“The Council of Seekers doesn’t want me and Kal to take Bob with us. They want us to leave him here.”
“Why?” I couldn’t picture Kal or Seth leaving their kid, who was only a few weeks old alone, for over a year.
“He’s the first hybrid. They don’t know how he’s going to age or if any genetic problems will appear. Dr. Qinlin will be on theAdmiral Venand so will Klars, but that might not be enough. I’m terrified something will happen to Bob, but I can’t leave him. But Earth needs me too.”
I draped an arm over his shoulders. “Bob is fine.”
While I couldn’t promise the future, that kid was happy and active—way more so than a human baby after only a few weeks. The kid was aging like a drakcol so far, which was probably a good thing. Human newborns didn’t do much other than sleep, shit, and cry.
“I’m not going to tell you not to worry. Of course you’re scared, but I think you and Kal are right. He should go with you, and you do need to go, Seth. We have to protect Earth and keep anyone else from getting abducted.”
“Thanks.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “I think I needed to hear that.” He started to pack again. The ship was leaving sooner rather than later. Earth needed to be protected and the Vvekian Authority was sending ships to travel with theAdmiral Ven—they would meet part way.
“So,” I started, “can you take me to the Grand Sanctuary?”
He sighed. “Why doIhave to take you?”
“I can visit without you, but the Ranks won’t let us humans appeal to the Crystal whenever we want anymore.”
At first, any human could appeal at any time, but a huge population of drakcol complained. They couldn’t appeal willy nilly—no one could, besides royalty. The general populace had to wait for one of four days per year when they could be presented to the Crystal. The Cohort ruled humans would have to do the same as any other citizen. But if Seth went, as a prince consort and beloved of the Ranks and Cohort alike, they would grant me permission. It was weird how much people catered to Seth. He would never take advantage of it, being far too kind, but I was more than happy to.
“So you want to skirt the rules?”
“This shocks you?” I asked, smirking.
“Not really.” He chuckled. “Why do you have to do it now? Why not wait?”
“Kal said he thinks it will help Don calm down if we’re bound.”
“So wait until he comes back,” Seth commented, chucking even more baby crap, including several adorable teddy bears, into a metal crate. Really, how much shit did one kid need? This seemed excessive, but I supposed my nephew deserved anything and everything. He was Seth’s kid after all.
“What if he’s not my mate?”
Holding a blanket to his chest, he asked, “Do you think that’s possible?”
“I don’t know.” I really didn’t, but I had shit-tastic luck. “If he’s not, I want to break the human or drakcol’s heartbeforehe comes home.”
“And if they're not on this planet?”
“Then I’ll tell Don, and I still break the fucker’s heart. As far as I’m concerned, no one but Don will ever touch or see my ass again. He’s it.”
“Not how I would put it,” Seth remarked, blushing.
“It’s how I say it.” It was the truth. Don was it. He was the only person I would ever want. I didn’t care if the Crystal chose someone else, I would not accept them. For the rest of my life, I would have one person, so if I had anothersoulmatethey were fuck out of luck. Don was mine, and I was Don’s.
Seth glanced at me, lips pursed. He had an inordinate need to please people. I didn’t want to take advantage of it. Seth was far too important for me to use like a common household appliance. Yet… I needed him to take me. I wouldn’t have access any other way. Don could seek the Crystal when he returned, but he wouldn’t, because he wouldn’t want to trap me. My Dontilvynsan was exceedingly self-sacrificing.
No. I had to do this. I had to be the one who chose him.
He shoved a hand through his hair, making the brown strands stick up. “Fine. I will go, even though they’ll want to talk to me.” His face scrunched like he couldn’t think of anything worse. In his defense, I didn’t want to talk to anyone from the Ranks either.
“Thanks.”
With a small smile, he said, “I would do anything for you, Vince.”
I impulsively wrapped my arms around him, not flinching too hard when he returned the hug. I planted a kiss on his cheek with a loud smack before I said, “Thank you. I would do anything for you too.”
We headed out of the palace to the Grand Sanctuary, which was on the grounds. I’d never been inside the towering glass structure, which almost looked like a church with its steep roof, nor had I seen the Crystal. When I’d been soul tested after our arrival, along with all of the other new humans except Teddy, who’d plain refused, a priest had merely held a square piece of glowing glass for us to touch. There had been no need to see theCrystal. Some of the other humans had gone for curiosity’s sake—it was a giant floating rock—but I hadn’t cared.
