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Unsure if they heard him over the crowd, he pointed Nadzia, Carol and Payim toward the vehicle, while Cartil pushed the sanative capsule to the waiting medic transport.

Nadzia smiled at him as she followed his lead. Despite her smile he could tell she was nervous. He couldn’t really blame her. It was unnerving having so many people shouting his name from every direction and he was accustomed to it. He tried to smile and occasionally acknowledge them but they weren’t his first priority, not today.

He helped Carol into the conveyance, then turned to assist Nadzia and discovered one of the Conclave’s guards had beat him to it. The male was holding Nadzia’s hand, his other palm resting on the small of her back to help her up the step into the conveyance. A possessive anger overwhelmed him, and he growled, his gaze boring into the male. The guard’s eyes widened, and he wisely stepped away from Nadzia.

“Aculus!” Nadzia reprimanded him as he helped her into the vehicle.

“Please see that crate is taken to my quarters at the Sanctuary.” He pointed the guard toward Tarsus’ carrier.

“Is everything acceptable?” Axilla asked, standing closer than he realized.

“It’s fine,” he swiftly replied.

Axilla’s brow furrowed as she looked from him to the guard.

Get yourself under control,he groaned. The last thing he needed was Axilla noticing he favored Nadzia. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

“Come sit between Tellar and I.” Axilla looped her arm in his and started to tug him away.

He glanced apologetically at Nadzia. “I will see you at Fossa Centratus.”

“Okay.” Nadzia nodded and he shut the door.

“Now, don’t forget the citizens,” Axilla reminded him, smiling and waving to the people as they walked to the lead conveyance.

“Of course, Matron.” He smiled, waved and nodded to the people flanking the street.

“Bringing the human here to be healed is very kind of you. I don’t recall you doing this sort of thing before,” she commented.

That was true. He couldn’t help everyone on his missions. Often, he had to let the people he liberated take care of their own casualties and sometimes that didn’t end the way he’d like it to. Perhaps in this case he had selfish reasons for helping Brennan, though at the time he hadn’t realized Nadzia was his weakness. However, as he considered Axilla’s shrewd expression, it felt like she was fishing for information. Or maybe he was being paranoid.

“Brennan was our liaison with the military on Earth. He is also the sire of two Cadi mates, one of whom inherits leadership should anything happen to the Cadi Daimio,” he explained in a way Axilla would understand, and wouldn’t question his motives.

“Ah yes, I think I read that in your reports. This is good. We must cultivate our alliance with the Cadi and even the remote primitive humans.” Axilla climbed into the open-air conveyance.

Tellar sat down beside him and the caravan of vehicles started the slow progression to the capital city’s main clinic. “Indeed. It is very important we work with fledgling races before degenerates like the Jurou Biljana get their claws in them, twisting their perception of all species.”

“You do realize that referring to them as primitive and fledgling twists their perception of us as well, right?” He glanced from Axilla to Tellar.

“For once can we have a pleasant visit, please,” Axilla bit out between pursed lips as she forced a smile and waved at the crowd.

“Yes. I am sorry,” he sighed. Falling into old habits was too easy. “How is Merus? Why isn’t he here?” he changed the subject.

That was one of the few people he had looked forward to seeing on this trip. As youth they were inseparable. He considered the male a brother even though they were from separate wombs.

“Where is Merus?” Axilla sighed in exasperation. She never understood their connection.

In a way she was right he never asked about his full-blooded sisters, of which there were many. Then again, they kept him apprised of everything going on in their lives, unlike Merus who wasn’t nearly as gabby. But the moment he returned home it was like the old days and they picked up where they left off.

“Merus started his conclave. A trio of sisters. So you can imagine what he’s up to,” Tellar chuckled, looking proud.

“Oh, that’s terrible news. We had a pact we’d never go soft over a female,” Aculus laughed.

“It has its benefits.” Tellar wagged his brows.

He had an inkling of those benefits thanks to Nadzia, but in this particular case he didn’t envy Merus.Sisters—three of them.

Bregma leaned forward. “Merus will be at the gathering later.”