His head tendrils quivered over Zylar’s use of the word. Not that he objected to it, but he had not officially confirmed that Qalu wished to make their connection permanent. Certainly, everything she’d said left him optimistic in that regard, but it seemed best to state his feelings outright and hear hers in return. At least, all the research he’d done on the matter indicated that communication was necessary for a relationship to thrive.

“I hope she will want that,” Helix said stiffly. “Tell me, do you have any advice? How did you win Beryl Bowman?”

“I have no idea,” Zylar admitted.

“That is entirely unhelpful.”

“I felt like I did everything wrong, but somehow it all worked out. Perhaps that’s the secret? With the right person, the pieces simply…fit. Even if it seems like they shouldn’t.”

“Marginally more useful.”

Zylar studied him, then churred in amusement. “I still can’t believe you’re here. Physically here. I had no inkling this was even possible.”

“Qalu is a genius,” Helix said, utterly without shame or subtlety.

She came in just in time to hear that. “What are you telling your friend?”

“The truth,” Helix said.

Beryl joined in and soon, Aevi and Snaps returned from their prowl around the settlement. He was glad to see that the Pherzul hadn’t wandered toward the toxic cloud. So far, he hadn’t seen any of the monsters that lived within that irradiated wasteland, but from what Zylar had said, he and Beryl regularly battled the beasts back, fighting alongside the other citizens who lived in the Barrens.

“Are you truly happy here?” Helix asked, a bit later, after their hosts had created a place for them to rest in the common room. The accommodations offered no privacy for anyone, but he didn’t plan to stay long enough to trouble Zylar and Beryl. He appreciated Qalu and Aevi tolerating this detour, so he could feel at ease about starting over.

Zylar didn’t consider long at all. “Yes. It’s not as easy, less luxury than Srila, but I would have gone anywhere, done anything, to remain with my beloved Beryl.”

“This is why you’re my Chosen,” Beryl said, settling close to Zylar once they put some precautions in place.

How fascinating—it seemed that they used fabric to cushion her soft flesh against the chitin. Helix realized that it was fortunate he and Qalu shared physiology, though if she had spines or some defense mechanism designed to keep him away, he would persevere until he created some means to work around it. As he listened to them banter and witnessed their contentment with his own eyes, the last of the guilt slipped away.

“Then…I wish to entreat your blessing on my new life on Tiralan,” Helix said, during the first conversational break. “And to invite you to visit us, should you ever have the desire.”