6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Two humans converse.

Caleb beamed at Seth, and something dark and hot curled in my gut at his expression. It was possible that Caleb had grown fond of Seth over their six-month journey from Earth on the Admiral Ven. Maybe more than fond. The tightness returned with more force this time, but I banished it.

Seth was mated to Kalvoxrencol. That would never change. Drakcol mated for life. That fact didn’t comfort me. Though why would his possible infatuation with Seth bother me? It shouldn’t. It didn’t.

“Tell him I said hello,” Caleb said.

What an illustrious start to a conversation, but I dutifully translated.

“Where is he?” Seth asked. I gestured to the space beside him, and he said, “Hi. How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“I’m twenty-nine,” Seth replied. “How long have you been dead?” He paled. “I’m sorry. That was rude. You don’t have to tell me.”

Caleb patted his arm, though his fingers slid through Seth’s bulky black jacket. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not sure how long it’s been. The cycles have blurred together.”

“What year did you die?”

He rattled off some numbers that had no meaning to me, but I told Seth, who bobbed his head. “So twenty-three years depending on what time of year you died.”

“It’s been that long?” His eyes turned distant while his voice radiated sadness.

Unable to stop it, I slid off the stool and crouched in front of him. “Are you alright, Caleb?”

His gaze lifted to mine, and a sudden urge to cup his cheek or wrap my tail around his wrist burned through me. My hands fisted at my sides while my tail flicked. Touching him was impossible.

“I’m fine,” he said. Caleb turned toward Seth, who stared in his general direction. “What do you miss most about Earth?”

Seth leaned against Kalvoxrencol, who in turn wrapped his arms around his waist. “It’s hard to pick. I miss a lot, and not so much, if that makes sense.”

“It does.” Caleb bounced, standing in front of Seth. I pointed so Seth would know where he was. “I miss...” I had no idea what that word was, but I did my best to imitate the same sounds, forcing out a beear .

Seth frowned, clearly not understanding. Caleb put his thumb to his mouth, three middle fingers curled to his palm and littlest finger out, and swallowed. I copied the motion.

“Oh, beer! Yeah, I miss that. Oh god, I miss food from Earth.”

“Me too,” Caleb said.

Snuggling against Kalvoxrencol, Seth said, “I miss a lot.”

My brother winced, and fiery anger pulsed in my chest at Seth’s careless words. He was distressing Kalvoxrencol. My little brother acted more sure of himself than he actually was.

“Surely you don’t miss that much,” I snapped.

Seth started, and Kalvoxrencol growled at me, his tail winding around Seth’s wrist. “I miss a lot, but I’m happy I stayed,” Seth replied, shoulders tense.

“Leave him alone,” Caleb yelled. “He’s allowed to miss home.”

Caleb started crowding Seth while Kalvoxrencol glared at me, but I returned his look. Kalvoxrencol was my little brother, and I would protect him whenever possible. For most of our lives, he’d protected me, even though I was older. Now, I would make sure his mate’s callous words didn’t injure him.

Kalvoxrencol whispered something in Seth’s ear, and he relaxed.

“At least you have Lucy,” Caleb commented.

Seth glanced at Kalvoxrencol. “Kal brought her with me.”

“We could hardly leave your house god behind,” he said with an equally fond look at his mate.

“House god,” Caleb repeated. “Am I understanding that correctly? A house like a dwelling and a god that is worshiped?”

“Yes,” I said.

“The cultural law of Earth. You can’t move a cat when they’re sleeping on you. It doesn’t matter if you're going to work or have an appointment,” Kalvoxrencol explained. “It’s quite the epidemic, as I understand it. Shouldn’t you know that?”

Caleb stared at Seth, who looked at the floor, cheeks bright red. A sly smile pulled at Caleb’s lips. “Yes, I remember. It has been so long since I was on Earth, so I forgot for a moment.”

“I understand,” my brother replied.

“Yeah, humans worship cats,” Caleb said. “One of our cultures even has massive statues of cats. Humans are all about cats. I always wanted one, but my parents were… I don't know how to say it. They couldn’t healthwise have one.”

“Allergic,” Seth supplied.

“Yep,” Caleb said. “I don’t know the Drakconese word.” I supplied it for him, and he continued, “So am I.”

“It’s sad your parents and yourself are allergic to your house gods,” Kalvoxrencol commented.

“Yep,” Caleb said, still looking at Seth, who was red. “So sad. So very very sad.”

Clearing his throat, Seth asked, “How did you get here?”

Plopping onto the floor, Caleb crossed his legs and began to tell his story. “So I died young, and after I haunted my family for a while, I decided to explore Earth. Why not, right?” He lifted and lowered his shoulders. I needed to ask Kalvoxrencol if he knew what that meant. “I was exploring, and there were these aliens with oblong heads literally sucking up spiders. I took one look at their ship, and I knew I had to see what was out there. So I jumped aboard.”

Seth’s mouth fell open. “You went aboard?”

“Yep,” Caleb said, knees bouncing. “They hung around Earth for a couple of weeks putting more spiders in containers, then they left. Their ship made awful noises as they traveled. A few minutes later, they arrived at a space station.”

“A few minutes?” Seth asked. “It took us six months to get here from Earth.”

My brother replied, “Some species travel faster than we do. I believe Caleb is describing the xoi. They have slipstream technology that allows them to travel faster than anyone else.”

Caleb started talking again. “I was on their space station for a few months. No one was coming or going. They were doing experiments on spiders. They made them the size of...” he trailed off. Instead of saying anything, he formed an approximate shape that was more than twice his width and about half his height.

Seth shivered.

“The spiders killed everyone. The main power on the ship failed. I spent months running in the dark from the spiders. Even though they couldn’t touch me, it was terrifying, because they saw me. Different types of aliens came, trying to contain them, but they all died. Eventually, one alien got away, and I joined him on his shuttle.”

