"If that's the effect your blood has on people, I don't think I want it," Eytelis stated.
Rowena pulled her head away from Adam's chest but still clung to him as she turned it towards Eytelis and said, "No, that only happened because I'm Brood and I forced myself to stop feeding. Though if you're concerned, why don't we start with just a single drop of his blood?"
Eytelis opened her mouth to respond when the lights scanning her suddenly vanished, and Spector said. "Scan complete."
"Find anything amiss?" Adam asked.
"Affirmative. My scans of Eytelis indicated that a micro transmitter had been implanted within her roots," Spector replied.
"WHAT!" Eytelis cried in shock.
"Seems they did tag you after all; still upset about the checkup?" Stacey asked smugly.
"Stacey," Lorelie said with a sigh.
"I know nothing of this," Eytelis stated.
"Unsurprising, really. The micro tracker is state of the art by known universe standards and is incredibly difficult to detect, both its signal and its placement."
"Yet you managed to detect it," Eytelis remarked.
"I said it was advanced by the standards of the known universe; to me, It's basic," Spector replied.
"Is there a way to deactivate it?" Eytelis asked.
"I already did," Spector replied.
"Oh, er, thank you," Eytelis said in embarrassment.
"You're most welcome," Spector replied.
"You weren't kidding about this ship being advanced," Eytelis stated as she turned to Lorelie.
"Indeed," Lorelie said with a smile.
"So what do you say to trying a drop of Adam's blood?" Rowena asked.
"You're really determined, aren't you?" Eytelis replied while frowning.
"No, I just don't think you will be disappointed," Rowena replied innocently.
Eytelis continued to frown at Rowena before turning to Adam and asking, "You really think I should try it?"
"That's up to you," Adam replied. "Either way, I will ask Rowena and the others to escort you back home."
"You won't come?" Eytelis asked in disappointment.
Adam shook his head before saying, "For several reasons, I unfortunately can't."
"You mean your illness isn't the only reason?" Eytelis asked.
"That's correct," Adam answered. "I promised everyone that we would travel to Aqua Primus for a vacation after picking up Revi; however, because of my illness, that promise has already been delayed, and I have no intention of further breaking it.
As soon as I am well enough, we will head straight for Aqua Primus."
Adam's response caused his girlfriends to smile.
"Aqua Primus?" Eytelis asked in surprise before pouting. "How nice, I'm jealous."
"Pardon?" Adam asked in surprise.
"Her reaction's not that surprising; Aqua Primus is a famous tourist destination after all," Lorelie remarked.
"You mean you want to come with us?" Adam asked.
"I'd love to; I've always wanted to vacation there; it's just bureau chiefs don't get much time off, as you can imagine," Eytelis replied wistfully.
"And so the one time you do get to leave Solarian Prime for reasons other than work, it's only because you were kidnapped," Rowena stated with a chuckle.
"I'm glad someone finds it funny," Eytelis pouted.
"Well, if my idea about Adam's blood works, then why don't you tag along with us to Aqua Primus before returning to Solarian Prime?" Rowena asked.
"I guess even Queen Riniya can't complain if you decide to take a relaxing vacation after being kidnapped," Stacey remarked.
"Fine, I'll try a drop, if only to stop you nagging," Eytelis huffed.
"I'd hardly call giving you a choice nagging," Rowena replied.
"She's not wrong, babe; you do seem to be pushing this a bit more than I was expecting," Adam remarked.
"See, even your boyfriend agrees with me," Eytelis gloated.
"Fine, fine," Rowena replied while holding up her hands. "I'm interested in seeing how your pureblood will affect her; there is no evidence of any other race feeding on it after all."
"So I'm a test subject?" Eytelis asked with a glare.
"Meh," Rowena replied while smirking.
"Meh? What do you mean, meh?" Eytelis asked with a frown. "You know, you were much sweeter when we first met several hundred years ago."
"And you were much more mature and dignified; you would never have considered stealing another woman's man," Rowena retorted.
"Well, this is spicing up," Stacey said with a smirk.
"Shush," Lorelie replied, though she was also watching with interest.
"I already said that I have no plans to steal Adam from any of you," Eytelis replied before proudly adding. "I just happen to know that it's our destiny to be together."
"Oh! And how do you know that?" Rowena asked with interest. "A prophecy from Romy."
"Romy?" Eytelis asked in confusion.
"It's what close friends of Oracle Andromeda address her as," Rowena replied smugly.
Adam leaned in close to Stacey and Lorelie before asking in a whisper, "Are those two competing or something?"
"I was wondering the same thing, though I have no idea why," Lorelie replied.
"So, care to explain to us why you believe you and Adam are destined to be together?" Rowena asked again.
"Because my future self told me so," Eytelis replied smugly.
All four of them looked at her with expressions of surprise, causing Eytelis' smug smile to widen as she said, "That got your attention, huh?"
"Explain," Stacey said seriously.
"It happened approximately fifty years ago," Eytelis began. "I was busy preparing for an upcoming meeting of the Environmental Sustainability Bureau when suddenly the great tree notified me that she was, for some reason, connecting with two of me.
Initially, I didn't understand what it meant; that was until I came face to face with myself.
The other me marched right into my office like she owned the place, which I suppose in a way she did."
The four of them stared at Eytelis in surprise until Rowena turned to Adam and asked, "Is that even possible?"
"You're asking me?"
"Well, you are our resident time travel expert," Rowena replied.
"And why do you think that?" Adam retorted.
"Because you've travelled through time more than anyone," Rowena answered.
"She has a point," Lorelie conceded.
"That doesn't mean I know everything about it; in fact, I know barely more than you," Adam replied. "Though I suppose everyone has to exist somewhere, remember how we saw young Lorelie in that music competition when we travelled back to Darah Five."
"Please don't bring up my embarrassing past," Lorelie said in embarrassment.
"Should you really be mentioning that in front of her?" Stacey asked while indicating Eytelis.
"It's fine, I'm already aware that this ship can travel through time," Eytelis stated. "My future self explained it to me."
"What else did your future self tell you?" Adam asked.
"Not much really," Eytelis replied. "Something about altering the future in unexpected and unwanted ways."
"Well, I suppose if you know that something bad will happen in the future, you will instinctively try to avoid it, and that could lead to unknown consequences," Rowena said thoughtfully.
Eytelis sighed before saying, "Sometimes, however, you don't have a choice but to do those bad things still, even if you know they will happen."
"What does that mean?" Stacey asked.
Eytelis sighed again before saying, "I knew beforehand that I would be kidnapped by that organisation and that Adam would come save me."
"Seriously?" Stacey asked in surprise.
"And you still let it happen?" Lorelie asked.
"Why?" Adam asked.
"So that's the real reason they managed to kidnap you," Rowena said with a sigh.
Hearing her response, Adam turned to Rowena and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I thought it was suspicious when Eytelis told you she was kidnapped from Solarian Prime," Rowena replied. "Tell me, do you really think it's possible for the Dryad that is connected to the great tree to be kidnapped without anyone knowing? Without the great tree knowing?"
"So you lied?" Adam asked as he turned to Eytelis.
"It's more accurate to say that I withheld information that I didn't want your stream chat to learn," Eytelis replied.
"Then why?" Adam asked. "Why would you willingly allow yourself to be kidnapped and even tortured?"
Eytelis gave Adam an apologetic look before saying, "I'm sorry, but I can't answer that, not yet."
"Because of affecting the timeline?" Rowena asked.
"Exactly," Eytelis replied. "If I were to reveal the truth to you all right now, it would alter the path my future self is hoping for."
"Annoying," Stacey replied.
"Stacey," Lorelie said calmly. "We all have secrets. We should respect Eytelis and trust that she will reveal this secret in due time."
"I didn't mean that; I meant this whole time travel thing is annoying," Stacey replied.
"Well, you're not wrong; it's both annoying and complicated," Lorelie admitted.
"It has its benefits, though," Rowena stated with a smile.
"That's true," Lorelie conceded. "It did allow us to identify who attempted to kill Stacey as a child after all."
"And it helped save an entire race," Rowena added.
"Fine, fine. Maybe this whole time travel thing isn't all bad," Stacey conceded.
"So did your future self tell you anything else?" Adam asked as he turned back to Eytelis.