His eyes did not meet mine as his tail flicked. “You could sit next to me if you desired, Mate.”
“I’m fine.”
“As you will.”
I picked through the offerings, not glancing in his direction. I chose what I thought was a green grape, though it tasted closer to a watermelon. We both ate as Lucy raced around the room before she flopped against my side, falling asleep.
“Is your name really ‘Kalvoxrencol?’”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“It’s long.”
“I’m a prince.” He lifted his hands, palm up. I didn’t know what that meant.
“Can I call you something else?”
“You may call me whatever you like.”
“Kal?”
His forehead wrinkled and his lips thinned, but the expression disappeared so quickly, I couldn’t be sure it had even been there. His tail stopped moving and flopped to the ground near his thigh. “You wish to call me that?”
“Is that bad?”
He tilted his head to the side, baring his throat. “You are my mate, and as such, you may call me whatever you wish.”
“Okay,” I said slowly. I was almost positive I’d missed something.
I gaped at my mate, who barely ate. Kal. He wanted to call me Kal. A one-letter name of no importance. Was that my worth to him?
He smiled and nibbled on some bread.
A peace I’d never felt before settled on my soul. Seth was here. He was talking. If he wanted to call me Kal, I would allow it. If he kept remaining present, any price was worth it.
Over breakfast, Kal offered to give me a tour. I didn’t want to leave the apartment, but at the same time, this opportunity would never come again. I mean I couldn’t be abducted by aliens twice, right? In the end, I agreed. If nothing else, a tour would allow me to get a better grasp of the ship and the different people on board.
As we started to leave, I paused by the door. What if Lucy got out?
He stopped by my side, tail brushing the back of my calf. When I didn’t shift away, his tail curled around my ankle. “Are you well?”
“Will someone come in here while we’re gone?”
“Why do you ask?”
“What if Lucy escapes?” I asked in a quiet voice. My shoulders hunched clear to my ears as I waited for his response.
“I hadn’t thought about that. NAID?”
She appeared, and I started. NAID wasn’t wearing her old lady appearance. Instead, her face was a bland outline of a drakcol. I couldn’t tell whether the depiction was male or female, not that it mattered. Come to think of it, NAID might not identify as a female despite her appearance. Something I’d forgotten to ask.
“Yes, Prince?”
“Place a shield over the door. Lucy is not allowed to leave,” Kal said.
“Understood.”
“That is all.”
