Though there were some impulses she wished she didn't have and wished she could more easily resist, Carskadei rarely regretted her impulses to eavesdrop. Even when she was caught, it was still usually worth it. She usually learned important things that way, important things about her charges, her employers, or even about her own status in the "hive" that employed her.

Now, even better, she had accomplices, making it easier than ever to eavesdrop on the one member of the hive she understood and trusted the least. Nyuss wasn't quite as inconspicuous as it used to be, since a few days ago it had quite suddenly "grown up" in the span of a night and with a lot of sticky resin-goo, but it still was quiet and helpfully passed along anything it heard, when it could make sense of it. Nalchass, though, was still very small, and even though he greatly mistrusted and disliked Shishayair, he still submitted to keeping an eyeless watch on him, specifically for that purpose.

As long as Carskadei and Nyuss were right around the corner to come rescue him, anyway. Nalchass wasn't a coward, but he wasn't stupid, either: Shishayair was a lot bigger than him, and no matter how difficult he was to actually injure, he wasn't entirely indestructible. So he hid in a corner of the room Shishayair inhabited in their Cy home, behind a decorative whorl of resin, and "watched" what Carskadei would be too conspicuous to peer at, herself.

And right now, she was so very, very glad that he was, because what he relayed back to her worried her.

Shishayair and Proquess-- meek, quiet, submissive Proquess-- were growling at each other. Neither had made a move towards the other, despite the aggressive and defensive posturing, but teeth were out and bared and rumbles sounded from both chests. Even with the snarling snashing of Shishayairs lesser heads, no blows had been struck. 

Worse, they were both "shouting" at each other. Privately, of course, so that no one else in the screwed-up little "family" could hear them, but the air in that room was so thick with unheard telepathy that it seemed to buzz. Whether or not Carskadei could heard it, she knew that whatever they were saying was forceful, powerful, and angry. On both their parts.

It was more spine than Carskadei had seen out of Proquess... ever. Especially not toward her bond. Occasionally she would give an order to Greolis, Eness, Mu-Lin, even Anon Night and Lohress-- even more rarely, but it had happened. But never, ever had she stood up to herself to Shishayair, and if Carskadei wasn't much mistaken, despite any airs he put on about wanting her to grow a spine, he liked having her hang on his every word. And now she was standing up to him, shouting at him, growling at him!

Carskadei didn't know what would come about from this. That worried her-- not that she didn't think she should show more spine, because of course she thought she ought to stand up for herself! No, she was worried about what Shishayair might do....

::What are they even angry about?:: she asked Nalchass flusteredly.

Shishayair had come home from his daily outing to wherever it was he went-- Carskadei still wasn't entirely sure-- smelling of smoke and hot metal and looking furious. He ignored the rest of the hive, even Lohress, who he actually respected a little bit as worthy issue of his blood. Instead, he went straight for Proquess.

Thank the gods she was actually home, for once.

::Her "mysterious disappearances",:: Nalchass replied tensely, coiled into a tight ball in his hiding place.

Oh, so he'd found out about those, had he.... Carskadei knew all about those, of course. Nalchass had heard from Eness, since Eness would excitedly tell anyone who didn't make him angry-- well, and who could actually understand him, anyway. Proquess had found, and apparently fallen a bit in love with, the D-strain xenodragon queen Tsiasaniess, and whenever she had a free moment, she would have Mu-Lin take her back to Star City so she could follow after her like a happy puppy. Since Tsiasaniess was an inherently good being, though admittedly fierce at times, and led a very good example to Proquess of being kind and doing good deeds, Carskadei had no qualms at all. She'd kept Proquess's secret, in the hopes that it would last as long as possible.

Perhaps now was the end... unless Proquess somehow managed to make a break from her controlling bond and controlled past. Which Carskadei... kind of doubted would happen.

::What happened to get them both so riled up?:: she asked worriedly.

::Eness says....:: And what came on the heels of Nalchass's statement was not a summary, but an actual recitation, word for word, expression for expression, emotion for emotion, like some kind of telepathic recording:

Anger. Betrayal. Jealousy. A tiny, surprising spark of hurt. A halo of fury around a white, crested head. ::You are never to see that creature again.::

Shock. Betrayal. Fear. Reluctance. A tiny, surprising spark of anger. A halo of love around a white, crested head. :: ... no.::

Shock. Betrayal. Anger. Disbelief. Increased power and significance to the sending, as if he is trying to batter her into submission. ::Did you not hear me? I Do Not Want You To See That Creature Ever Again.::

Increasing anger. Denial. Refusal. Terror. Sharp shards of sending, flustered bits and pieces that somehow come out furious. ::No! I can't. I won't! She is a queen!::

Growls. Tearing thoughts. Bloody minded jealousy. Still that tiny, surprising spark of hurt, despite every attempt to smother it. ::She is not a queen! She is not even your species!::

Queen. Yes a queen. My queen-- no. Wish. Denial. Resentment. ::She is more my species than most of this so-called hive you have gathered!::

Snort. Growl. Bloody minded jealousy. ::Gathered without a peep of protest out of you, for you!::

Anger, bitterness, resentment. ::She is what I would choose if I had a choice! She would be my queen, if she but asked me-- if I could be--:: Anguish. Cutting off at a renewed growl. Returning the growl. Surprise, but resolution. Refusal to back down. 

Bloody, bloody, bloody jealousy.

Then the in-too-deep-thoughts stopped, and Carskadei could breathe again. Nalchass took up the narration once more: ::Now they're just sending raw emotion and the occasional insult at each other. He's keeping that jealousy awfully locked down in the fire-fight, but Eness and Mu-Lin--:: They were in the next chamber over, Mu-Lin forcebly holding Eness back from charging in and defending his mistress-bond-- ::--are picking it up.::

Well, of course he would. Cold, cruel Shishayair? Care about another enough to be jealous when their affections wandered? Gods forbid. ::And they're keeping it from her? Well, that's stupid of them.::

There was a pregnant pause on Nalchass's end, and suddenly the growls stopped. Confused, multiple heads turning restlessly this way and that, Carskadei listened even harder along her link with Nalchass. Proquess... had suddenly relaxed and gone silent. The air was still full, but not of threat.

Confusioncareconfusionfearconfusionangerconfusionloveconfusion.

Shishayair was staring at his bond, all four sets of eyes fixed on her.

Confusionembarrassmentconfusionjealousyconfusionangerconfusionfearconfusion.

Then, without another word, he turned and stalked out of the room. Right past Carskadei, to her sudden shock and momentary terror. One lesser head snapped in her direction, but otherwise he ignored her.

::What happened? Nalchass, what the hell just happened??::

Nalchass said nothing, himself, but he slithered hastily from the room as Proquess fled the other direction, to the sanctuary of her other two bonds. Carskadei lowered a central head to led him slither up into her mess of necks and curl up there, shuddering and slowly relaxing after the tense, emotional situation. When she prodded him again, he still didn't speak, but he relayed a sending that, from the feel, had come from Proquess:

::Even if she would be my queen, you would still be my king, if you could just understand that I need one....::

... huh. 

Well, hey. Took all types, right? 

Carskadei shook herself lightly and headed back to the nursery, Nalchass curled up in her necks and Nyuss pacing loyally behind her. At least now she knew. 

Chapter Eighteen

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