Page 24

KAVAN

T he weight of ancient knowledge pressed upon my shoulders as I stood within the center of the Council Hall. Around me, a circle of Elders sat silently in their carved vashkai chairs, their golden eyes fixed on my face like predators assessing prey. Nothing about this gathering resembled the usual Council sessions—not with what I'd discovered alongside Selene.

"Speak without restriction," Elder Rylis said, his copper-tipped fingers steepled before his face. "Every detail may matter more than you know."

I drew a deep breath, my tail flicking behind me in an involuntary display of tension. "The human settlement has been experimenting with technology that predates our Great Division."

A murmur rippled through the gathering. Several Elders leaned forward, their lifelines showing faintly beneath their skin.

"The facility Selene and I discovered contains neural integration chambers. The markings on the human women—they're not contamination as Hammond believes. They're receivers, connectors." I touched my own lifelines along my wrist. "Like our own, but adapted for human physiology."

"Are you certain of this?" Elder Thaxin asked, his midnight blue skin almost disappearing in the low light. "Or is this merely your interpretation?"

"I witnessed it myself. When Selene interacted with the technology, information transferred directly between our minds—medical knowledge, cultural understanding." I paused, uncertain how to describe the more... intimate aspects of the connection. "The integration bypasses language barriers completely."

Elder Shyla's silver-blue skin caught the light as she shifted in her seat. Unlike the others, her expression remained unreadable, though her eyes never left mine.

"There is more," I continued. "The facility contained medical technology far beyond our current capabilities. Treatments that could aid both our peoples."

"And you believe this ancient technology is meant for sharing with humans?" another Elder challenged, skepticism dripping from every word.

Before I could answer, Lazrin entered the chamber, his copper braids catching the flickering light. His expression looked grim, his movements precise with the urgency of his news.

"Forgive the interruption," he said with a quick bow toward the Council. "My scouts bring troubling reports. Hammond's forces are moving equipment toward the western canyon."

"The western canyon?" Elder Rylis repeated. "There is nothing there but?—"

"The seismic activity revealed previously buried ruins," Lazrin cut in. "Similar in construction to what and Selene described. My scouts watched Hammond's soldiers fortifying the entrance. They've established no base yet, but their activity suggests they intend to excavate—quickly and without care."

I exhaled slowly. "If Hammond discovers more integration technology before we understand its true purpose..."

The door to the Council chamber opened again, and my heart jumped in my chest as Selene entered alongside Mirelle. My lifelines responded instantly to her presence, sending warmth rushing through my veins. She caught my eye, and the corner of her mouth lifted in the subtlest of smiles.

"We've requested your presence, Dr. Carter," Elder Rylis said. "Your perspective on these discoveries may prove invaluable."

Selene stepped forward, her markings subtly visible beneath the sleeves of her clothing. "Thank you for including me in this discussion. The other marked women and I have been comparing notes on our experiences."

"And what conclusions have you reached?" Elder Shyla asked, speaking for the first time since the meeting began.

"The markings appear to enhance natural abilities," Selene said. "In my case, healing. For others, plant affinity or enhanced hearing. But they also seem to be adaptive. Since connecting with through the neural interface, mine have... changed."

I nodded. "As have my lifelines. The patterns have shifted, becoming more complementary."

Elder Shyla rose from her seat, the intricate patterns of her lifelines showing faintly beneath her silver-blue skin. She approached Selene without hesitation and reached for her hand. Selene offered it, palm up.

"These markings..." Elder Shyla traced her finger above Selene's wrist, not quite touching. "They mirror patterns described in our most ancient texts. The Joining of Minds."

I stepped closer. "The Joining of Minds? I've never heard of this."

"Few have," Elder Shyla said. "The knowledge was lost to most during the Great Division. But certain texts survived, passed down through generations of female Nyxari." She turned to address the Council. "Our ancestors worked alongside other species, sharing knowledge through direct neural pathways rather than through imperfect translations."

"That contradicts our oldest traditions," another Elder protested. "The texts clearly state that our knowledge is sacred, meant only for Nyxari minds."

"Perhaps you misinterpreted the texts," Elder Shyla suggested, her voice gentle but firm. “Or perhaps those who survived the Great Division chose to protect what little remained by restricting access, allowing parts of our more ancient, collaborative history to fade. The trauma of the Division changed us, isolated us."

