“Morning?” I grumbled as I rubbed my sleep-crusted eyes.
“Morning, Selena. I know I said I would bring you breakfast, but there has been a development. I am sorry to disturb your rest, but you are needed at the hangar bay,” Xyloapologized. “I will show you around the ship and let you choose a dining hall for breakfast after we are done.”
I groaned. Couldn’t a girl sleep in?
At leasthehadn’t lied; the special escort must be sitting in the hangar bay.
Biting my bottom lip, I eyed Xylo a moment before responding.
“We need to talk, but it seems now is not the time. What do I need before we go to the hangar bay?”
He let out a deep breath that I hadn’t noticed he was holding and gave me a small smile as his pupilless eyes brightened.
“Just yourself. Are you ready?”
I inspected my blue gown and tried to smooth some of the wrinkles.
“As ready as I can be.” I shrugged and exited the room. A whoosh sounded behind me as the door shut. I looked at Xylo. “Ready when you are.”
He smiled. “Follow me. We must hurry. Everyone is waiting.”
Hurrying might be a problem in my current state. I looked at Xylo for a moment in consideration, then hooked my arm through his.
“Lead the way,” I said, returning his earlier smile.
Xylo looked down at our linked arms, then up at me in shock.
“I don’t trust myself walking long distances yet—especially if we’re in a hurry. My muscles are stiff, and I still feel a little unsteady. Just make sure I don’t trip, and we’ll be all right.”
His vines shivered though they remained wrapped around his torso. He nodded. “I will not let anything happen to you.”
An awkward silence fell as we walked.
Last night’s argument must have hurt him more than I’dthought. It wasn’t the time to hash it all out, but maybe there was something I could do to ease him... Searching my mental shields, I found the strand that connected us and unblocked him.
I bit my lip as I studied Xylo out of the corner of my eye. He was staring at me. He must’ve sensed the change. I felt one of his vines—cool and smooth against my skin—snake around the arm hooked in his. Glancing down, I saw the flowered tip wrap itself around the silver bracelet.
He smiled.
We approached a set of large metallic double doors. They opened with a whoosh as we walked in front of the sensors.
The hanger bay was enormous.
A cargo shuttle hulked near the hanger door we’d just stepped through. On the landing strip sat a sleek black ship, slightly larger than the numerous fighters lining the walls. A cluster of people stood alongside the dark ship.
I screeched to a halt when I examined the group.
Xylo looked down at me in concern.
I recognized everyone who’d been in my room last night, but there were many others. The variations were overwhelming, and I needed to pause a moment to take it all in.
I was able to identify the two Circuli species. Xylo’s Wudox—with plant-like bodies and six vines—bore similarities to the aquatic aliens who’d invaded my room last night—though the latter had four tentacles. They must be the Ulax sister species. The two species varied widely in color, pattern, and texture, but both wielded natural blades somewhere on their bodies.
What struck me was the difference in Xylo’s appearance. Where his coloring and patterns reminded me of space, every other Wudox I could see looked more like plants. We had more in common than I’d thought. We each looked unlikeothers of our species. I wondered if he’d been subjected to the same isolation it had caused me.
Xylo silently watched me examine the other Wudox, looking from them to him. He carefully unwrapped the vine from my arm, a strained look on his face, then slid his arm free.
“I understand if you—”