“That’s horrifying,” Seth said.

“Yep,” Caleb replied, but he grinned widely like he enjoyed scaring Seth. “After that, I wandered around for cycles apparently until I came to the space station orbiting Tamkolvanloknol. When I heard about Kalvoxrencol going to Earth, I jumped aboard to go home.”

“Then we came straight back here,” Seth finished.

“I didn’t have a chance to get to Earth.”

“I’m sorry.”

Caleb said, “Don’t worry about it. It might take me a few more cycles to make it home, but it doesn’t really matter.”

His words picked at me. Caleb had been dead for a long time, longer than any other soul I’d heard of. Most didn’t remain on the mortal plane for much time before they continued on their journey. Also, the prospect of staying here for even more cycles didn’t bother him. This was a problem. It might be impossible for him to leave.

Maybe he was untethered?

Most souls were tethered to either the place they died or their family; Caleb had clearly left both with no issues. When a soul releases their mortal concerns, they untether and move on, but maybe Caleb had always been untethered. So he wandered with no end, unable to leave.

“How did you die?” I asked, hoping Seth’s presence would aid in Caleb’s desire to talk.

“I tripped.”

“Tripped?” I asked, after sharing his words with Seth and Kalvoxrencol.

“I tripped over my own feet and rolled down a staircase. I cracked my head open. I died instantly.”

Seth scooted to the edge of the couch, his eyes not quite on where Caleb sat. “I’m sorry.”

Once again, Caleb dismissed his concern. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve been clumsy my whole life.”

So it wasn’t his death that kept him around. Sometimes when a person’s life was cut short, they clung tighter to the mortal plane, but Caleb was unbothered.

“Did you leave someone behind?” I asked, though saying the words felt like ingesting glass for some reason.

Caleb glanced at me, forehead creased. “What do you mean?”

“A lover. Child. Someone that you cannot let go of?” I explained. Seth turned bright red at my blatant words, though I didn’t know what that color change indicated.

“My family. But no. Why?”

I translated his words for Seth and Kalvoxrencol but didn’t answer Caleb’s question. Another reason why his soul lingered disappeared. He didn’t have anyone holding him back, which oddly relieved me.

Caleb said, “You’re trying to get me to move on.”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a secret. This was something Caleb had to do. This plane was for the living, not the dead.

He crossed his arms. “I told you, I’m not ready.”

Kalvoxrencol asked, “What’s going on?”

“Caleb is upset because I brought him to meet Seth in the hopes it would help him move on.”

“That’s his choice, isn’t it?” Seth asked carefully.

Caleb stuck his tongue out at me. “Seth gets it.”

My soul pounded and my breath sharpened at the sight of his pink tongue, so different from my own. It appeared so soft and delicate. What was it about this human that drew me in? I didn’t understand.

“It is,” I conceded, keeping my voice even. “But this is not the place for him.” I told Caleb, “You need to move on, and I will help you.”

“Well, I’m not ready.” Caleb didn’t bother waiting for me to respond. He fled, disappearing through a wall.

He would be back. Caleb obviously cared about Seth, and I saw and heard him. That knowledge didn’t stop the instinct to chase him and confirm for myself that he was safe.

“He’s gone,” I told them.

“Will he come back?” Kalvoxrencol asked.

“I believe so.”

Kalvoxrencol held the back of Seth’s neck, muttering something. Seth bobbed his head and gave me a wave, going to the bedroom. I crossed my arms. I knew my little brother planned to lecture me about snapping at Seth. Kalvoxrencol was protective of everyone he loved, Seth more than anyone. Even though he was a creator soul, Kalvoxrencol got more overbearing in his protection than most warrior souls.

“Do not yell at my mate,” he growled, approaching me.

I got to my feet, not backing down. Kalvoxrencol was a better fighter than me, but I didn’t think he would attack me. He never had in the past, though he was now mated. That changed things.

“He injured you,” I said.

He paused, and I scoffed. Kalvoxrencol acted as if I and the rest of our older brothers didn’t know him as well as he knew us, which was a lie.

“Unintentionally.”

“He should’ve been more careful with his words,” I said.

“He’s my mate. He can say whatever he wants.” Kalvoxrencol glanced at the shut door and closed the distance between us. “You are to never tell anyone what I’m about to share with you.”

I tilted my head to the side, exposing my throat in concession.

He shoved a hand through his long hair, his eyes remaining on the door to his and Seth’s bedroom. “Seth was abused by his caregivers and by past partners.”

My soul froze before speeding up. “He was hurt?”

“Yes. Do not yell at him, Zoltilvoxfyn. It scares him, then he retreats deep within himself where I struggle to reach him. It makes him question his value when he’s afraid. I know you understand that.”

“I do,” I replied quietly as an ocean of guilt flooded me. I had a chemical imbalance that led to a deep moroseness. I got injections and spoke to someone about it, but it wasn’t a cure.

Kalvoxrencol’s tail curled around mine. “He’s similar to you, which I think is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. He has anxiety , and while I don’t understand the word, I understand what it is. Everything is threatening to him already. Please don’t add to it.”

“I won’t. I apologize.”

Kalvoxrencol was shorter than me or any of our other brothers, and he seemed so small, reminding me of the child he used to be. My brothers and I had spent cycles trying to help when Kalvoxrencol was lost, but he was finding his way.

“I spoke before thinking,” I said. “I don’t like you hurting.”

“I know.”

“I will be careful with your Seth. I would like to get to know him.”

Kalvoxrencol beamed, and light began to pool beneath his scales. My eyes widened. I’d never seen his inner fire activate from joy, only anger or fear. The sight made me relax. He truly was happy with Seth.