Across the room, Lazrin and Mirelle exchanged a look. I recognized that silent communication—something beyond words passing between them.

"Could this solve our language barrier?" Lazrin asked. "If these markings truly facilitate direct understanding..."

"The translation stones serve us adequately," an Elder protested.

Mirelle stepped forward. "With respect, they're limited. Technical concepts, cultural nuances—so much is lost. Even now, I hear the edges of your words differently than they're spoken."

Murmurs rose among the Council members, some agreeable, others clearly resistant.

Elder Shyla raised her hand for silence. "I propose a test." She turned toward me. ", you and Selene have already experienced integration through the ancient technology. I know of a ritual—a strengthening of pathways. If performed, it might deepen the connection already established between you."

My tail flicked with anticipation. "I would volunteer for such a test."

"As would I," Selene said without hesitation.

Elder Shyla studied us both, her ancient eyes searching our faces. "The ritual is intimate. It will enhance what already exists between you—for better or worse."

I glanced at Selene, finding her gaze already on mine. Something passed between us—understanding, desire, the promise of more.

"We understand," Selene said, her voice steady despite the flush spreading across her cheeks. I had seen her steady under fire, relentless in crisis—but this quiet bravery struck me harder than anything before. She wasn’t deferring to me, and she wasn’t performing. She was choosing to meet the unknown beside me. Equal. Unafraid.

Elder Shyla nodded. "Then we shall proceed at once."

The ritual chamber lay deeper within the settlement, a space rarely used in recent generations. Smooth vashkai walls curved overhead, their living stone surface etched with ancient patterns that showed faintly in the dim light. In the center, a shallow basin carved from the floor contained clear water that reflected our faces as we approached.

Elder Shyla directed Selene and me to kneel on opposite sides of the basin. Around us, a small group had gathered to witness—the Council Elders, Lazrin and Mirelle, and a few traditional healers who still looked skeptical of the entire procedure.

"Remove your upper garments," Elder Shyla instructed. "The connection must flow unimpeded between your lifelines and markings."

I unlaced my healer's vest without hesitation, placing it aside. Selene removed her human clothing more slowly, her eyes darting to the observers before settling back on me. When she pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her upper body covered only by a thin band of fabric across her breasts, my mouth went dry. The markings swirled across her collarbone, down her arms, tracing patterns that seemed to call to my own golden lifelines.

Elder Shyla moved between us, dropping fragrant oils into the basin. The water clouded, then cleared, taking on a faint luminescence.

"Place your hands in the water," she instructed. "Let your minds open to one another."

I dipped my hands into the basin, Selene's fingers meeting mine beneath the surface. The water felt unexpectedly warm, almost alive against my skin.

Elder Shyla began to speak in the ancient dialect, words flowing like water, rising and falling in rhythm with her movements as she circled us. From hidden pockets in her robes, she scattered powdered crystals over the basin. They dissolved on contact with the water, sending spirals of color swirling around our submerged hands.

"Breathe together," Elder Shyla instructed. "Let your heartbeats synchronize."

I focused on Selene's breathing, the rise and fall of her chest, until our breaths matched perfectly. Heat spread from my hands up my arms, my lifelines beginning to pulse with golden light that reflected in the water.

Selene gasped softly. Her markings responded, shimmering brighter, reaching toward mine like vines seeking the sun.

Elder Shyla continued her chant, her voice dropping lower as she placed her hands upon our shoulders. Energy surged through me—not painful, but intense, as if something long dormant awoke beneath my skin.

The water in the basin began to swirl without any physical movement, coalescing into spiraling patterns that matched the convergence of our markings. I looked up from the water to Selene's face and found her eyes dilated, lips parted, her expression mirroring the desire building within me.

"Your minds now touch," Elder Shyla said softly. "But they can join more deeply still. What do you see of each other?"

"Everything," Selene whispered.

And she spoke truth. I saw through her eyes—felt her wonder at Arenix's alien beauty, her passion for healing, her fears of losing herself in this transformation. More intimate still, I experienced her desire for me, the heat that had built between us since our first meeting.

In return, I knew she saw my struggle between healer and warrior, my loneliness before finding her, and the primal need that grew stronger with each passing moment.

