Chapter 1487: Debt
The Nele’s arrival couldn’t help but attract everyone’s attention. Even those who didn’t know what that purple light meant turned in its direction, attracted by sheer curiosity and the murmurs spreading across the vast party.
It was inevitable, really. Despite the diverse crowd, the Nele held a special place in the universe.
The Kros were strange. The Thilku were infamous. Everyone looked down on the Orlats, and the Niqols were curious, especially due to their connection to Khan’s wife. The Fuveall and Ef’i had their own unique perks, too, but they all fell behind nonetheless.
The Nele were simply exotic, a miracle of the universe stemming from their very inborn traits. No one was like them. No one even came close to being like them so much that merely standing in their presence required precautions.
Even those familiar with the Nele couldn’t help but grow eager as the purple light drew near. Despite having shared colonies and homes with that species, that was an opportunity to interact with them in a more friendly setting, which was basically impossible everywhere else.
As for Khan, he honestly hadn’t been sure the Nele would have come to the party at all. After all, they were busy building a home for their entire species, something they had lacked for too long to delay.
Caja had also left the whole political spectrum in Khan’s hands, so the Nele’s attendance at the party wasn’t strictly necessary. Their presence would even create logistical problems due to their pheromones, but there they were, and Khan knew he had to address them next.
Khan, Liiza, and the sleeping Yeza appeared at the party’s edge, in the direction where the other teleport had flared and the purple halo was advancing.
By then, the bright halo was almost upon the vast crowd, and the white sand reflected its light as if tainted by it, even touching the edge-most guests. The people inside that glow also became visible, triggering a series of surprised gasps and intensifying the general murmurs.
The Nele didn’t really abide by dress codes or similar rules. Their predicament had also prevented them from hosting parties at all, so they wouldn’t even know what to wear for the occasion.
Therefore, the green figures that unfolded in Khan’s vision reminded him of his time on Milia 222. The Nele wore their usual baggy clothes with leaves and flowers intertwined in their fabric, and most of them had an arm behind their backs, probably hiding sharp and deadly roots.
That precaution and habit were unavoidable, and Khan didn’t know whether he wanted the Nele to lose them. After all, the universe would never be safe for them.
Still, Khan also wanted the Nele to feel at home and relaxed enough to enjoy the party, but that would require time and could come later. Now, Khan primarily focused on three figures among that small group, unable to refrain from smiling at their sight.
One of those three figures was a small kid entranced by the white sand, like most of her peers. The little Tamara was struggling not to jump around to test that surface’s texture, but her excited, happy eyes betrayed those intentions.
Obviously, the second figure that captured Khan’s interest was the always stunning Jenna. Except her newfound maturity seemed to have subsided, replaced by a childish excitement that probably had something to do with the man she was clinging to.
That small group of green figures had one red-haired, dark-blue man who couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear. He was the only exception in that otherwise homogeneous team, as well as the third target of Khan’s attention and one of the main reasons behind his smile.
Ilman and his eyes’ red glow couldn’t help but stand out inside that picture, but Khan only saw how happy he and Jenna were. Despite his jokes, they were a good couple, being strangely suitable for each other.
That happy scene actually brought some hesitation in Khan’s mind. He knew what he wanted and even needed from Ilman, but asking for it couldn’t sound more unfair, especially since the Niqols would have a hard time refusing him.
Liiza had a literal sixth sense when it came to Khan, so she squeezed his hand harder, reassuring him and reminding him of her presence. His bad habits still needed work, but she would be there to scold him every time.
Even from a distance, Khan could smell the spray the Nele used to cover their pheromones. It seemed the group had every intention to try to blend in, so he started to descend, planning to welcome them.
The Nele stopped advancing at Khan and Liiza’s landing. Many had already noticed them, but his arrival in the desert marked the beginning of the greetings, which didn’t go as planned.
Tamara immediately stormed out of the group, rushing toward Khan and Liiza, who promptly knelt down to welcome the little girl.
“Uncle Khan! Aunt Liiza!” Tamara cried, almost jumping into the couple’s arms.
“You are too precious,” Liiza couldn’t help but exclaim, squeezing Tamara. “Aunt Liiza missed you so much.”
“Have you been a good girl?” Khan asked, patting Tamara’s head. “And be sure to say hello to your little sister.”
Tamara’s head snapped up, remaining in Liiza’s hug while peeking down at Khan’s arms. Yeza was still somehow asleep and continued to do so even after Tamara began to caress her head.
“Mama and Papa said I had to wait for your permission before seeing her,” Tamara revealed, gasping and giggling while inspecting the baby.
It made sense for Tamara and Yeza to have been apart during their time together on Coravis. Still, Khan and Liiza immediately focused on the first part of that statement, diverting their glowing gazes when they felt someone was approaching.
Two young-looking Nele, a man and a woman, had split from their group, approaching the married couple, only to stop a few steps away, wearing smiles while watching the affection Tamara received.
Still, the man eventually met Khan’s gaze, and his face grew more respectful while he unleashed his perfect human accent. “We didn’t want to impose even more, Prince Khan, or assume we could.”
“We owe you both an eternal debt,” The woman said, continuing, “For what you did for the Nele and for saving our daughter.”