I was inside my own head after that, for the most part. We both realized there wasn't much Esayr could do to help me as I puzzled through how I would go about pitching my idea to Cecelia.

If you even managed to get a hold of her.

Therein was a considerable problem. Getting a hold of my friends was a struggle and the Communication team had a relatively exact area --in the grand scheme of the planet anyway-- to search. We had no idea where Cecelia was.

Esayr seemed to loathe the idea of leaving, but as minutes ticked by into an hour I couldn't help but think about the fact he'd been making plans with his friends over a similarly important matter. It would be a lie to say curiosity didn't burn. I wanted to know what he was doing.

But, I also knew I couldn't keep thoughts a secret. My blood froze in my veins. I can't keep it a secret.

I was a walking time bomb, waiting for the wrong male to read my mind. "Esayr," I tried to keep my voice from shaking, "How do Kayle's abilities work?"

"Ionina bloodlines? They can see other's thoughts and manipulate them to some degree. The gift varies from Val' to Val'."

"How do they see thoughts? Is it specific thoughts?"

"If they're extremely loud thoughts they can see them without trying to, but most learn to quiet their own abilities so they aren't bowled over by them. Regular thoughts usually require proximity. Eye contact is important for deeper probing since the eyes offer a direct neural pathway to the ocular center of the brain. Kayle is particularly good at digging out specific thoughts, he has a naturally light presence that most can't quite feel hunting around in their mind. He's an invaluable asset to the Riniere."

"So, say you told me that information about what you're doing. If I wanted to keep that quiet from the ship at large, what would I have to do?"

He canted his head considering where my thought process might take me, "You want to know what we're working on?"

I shook my head vigorously, "No. I just want to know how I'd go about keeping it from others like Kayle."

"Put it from your mind."

That's easier said than done. All I'll be able to think about is the very thing I don't want to be thinking about.

"Your biggest concern will be the any with traits that predispose a male to mass impression. It's less specific but doesn't require the same proximity. If your thoughts are loud enough they'll be a beacon."

"Are there males like that on the ship?"

"A few."

"Any I would have to be concerned about?"

"One."

"Who, Esayr?"

"Kayle's brother, Bask."

"Fuck!" The curse was loud and before I knew it I was pacing the room, desperately close to a breakdown. "Tell me about Bask, Esayr."

His eyes tracked me and my relentless pacing. "He was one of the first to go down to your planet for a potential match. He's been troubled ever since."

"Troubled how." I would wear a ditch in the floor at this rate.

"Troubled in the same way that many males have become this past year. Troubled by this Searching and how poorly it has gone. Troubled by the aggravation of your government. Troubled by the desire to find his soulbind."

All things that made him dangerous to the very fact that I knew. "How do his powers work?"

"Mass impression. He can gauge the thoughts of a room. It's not dissimilar to an empath's ability to gauge the emotions of those around them. He has the ability to focus in on thoughts that are of interest. He can't pull thoughts from a mind at a distance, but he can hear any that are projected."

"Is he particularly good at it?"

"Addy?" Esayr looked concerned. He leaned forward almost as if he were ready to take a step towards me and pull me into his arms for comfort.

"Please Esayr."

"He's incredibly good at what he does. To such a degree that he's bad at stopping himself. I've noticed him avoid eye-contact with others in an effort to not invade their privacy. He's a member of Prince Roan's Riniere. His ability and expertise help the Prince maintain order and aid his guidances."

I doubled over with a wheeze, "Fuuuuuuck."

Esayr was at my side then, pulling me back toward the couch, "Addy, breathe. Breathe! What's wrong?"

"We've got a big problem."

"Something you don't want him to know?"

I nodded, "Are you and your friends able to hide your thoughts from him?"

"To some degree on our own. With Laene constantly at our side, yes."

Laene can't constantly be at everyone's side. "Esayr...I realized something that you would consider good news, but if it got out it would be very bad."

He nodded.

"And I don't know what to do about it." I chewed on my lip as worry threatened to steal my breath.

"You'd need to avoid areas where he could happen upon you. And you'd have to avoid thinking of things you wouldn't want him to know," Esayr paused, "Good news?" His voice was quiet when asked.

He would consider it good news. They all would. "You and everyone on the ship would think so, I think. But it would cause more problems than we could handle right now, I think." My voice was quiet as a whisper as if I were afraid someone could hear our hushed conversation.

He searched my face for a moment. He wants to ask me what it is. There was curiosity there, lurking in his dark eyes. There was another emotion too, that looked as if it might be inclined to bring him to tears if it so pleased. Hope. It was hope.

That one I could feel softly fluttering in my stomach like a bird flirting with the idea of flying.

"You'll be in areas of the ship he frequents. I'm surprised he hasn't happened upon either of us earlier than now."

"What do I do, Esayr?"

"I'll get Laene." He was up quickly and striding to the interface by the door.

"He can't stay with me whenever I'm out!"

"If you need him to, he will. Of that, I'm sure."

"I can't ask him to do that!" I was a grown woman. I wasn't about to ask a male to follow me around wherever I go to make sure nothing bad happened.

"You don't have to. I will."

"Esayr, he's your friend, your Riniere. I'm not going to ask him to upend his life to follow me around at all hours of the day."

"You're a part of our Riniere as much as I am, Addy. If one of us needs assistance we give it." His hand hovered over the call button. "At least let me call him so that we can discuss the matter." Esayr's gaze turned shrewd, "It would be helpful to him as well."

"In what way?"

"He's recently matched to...a female down on Earth."

That news surprised me.

"It's caused a commotion. He's unsure of himself and is afraid of his validity as a mate. He thinks he's broken and doesn't deserve the chance he's been given."

It was the most Esayr had ever revealed to me about Laene's inner thoughts and I felt my heart constrict. Esayr knew the ins and outs of my personality that even close friends didn't know.

"It would help him to talk to a human-born female, to familiarize himself with you...and me."

With our relationship. It was the first direct insinuation Esayr had made in a long time. He looked uncomfortable, standing there in the entry hallway, but it settled a worry that had started to niggle at the back of my mind, a worry that I had killed this relationship before it had a chance to get a foothold between us.

I sighed and flung myself back down on the couch like a petulant child, but secretly a part of me was relieved that I might have a solution to the issue of Bask for the time being. "I'll talk to him."

I crashed before I even could hear Esayr call Laene to our room. I don't know how long I'd been awake for, reading that document, but it was too long.