“I was wandering around the capital and saw Urgg.”
I didn’t know why that was a problem. I knew Urgg well. They were mated to Captain Talvax, who was a friend of the family—Talvax had grown up with my mother. She and Urgg were staying in the capital until the Admiral Ven’s updates were completed, and I expected to see them often, especially since Urgg was Seth’s oravirven—the one who would guide Seth through being a Crystal-bound mate with Kalvoxrencol.
“When I was leaving their home, I saw a woman,” Caleb said, staring at my plants.
“And?”
“She went to a medical facility, and I saw a ghost.”
“Was the spirit mean to you?”
“No,” Caleb said with a shake of his head. “His body was still alive. Brain dead, the doctor said.”
I’d read about something similar from one of my predecessors. They’d tried for months to reunite the body and soul, but nothing worked. Eventually, the soul had passed on.
“He was upset,” I surmised.
“I couldn’t do anything to help, but he needed to talk, and he…”
I waited for him to continue, but Caleb remained silent, which was odd for him. In the short time I’d known him, he seldom stopped talking. “He what?”
“He moved on. Right in front of me.”
Once again, I approached before I’d even thought about it. “Are you well?”
He lifted and lowered his shoulders. I desperately needed to ask Kalvoxrencol if he knew what that meant. I would research it myself, but the Cohort and the Council of Seekers had restricted access to the knowledge taken from Earth. Those mated to humans, Kalvoxrencol, and select scientists, such as Doctor Qinlin who was caring for Seth’s medical needs, were allowed access to the information. In a few months, or perhaps in a cycle, the information would become available to all.
“He asked me to watch over his sister.” His blue eyes met mine, so full of sadness and guilt that my instincts demanded I gather him into my arms and soothe away every line of stress. “If I had managed to convince him to stay, would you have been able to… I don’t know, shove his soul and body back together?”
“No,” I replied instantly, trying to lessen his guilt. “There is no way, as far as I’m aware.”
Caleb sagged. “Thank you for that.”
“You don’t need to thank me.” My wings rustled against my back.
His face lifted, and I swallowed, looking down at him. “I do,” Caleb said in a low voice. “I felt horrible all night, and now, you made me feel better.”
“I’m glad,” I choked out and swayed toward him, mouth dry. My chest brushed his, and a cold, fizzy feeling started, hardening my nipples, which brought me back to reality. I was crossing a boundary. I stepped back, hands fisting. “I need to apologize.”
“For what?”
“For pressuring you yesterday to move on. It’s your decision. We’d barely met, and I tried to force you to do something you weren’t ready for. I must apologize. I would like to help you, though, in whatever capacity you need, Caleb.”
“It’s fine,” he said. “We’re getting to know each other. It’s not a problem. There are bound to be snarls.”
What did growling have to do with this situation? Unless he was angry? He didn’t act mad.
“But,” Caleb continued, “we’ll figure it out. It’ll be fine. I have so many questions, and no doubt some will be inappropriate, so I’ll have to apologize. It’s normal. I think. I mean that’s how it was with my friends back when I was alive. We’re people, and we’re doing the best we can. At least I am. I think most people are.”
Something relaxed inside of me. He was talking again.
“Besides—” he broke off.
“Yes?”
“I think it might be time for me to move on. Meeting Yolkeltod made me realize that I can’t watch ghosts vanish time and time again and that I don’t want to be stuck here forever. It’s time for me to go to whatever comes after this, even if it’s nothing.”
Something hard formed in my stomach at the thought of Caleb disappearing, but I said, “I will help you.”
