“I am sorry that I didn’t have a chance to answer your question.” Selena licked her lips. “It was my intention that once my clan stabilized, most of the staff at either the villa or mountain base infirmary would have the opportunity to transfer to the medical research facility. It would be unreasonable to have so many talented healers caring for my clan alone when I have a moon filled with citizens that may need medical assistance. If you want to be the first one to volunteer once you believe my nestmates are stable, then I see no problem with it. You are welcome to continue to reside within the mountain base—or pick out an apartment to be around the other Circuli.”
“You are too kind,” Yuwal replied, covering his bondmate’s hand. “I can see why our son fell for you. You put others’ needs before your own. An uncommon trait for a nestqueen to have.”
Selena’s face darkened as a wave of happiness blossomed through their connection. He could see how much his father’s words had affected her.
He hoped one day he’d be able to stand beside his nestqueen not only as her Primary but as a male who had proved his own self-worth. His lifelong dream was to be able to do something for his species that would help them move past their own sheltered ways. It was the main reason he had studied so hard to become a Master Scholar. By spending all of his time researching the other species within the CEG, it provided him the opportunity to join the princes on theDestinyin hopes of finding a suitable place to colonize long term.
If it weren’t for the Stars to guide Selena’s escape pod into his life and place him in charge of caring for her, he wouldn’t be in his current position.
Xylo had often wondered what would’ve happened if Chyox refused to allow the princes to make Selena his sole responsibility and placed her in someone else’s care.
Would he never have a chance to be graced with such a kind and loving nestqueen?
Only the Stars and the Fates knew.
But if he believed what Kaede did about the Cosmic Order, he was always fated with Selena, and the Stars would’ve guided him to her over time.
Suvax pulled out his medscanner from the bag slung over his shoulder and gestured for him to step away from his nestqueen. Xylo nodded as he released Selena from his embrace.
Spreading his legs as he stuck out his arms, Xylo felt a faint echo of movement from where his petal wings and vines would’ve been. The sensation felt as if he still had them, even though he knew he didn’t.
This phenomenon was something that he had always read about and didn’t have many opportunities to witness. In much disappointment, the archives had failed to describe how it felt to have void limbs. Each base nerve gave the rest of his body the signals that he still had his appendages, even though he knew that he didn’t. The experience was both haunting and annoying because it gave him the false sense that he was all right and they were still there.
As both of his fathers scanned him in front of his nestqueen, clan, and the rest of the medical staff, the sudden realization of the truth of the situation smacked him like a strong gust of wind. He didn’t miss the wordless glances his fathers gave each other, nor the concerned looks upon everyone else’s faces.
They were worried about him.
In the past, he had seen patients wake up from a deep self-healing slumber with a false hope that they had slept the injury away and everything was okay. Instead, it was the haunted look in their eyes whenever they tried to control their void appendages that had always bothered him.
Glancing over to his bondmate, he watched Odelm frown as he eyed the other Circuli within the room. Xylo knew he would need the most help between both of them. He was rejected by his first nestqueen and had always needed extra reassurance when it came to his relationship with Selena. Xylo hoped that the musician would listen to their nestqueen and not create any more stress that she didn’t need.
Besides their slight discoloration and missing appendages, they were healthy and stable, and soon they would have the readings to prove it. The clan’s primary concern should be on their unborn daughter, especially since Kaede sired her.
No one had given him any records to study and to see for himself that both mother and offspring were well. So he had to take his medical staff’s word that they were.
Xylo trusted them—and knew they wouldn’t hide anything from him—but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t rather see the results for himself.
While his vines and petal wings were essential for his survival, his instincts demanded for him to put his nestqueen’s health before his own. Selena was the one who had eased his longing to be graced by a nestqueen and included him in her clan. Now that he was her Primary, his drive to protect her from harm had grown worse than what it was before. He didn’t know if it was customary to feel this extreme or if what he felt had to do with the fact that she was taken away from him in such a drastic way.
Even so, he needed answers—and he hoped once Kaede gave Selena the news, he would finally have the opportunity to scan her himself to see the gift the Fates had gifted them.
“Is he well?” Selena asked, glancing over his fathers’ shoulders to try to take a peek at their scanners. “Tell me. Will he be okay?”
Suvax glanced up from the scanner and shot a glance at Yuwal, who nodded in reply.
“His vitals are stable, but he’s a bit malnourished,” Suvax replied. “Other than that, he is well, especially in the condition that he is in. Thankfully, the marks on his back have sealed, and the high thermal readings show stirrings of new limbs starting to form in place of their old ones. It will be a while before they can blossom and expand. Once they blossom, we’ll have to evaluate how to go from there.”
“And Odelm?” she asked, stepping toward the musician.
Oeta and Kaica glanced up from their scanners and nodded.
“The same goes for him too,” Kaica replied. “His vitals are strong. He’s in good condition. It will be a while before his tentacles begin to appear and expand from his back.”
Closing her eyes, Selena let out a deep sigh.
Xylo could feel her relief as it floated through their connection, matching his own.
It was the news he was hoping for, and now that they had it, there would be no reason to worry.
