had cravings, and we wanted to indulge her needs. In the end, we received the waves of her pleasure radiating through our connection as a reward. You both know how addicting it is to feel her bliss.”
“I am willing to take one for the clan and satisfy her needs.” Kaede grinned, chuckling. “But I figured you would want to join Zirene and me as we spoil our mate. After what happened to our clan, we need time together to heal as we care for Selena.”
“I agree.” Xylo nodded, and relief flooded him as his clanbrothers did the same. “We can start tomorrow after the sun rises. If our nestqueen wants to relax as a clan in her villa’s private backyard, then we will. No harm can come from absorbing nutrients from the source as Selena relaxes with us.”
“I will speak with Tori and her clan.” Kaede huffed. “Hopefully, this will make them stop bugging me. But promise you’ll let me tell her the news about her pregnancy. Neither of us planned for it to happen, but even so, I don’t regret it. However, I want to be the one to take the brunt of her anger if the news upsets her. It’s my right and duty as the father.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Kaede
Kaede watched their cubs work alongside their peers to catch fish with only their claws for their afternoon meal. Pavryn stood beside them knee-deep in the water with nothing but a silver loincloth on. He was easily hooking the foolish fish which swam too close with his claws before throwing them at Vikvez standing on the sandy shore. Masmi and a few female Aldawi were laughing at the display as they prepared the other dishes.
They seem to be enjoying themselves, distracting the cubs from the reality of what had happened on Destima. Kaede was thankful that Masmi was willing and able to host the cubs when she did because they might have been kidnapped alongside Selena if they had come.
Even the thought of innocent children tortured and killed because they weren’tpurewas devastating. Even though Kaede was upset that he had missed that hunt, he was proud that his sisters—minus Kaica, who had stayed behind to work in the infirmary—had found those planning to hurt the cubs and killed them.
The universe was a better place, even if ever so slightly, for it.
Kaede surveyed the private yard and smiled. A large open fire roared nearby with stakes ready to be used for the fish. Blazing sunlight lit the area; only the large-leafed trees and adobe buildings with their drapes provided shade and protection from the harsh desert climate.
Kaede hated the daytime on Liskta but thrived after the sunset. The bright sun hurt his eyes even behind his visor and often gave him headaches. While he missed Masmi and the motherly friendship she offered, he regretted every planetside visit and wasn’t looking forward to more migraines.
Though Masmi’s treats had made the pain worth it. He would have to demand a bulk supply to bring back to Destima. If he could predict one thing about Selena, it was that once she sampled Masmi’s candy, she would crave it often. Probably more than him while she was pregnant.
Kaede sighed, wishing they didn’t need to leave Destima once again so soon after they had just arrived. They would return, however, shortly after Mwe left for the CEG Space Station. Masmi had invited Selena before her kidnapping, and he knew that his mate would love the experience. She was curious about Aldawi culture, and he didn’t want to keep her from an event as important as the Harvest Festival.
Glancing out the nestroom’s domed window, Kaede watched the first sun rise over the horizon where Lunkai already hung in the sky. He had convinced his clanbrothers to return to bed so they were well-rested for the clan’s outdoor adventure, even though Kaede highly doubted they would go far considering their delicate conditions.
The planetary rotation differences between Liskta and Destima had complicated arranging a time to speak to their cubs. Zirene often called them as soon as he woke up, sometimes catching them right after their midday meal. Once the cubs ran off to play with other cubs their age under Masmi’s supervision, Vikvez and Pavryn would report to him about their progress. By the time the cubs were ready to retire for the night, Zirene left to spend prime time with his advisors. Since he was still trying to move the capital, Zirene only had time to wish the cubs good night.
Since she had returned, Selena hadn’t been awake during his reports and could only watch her cubs go through their lessons and play with others. During the little time she’d spent awake in her nestroom, Kaede hadn’t missed how her eyes fixated on the vidscreen displaying the cubs.
She was dealing with the great distance to her children and trying to stay composed for the sake of her clan. She was already a mother of three and worried sick about the children she had, and now she was about to have another. When should he tell her? How would she take the news?
“The sooner you tell her, the better,”REI replied, answering his inner musing.“I would do it before we pick up the cubs just in case someone else beats you to it. The longer you wait, the better chance a clanbrother accidentally slips.”
“I will try to find a good moment to pull her away from the others today. Once everyone has settled and spent some time outside, I’m sure getting some alone time with her will be easier.”
Standing in silence, Kaede welcomed the new day. Sunlight filtered through the waterfall’s droplets and beamed through the domed window.
