My gaze snapped to his face, sensing…sorrowin our bond. “Yes,” I answered truthfully, knowing full well that wasn’t what he—whateitherof us—wanted to hear.
Because you’re not a Stellarian.
Nowmysorrow joined his, but it didn’t change how I felt.
“You are still my mate,” I firmly reminded him. “My stellar collision.”
Until I return to the stars.
“I know, Zig.” Micah smiled gratefully although he sounded tired. “I guess I just feel like the odd Earthling out in our alien polycule.”
Alien polycule?!
He snickered at my horrified expression, even if I had to admit it was an accurate assessment of the unprecedented relationship he and I had with Gabriel.
It also gave me an idea.
“If I leftmoreof my core inside you—similar to how the twins were created…” I casually mused, attempting to mask howferalthe idea made me. “I wonder if that may allow you to access some of my abilities, like?—”
“Real tendrils?!” he shouted, accidentally startling Pedro into stillness. “That would be way cooler than the wannabe tendrils I made?—”
“Your tendrils areperfect!”I snarled, eliciting a squawk from Pedro, who then blinked up at both of us with concern.
Do they… think we’re fighting?
While I could admit I’d felt called to protect and comfort Theo’s stellar collisions during our recent excursion on Earth, I could at least blame that reaction on the resonance we shared.
Yet, here I was, suddenlycompelledto stop a random, newly-hatched alien with zero connection to me from being upset.
What is happening to me?!
Before I could tamp it down, my resonance hummed soothingly, causing Micah’s chest to glow in response.
Then, so did Pedro’s.
What.
“Oh!” Micah exclaimed, gently pawing at the creature’s layers of fur once again.“That’swhat I wanted to show you. Our baby is glowing!”
Our.
Baby.
I could only stare, slack-jawed, at the reddish glow emanating from the center of Pedro’s chest, pulsing in time with their happy trilling sounds.
“Do you think there’s a Stellarian in there?” Micah whispered, looking far too invested in the idea.
For science, no doubt.
Unleashing an invisible tendril to hover over Pedro, I discreetly tested the air for the minuscule energetic surges certain creatures gave off, but I sensed nothing more than the usual vibrations found among my fellow space travelers.
Which doesn’t mean much, considering how insidious some of us are.
I cleared my throat and warily glanced at Micah. “It would help if I could get inside and take a look around…”
He cocked his head, observing me silently for a moment. “Are you asking for permission?”
I huffed, not appreciating how observant he was at this moment. “Well, yes. I can’t askthem,so it seemed the polite thing to do.”
