Scaled Heart: A SciFi Alien Romance (Project: F5 Book 2) by Jade Waltz (ereader android .TXT) 📕

“We can try to wait until things get better,” I suggested, even though waiting didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t want to be patient, left wondering for an extended period; I would rather ask her and deal with her reply. “Or we can approach her together and see what she wants.”

“Are you willing to accept whatever she decides? Even if she only picks one of us?”

“Of course, but I hope we become nestbrothers instead.”

Seven

KAICA

Sounds of shuffling filled the air, waking me from my slumber.

Yawning, I stretched and opened my eyes, shocked at my surroundings.

No. No. No.

I wasn’t supposed to fall asleep during my shift and here I was, taking a nap on the job. Jumping to my feet, I noticed something drop from my shoulders. Glancing around, I was surprised to find a silver infirmary blanket pooled on the floor.

Rushing through the office door, I found the princes and the whole healing team, minus Oeta, in the infirmary lobby.

“What did I miss?”

Z’fir sent me a gentle smile. “V’dim and I are swearing in the new additions to our mental web.”

“You are going to let them join without warning them about the consequences?” I demanded, clenching my fists.

“It’s not your prerogative to question them,” Yuwal, the dark-purple Ulax, snapped. “You should know your place.”

“As should you,” V’dim hissed at Xylo’s father. “Kaica is within her rights to ask.”

“Kaica, we have already warned them about our situation,” Z’fir said, glancing between our senior medical team. “They don’t have much choice but to join if they want to remain on the team. Working in proximity to a foreign mental web will cause them headaches and, if exposed for a long time, permanent mental damage.”

“That’s news to me,” I muttered. “I'll redress our patients' wounds while you do… whatever you have to do. I’m sorry I even asked.”

I left the lobby without another thought to the males’ opinions.

It was odd being one of few females in a group of males. I didn’t know if their differing species or gender was causing the frustrating tension, but I was over it.

They could have their private Circuli gathering.

Grabbing my premade tray of medical supplies and medpen, I approached Xylo and mentally prepared for the gruesome sight ahead.

Odelm’s merchant fathers left with the princes to pick a location for their new warehouse, leaving me alone with my Circuli teammates in the infirmary. Oeta was missing, which I expected since her solo night shift began tonight.

I didn’t know if I was being overly sensitive, but I suspected they were all holding a mental conversation without me. Pausing every so often, I had witnessed their gazes meet surreptitiously and had even caught them exchanging small gestures. The evidence added to my conclusion they weren’t treating me fairly.

Xylo’s fathers had stopped me from rebandaging both of the patients because they wanted to fix my mistakes in hopes of brightening their sons’ future.

Rolling my eyes, I sent a prayer to the Stars I didn’t want to believe in for the strength not to verbally attack my coworker’s mentors. They were lucky I wasn’t one of my sisters—or worse, Kaede—because any of them would have pulled a blade.

Glancing up from my station, I watched Chyox cross the room, grab a tub of healing gel, and pass it to Suvax, our charcoal Wudox teammate.

Slamming my tablet casing closed, I stood from my stool and faced the room.

“I don’t understand what is happening here, but one thing is for sure; before they arrived, we always spoke out loud. If you are going to make this infirmary a Circuli-only club, then I will gladly take the night shifts so I don’t ever have to cross paths with either of you.”

“Kaica, we—” Chyox began.

“Why are you trying to limit our natural abilities?” Suvax demanded. “It is not our fault you are a shielder.”

“Nor is it mine!” I growled. “If you haven’t realized, this moon houses about the same number of demihumans as Circuli, and combined, we are a mere fraction of the number of Aldawi at the academy. I’ve had it with your exclusivity. If this is how this workplace is going to be, count me out. I’ve had to deal with too much toxicity in my life to accept more.”

Grabbing my things, I stormed out of the infirmary.

“Kaica! Wait!” Chyox yelled, his voice cut off by the sliding door.

Curse them! No wonder they were all unbonded males. Who would want to be permanently bound to toxic, discriminatory, sexist males?

I wanted to believe Chyox supported me, but a part of me wondered if he would always pick his mentors’ side.

Perhaps I needed to request that Oeta work permanently during the day and I take every night shift, so I didn’t have to deal with them. Honestly, it sounded nice. I was used to working long hours at night with no one around to bother me.

A message notification from IZO popped up on the bottom of my field of vision.

< WHAT HAPPENED? - OETA >

I nearly stumbled, catching myself with one hand on the wall.

How the Stars had she gotten access to IZO?

< THE SOVEREIGN GAVE ME YOUR ACCESS CODE SO WE CAN TALK PRIVATELY. - O >

That made sense. Z could send and receive private messages through our AIs. The family network was our version of mind speak.

I paced to my room, surprised no one had followed me. A sense of sadness and disappointment flooded me. I thought I had meant something to Chyox and Usthu, even just as coworkers. For them to side with their mentors, spoke against everything I thought we had built together.

I had even entertained the idea of becoming close friends and even their nestqueen. However, if they could treat me like this, I questioned my judgment of character.

< DON’T DO ANYTHING DRASTIC. LET ME TALK TO THEM. GO REST AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.>

Easier said than done.

Sighing, I entered my room, wondering how to proceed. I decided to sleep on it