Wyn’s tail writhed. “I’m fine.”
“You’re more than fine.”
Camden smiled. “He is.”
Wyn’s tail moved faster as he bounced Bobbinvoxlyn, who wouldn’t stop fussing.
“I quite like being friends with him,” Camden said, grinning. “Great, great friends,” he said again, looking directly at me. I blinked. Was he attempting to claim Wyn? Camden would have to fight me for him, and I would crush him. “I’m so glad you came with us on this walk, Monty. I think having a group like this is so much better.”
“Quite,” I replied.
“Oh,” Camden said, pushing Wyn toward me.
I caught Wyn’s shoulders, my tail grasping his for the barest moment by instinct before releasing him. Bobbinvoxlyn screeched such a racket that several people turned to us. Wyn bounced him, patting his back. I pulled them closer, running a hand over the kit.
“Are you well?” I asked Wyn while glaring at Camden who was smiling innocently, his eyes darting between Wyn and I.
“I am fine.” His tail brushed mine before darting away.
The minuscule touch was enough to send my soul racing. I swallowed, staring down at Wyn while he looked straight up at me. The crying vanished. The crowd disappeared. Nothing remained besides Wyn and me, just us. Together. Like we were meant to be.
Not yet, not yet, not yet, but soon, my inner fire whispered.
“Sorry,” Camden said loudly. “Someone came too close to me, and I was afraid of knocking into them.”
“I understand,” I replied. “Seth has much the same issue with crowds and people touching him. Though, in the future, you shouldn’t shove Wyn or someone, especially when they are holding a kit, lest they get hurt.”
“Of course. My bad.” Camden smirked at us. “Nox!”
Noxlyn appeared as if out of thin air, and I contained a frown. He was blessed with a rather rare inner fire—the ability to hide in plain sight. Unless you were looking for him, he could vanish from your sight. It was dangerous in many respects, as he could potentially enter restricted areas, since NAID was never purposefully searching for him, though he had told me of his inner fire himself when he came aboard. Now, NAID was monitoring restricted areas for him specifically, but I truly didn’t think it was a needed precaution. He mainly used his inner fire to study the humans unnoticed.
Personally, I saw nothing wrong with Noxlyn using his inner fire in such a manner, but I knew my cousins wouldn’t agree with me if they knew. But then again, both Serlotminden and Kalvoxrencol had human mates, which made them biased on the matter.
Camden draped an arm over Noxlyn’s shoulders with a wide grin that felt more real than any I’d seen from him. “Funny seeing you here.”
“Not really,” Noxlyn replied, eyes flicking to Bobbinvoxlyn.
Apparently, the first human/drakcol kit merited study for him. Kalvoxrencol could never know of Noxlyn’s gift, or threats, violence, and a challenge would ensue.
“And look who’s with me, Monty and Wyn.Together.” Camden emphasized the last word and waved at us.
As far as I was aware, Noxlyn didn’t have a visual impairment, so he knew of mine and Wyn’s presences. Perhaps something had developed recently. If so, it hadn’t been logged and reported to me properly. I would have to ask Qinlin about it. All of the crew and civilians' health fell under my purview, and I wanted to keep everyone healthy while also providing support as needed.
“That means little,” Noxlyn replied, crossing his arms.
“I don’t know. I think your bracelet and data collection would look really nice in my quarters,” Camden remarked.
Noxlyn snorted, but he placed a hand over a finely crafted silver bracelet embedded with deep red jeptil stones that glittered constantly, as if lit from an internal source. It was a lovely and expensive piece of jewelry that no doubt his father had bought for him. Fynlincoxmin spoiled his kit excessively.
I glanced at Wyn, wondering if he knew what was going on, but he lifted one of his hands, palm up, in clear confusion. No matter. Camden and Noxlyn seemed to have developed a friendship, which was good—for everyone.
Camden whispered something to Noxlyn, who frowned, which, in turn, made Camden smile brighter. Something about the two of them together relaxed me. They were friends, which I believed Camden needed desperately, as did Noxlyn. Fynlincoxmin had kept Noxlyn close most of his life, not allowing the young drakcol to spread his wings and meet new people and see new places.
My eyes flicked to Wyn, who still stood in front of me. Would he become a close friend I needed? My inner fire told me nothing different, and yet, friendship wasn’t what I craved.
Chapter 14
An accidental outing.
