Sitting up, I nodded. “Please.”
Both males unwrapped their appendages from me and led me off the large nestbed to the sitting area on the side. A long jade-colored couch—which seemed to be able to sit four easily—hugged two sets of purple chairs and a large display table, similar to those at the Zero G-Spot.
Odelm used his tablet while Xylo fumbled with what I assumed was the vid-screen hanging from the wall. The display flickered as a loading circle appeared, spinning. Xylo sighed and stepped away, sitting next to me.
The screen blacked out, and two familiar faces appeared, stress apparent by their expressions. V’dim’s coloring was off—gone was his bold, dark, water-like patterns. Instead, he appeared ashen, almost gray. Both of their eyes were dim as they scanned the room.
When their eyes met mine, both sighed in relief.
“Selena…” V’dim murmured. “I… We…”
Z’fir placed a hand on V’dim’s shoulder, silencing him. “Selena… Are you well?”
“I should ask both of you…” I breathed. “I am well, but… you aren’t.” Odelm placed a hand on mine, squeezing it. I could feel him trying to calm me—ground me—to prevent me from crying in front of the princes. It may have been an accident, but somehow I felt it was my fault. I should have waited or asked to be their nestqueen when we weren’t pressured for time. Nevertheless, I was the one who severed the court bond from them and caused them so much turmoil. V’dim’s coloring was extremely off.
“V’dim… Z’fir… I am sorry.” I paused as Xylo wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. “I don’t know who told you what, but I didn’t mean to sever my court bonds with either of you—not after making such a display and working so hard to get your crew a new home.” I took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I tried to sort through the words I wanted to say but didn’t know how to say.
“Mwe was trying to teach me how to strengthen my walls and repel others from within my shields. I didn’t know my temporary connections with the both of you would be harmed in any way, or I wouldn’t have attempted it. My focus was on the task at hand, and with my exhaustion, I didn’t notice the disconnection,” I explained, squeezing Odelm’s hand tightly. “It wasn’t my goal for any of this to happen… and I don’t want you to think any ill thoughts from this incident.”
“Zirene tried to explain what happened, filling in as many details as he could,” V’dim explained.
“He was surprised to hear from us so soon after we left.” Z’fir glanced at the nestmates sitting next to me for a moment before meeting my gaze once again. “Odelm and Xylo confirmed what happened, but it eases my mind hearing it from you.”
“Will you accept us again?” V’dim asked, his voice laced with a yearning.
I turned and faced Xylo. “Is it possible? Can a nestqueen reestablish a court bond with a male they recently rejected?”
“I don’t recall ever coming across such an event in the recorded medical history, but severed males are capable of bonding with another. Odelm is proof of that rare occurrence.”
“You’re saying there is hope, then?”
Xylo bobbed his head, pursing his mouth in thought. “I would give it a high possibility it can be done.” He locked his eyes with mine. “I don’t want to pressure you, but… it would probably give better results if you accepted their bonding spores and completely accepted them.”
“Would their bodies be… biologically prepared to do that?”
Xylo gazed behind me, moving his attention to Odelm.
“You still have a great need to protect and procreate, correct? Even after being severed for over five years, if Selena asked you to be her nestmate and complete the bond without hesitation, do you believe you would be able to do so?”
“Yes—without a doubt.”
Xylo nodded and turned to address the princes. Their faces seemed to have brightened some from the news. V’dim’s coloring was slowly returning to normal but remained dull, not its usual vibrancy.
“Then I don’t see why she can’t take you in once again.”
“Will you have us? Can we join your clan once more?” V’dim asked.
“You don’t have to take us if you don’t want to, Selena. We understand you only accepted us into your clan to protect us from our sisters and give our crew a place to call home.”
“We don’t want to pressure you…”
“Pressure?” I asked, not believing what they just said. Istood up and walked toward the vid-screen, staring directly at the Circuli princes. “Listen to me carefully… you will get here as quickly—and safely—as possible. And when you arrive, I will claim you in front of your crew if I have to. Do you hear me?”
“Selena…”
“No. Call me nestqueen because that is what I am, and your nestqueen wants you here as soon as possible.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