Around us, Elder Shyla's chanting intensified. The water between our hands began to emit light so brightly that it illuminated the entire chamber. My lifelines surged with golden fire that raced through my veins, heightening every sensation.

Selene's silver markings pulsed in perfect counterpoint, and when our eyes met again, I knew she felt what I felt—the overwhelming need to complete what this ritual had begun.

Elder Shyla spoke one final phrase, then stepped back. The water in the basin stilled, though the light remained. "The bond is strengthened," she announced. "If you wish to test its limits, you must do so in private."

I barely heard the observing Elders' reactions or Mirelle's surprised intake of breath. All I saw was Selene—her skin flushed, her markings shimmering, her eyes dark with need that matched my own.

Without conscious thought, I rose to my feet and rounded the basin. I lifted Selene into my arms in a single fluid motion. Her damp hands clutched my shoulders, her body pressed against the bare skin of my chest. The contact sent another surge of heat through my lifelines.

"My dwelling," was all I managed to say, my voice rough with restraint.

No one attempted to stop us as I carried her from the chamber, my strides long and purposeful. Selene pressed her face against my neck, her breath hot against my skin. Each exhale sent shivers down my spine and made my tail twitch with anticipation.

My dwelling stood apart from the others, built into a living copse of trees at the settlement's edge. I pushed through the door with my shoulder, kicking it closed behind us. The interior lay dark except for the glow of our markings, illuminating our path to the sleeping platform.

I set Selene on her feet, and she immediately reached for me, her fingers tracing the golden lifelines across my chest. The sensation shot straight through me, hardening my ridges beneath my clothing.

"I can feel what you feel," she whispered, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's... overwhelming."

I caught her hands, bringing them to my mouth to kiss her palms. "Tell me to stop and I will."

Her laugh came out breathless. "If you stop now, I might actually die."

That was all I needed. I claimed her mouth with mine, tasting her deeply as my hands roamed down her back. The thin band covering her breasts presented no challenge—I hooked a finger beneath it and tore the fabric with a single sharp tug.

Selene gasped against my mouth, the sound turning to a moan as I cupped her breasts, feeling their weight in my palms. Her nipples hardened at my touch, and through our shared connection, I felt her pleasure as if it were my own.

"Too many clothes," she muttered, reaching for the fastenings of my lower garments. Her hands trembled with urgency, fumbling with the unfamiliar closures.

I solved the problem by simply ripping them open, the material giving way beneath my strength. Selene's eyes widened at the sight of my fully aroused length, the dual ridges along its sides pulsing with the same golden glow as my lifelines.

"I'm never going to get used to that," she said, her voice catching. "I'm not sure that I want to."

I spun her around, pressing her back against my chest as my hands worked at removing her remaining clothing. My tail curled possessively around her ankle as I nipped at her neck, tasting the salt of her skin.

When the last of her clothing fell away, I guided her to the sleeping platform, laying her across the soft bedding. In the darkness, our glowing markings painted patterns across our skin, illuminating every curve and plane of her body.

"You're beautiful," I told her, kneeling between her thighs. "Every time I see you it takes my breath away."

My hands traced up her legs, following the path of her markings. When I reached the junction of her thighs, I found her already slick with desire. I slid my fingers through her folds, circling the sensitive bud at their apex.

Selene arched against my hand, a breathy cry escaping her lips. Through our connection, I felt her pleasure—the tension building low in her belly, the need spiraling tighter with each stroke of my fingers.

I lowered my mouth to her center, tasting her for the first time. Sweet and salt and something uniquely Selene flooded my senses. My tongue traced patterns against her flesh, mimicking the swirls of her markings.

Her hands clutched at my hair, guiding me, urging me deeper. I slipped two fingers inside her as my tongue continued its work, feeling her inner walls clench around the intrusion.

"," she gasped, her hips lifting toward my mouth. "I can feel—it's like?—"

I knew what she meant. Through our connection, each sensation doubled, rebounded between us. Her pleasure fed mine, creating a loop of escalating desire that threatened to consume us both.

When I curled my fingers inside her, finding the spot that made her cry out, her markings flared with such intensity that they cast shadows across the walls. Her release crashed through her—through us both—even as I continued to taste her, to draw out every last tremor of pleasure.