16. Zeleck

16

ZELECK

I sit by the community firepit, watching as Rykana and Lex-ee prepare the evening meal. The Terran cooking apprentice enjoys experimenting with various spices and seasonings, and Rykana encourages this pursuit. Some of her creations are even edible.

"So, Zeleck," Rykana says. "Tell me about the quest for Rakuium. Sartok tells me it was successful."

"He is right. Jay-duh and I found some small pieces which she has taken to the Cavern of Memory to study. She is pleased with the result."

She gives me a knowing look. "I am sure Rakuium is not all you found on this journey, hmm? Are you pleased with the result?"

I chuckle, stretching my legs out in front of me. "I am pleased the experience has brought Jay-duh and me closer together."

She laughs, a rich, melodious sound that fills the evening air. "I suspected as much. You seem happier, lighter."

My time alone with Jay-duh has made me happier. As I sit there, lost in my thoughts, I hear my name. I look up to find Jay-duh hurrying toward me, her face flushed with a mix of emotions I cannot decipher.

She reaches me, grabbing my arm with an urgency that sends a jolt of alarm through my body. "Zeleck, I need to talk to you."

I am on my feet in an instant, my heart pounding with sudden fear. "Did something happen with the Rakuium in the Cavern of Memory? Is it bad news?"

Her grip tightens on my arm. "Yes. Or, no. I mean, something happened with the Rakuium, yes, and there was bad news. But the news isn't related to the Rakuium."

Now that I am completely confused, I allow her to pull me away from the fire and the curious gazes of the others gathering for the evening meal. "Come to my hut. We can speak privately there." My mind fills with various possibilities, all of them terrifying.

When we get there, Jay-duh is practically panting. I run my hands down her arms and wait for her to catch her breath. "What did you find out?"

"There's a deadly virus ravaging Earth."

I blink in confusion. Deadly viruses have been around since the beginning of time. I do not understand why this is news. "Why is this so urgent?"

Her expression shifts, and light shines in her beautiful eyes. "Because it means I can be your mate!"

My mind struggles to make the connection between a virus on Jay-duh's homeworld and our status as mates. "I do not understand."

She smiles wide, her hand resting on my chest. "I can't go home, Zeleck, and there's no way to know whether this virus is spreading beyond Earth."

I feel a pang of sympathy for her. "I am sorry you cannot return to Urth, Jay-duh. I know how much that meant to you. If you had found a way off this planet, I would have offered to go with you."

She smiles, a soft, knowing expression that catches me off guard. "I know, I heard you that night when you thought I was asleep."

I freeze, my heart sinking at her confession. I take a step back, feeling as though the ground has shifted beneath my feet. "You heard me and did not respond?"

Jay-duh's hands go around my neck as she stammers a response. "I...I didn't…know what…how to…I was just…I'm sorry I didn't say anything at the time. But I did hear you, and it made me realize how much you care. I'm sorry."

Her apology is appreciated, yet the damage to my heart is already done. I remove her hands and step away from her.

"I do not want a mate who settles for me when her greatest desire cannot come to fruition." My voice is surprisingly steady considering the pain I feel. "I will not be your second choice, Jay-duh."

"You're rejecting me?" Tears fill her eyes, and her voice trembles as she speaks.

I shake my head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "No, Jay-duh. You are the one who rejected me. It was only when you realized you could not leave that you chose to be with me."

The truth in my words taste like ashes on my tongue, and a dull, throbbing ache fills my chest.

Tears stream down her cheeks as she presses the pouch of Rakuium into my hands. I look down at it, the slight weight feeling heavy in my palm.

"The Rakuium is for you," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. I try to return the pouch "To protect you and your friends."

She shakes her head, refusing to accept it. "I don't want it. It's evil, just like Earth Gov. Use it, crush it, bury it, I don't care. I never want to talk about Rakuium again."

With those words, she turns and runs, the door to my hut banging closed with brutal finality. I stand there, alone, the pouch of Rakuium clutched tightly in my hand and a hollow feeling in my heart.

I am a fool for allowing myself to dream of having a mate, a family, only to have that dream ripped away for the second time in my life.

I take a deep breath, trying to center myself amidst the storm of emotions that threaten to crush me.