Page 69 of Tis the Season for Tentacles
Chapter Fifteen
Chronicles of Chaos: An Informal Record of Life Aboard the Sleigh Belle
Stardate: 78419.3
Origin: Zelphara Celestia Galaxy
Destination: Intergalactic Space Station
After spending several days on Ferus Bankolia touring three of their wildlife sanctuaries, we have finally departed and are making preparations to return Felix to Earth. First, however, we must make a brief detour to an intergalactic space station about a day’s journey from our current location. We will need to refuel and stock up on some essential supplies for the ship before we can make the trip back to Felix’s world.
Everyone is putting on a brave face and gearing up for our upcoming Christmas celebration, but the mood aboard the Sleigh Belle has become notably somber. I am not the only one dreading saying goodbye to Felix. He’s friends with all of us now, and the prospect of never seeing him again is weighing heavily on everyone—but probably me, most of all.
I’m trying not to reveal just how conflicted I am right now, but Felix is nobody’s fool. He reads me far too well. What’s even harder is the fact that he’s kindly not forcing me to talk about it.
I have never let myself be overcome by feelings that can compromise my ability to protect those I care about. Romantic relationships are something I’ve avoided like the Temerengi Plague. But for the first time in my life, I’m at war with myself because there’s a strange conviction growing inside me that I should never let Felix go.
What the hell should I do?
—Najar Mezdel, First Lieutenant and Voice of Reason on the Sleigh Belle
NAJAR
When a Dravethian warrior comes to a crossroads in his life and doesn’t know what to do next, he turns to his best friend.
“Tell me how you knew Sasha was the one for you?”
Kheph sits across from me in his Augmented Reality Simulation Environment, which Sasha refers to as his holodeck, where he’s created a cozy Christmas coffee shop setting for us to have this private little chat.
He tells me it reminds Sasha of home, and that’s why he created it.
Kheph’s eyes widen but, seeming to sense the significance of my questioning, he answers seriously.
“Hmm. I’m not sure exactly when I realized Sasha and I were meant to be. It started gradually and then, before I knew it, myfeelings came crashing over me.” He shakes his head, a fond smile playing on his lips. “My thoughts were filled with him and all the things I wanted us to see and experience together. Every special moment I wanted to share with him and no one else.” He sighs happily. “When I would think about my future, I couldn’t envision it without him by my side anymore. The thought of losing him was more than I could bear.” He tilts his head. “Does that answer your question?”
I lean my elbows on the table and hold my forehead in my hands. “Great. Well, I’m royally screwed, aren’t I?”
One of Khephren’s pink tentacles reaches out and gently strokes my arm. “What do you mean?”
I tell him what I haven’t even been able to fully admit to myself.
“I think I’m falling in love”—I nearly choke on the wordlove—“with Felix. And I’m scared.”
Kheph’s eyes soften and I detect a hint of sadness in them. “Love can be scary. Letting someone in requires trust and a leap of faith. Until now, you’ve never truly let your walls down to allow anyone in—except for me and Luna, of course. But we’re family and therefore safe, aren’t we, unlike a lover who could break your heart.”
His words sting as they hit their mark.
Kheph can be disarmingly sharp when the situation calls for it.
It was no lie when I told Felix he’s a genius, and he probably knows me better than almost anyone else in the entire universe.
“Do you think… I’ve started to let Felix in?”
Kheph cocks his head again, one pink tentacle waving in the air. “You tell me. Do you think about him often? Is he the first person you want to talk to in the morning and the last person you want to speak to at night? When you think about your future, do you see him in it?”
Damn and blast, but he’s speaking hard words of truth I can’t pretend to refute.
“Yes,” I rasp out, my hearts clenching with fear.
