The hivemind is conquering for me?

Arriving back home, Hailey and I were immediately greeted by Orchid. Orchid looked Hailey up and down before inhaling deeply. ”She is clear.” She then proceeded to turn from Hailey to me and smiled cutely and in an even cuter voice asked. ”Hi Apollo~, how was your date?”

Orchid speaking in that tone of voice had me feeling all sorts of ways and none of them were turned on. I was genuinely confused and worried by the sudden change in her tone before I heard snickering from the couch.

Looking at Janine and Onyx on the couch, I hastily surmised the latter was responsible for this and played along. ”I am ok, we just got back from our picnic. It was very nice. I think. Did you enjoy it Hailey?”

Hailey squeezed my arm and looked up at me, thankfully ignoring Orchid sniffing the woman. ”I did, very much so.”

I then proceeded to ignore Orchids piercing gaze at Hailey’s hand on my arm as Janine spoke up. ”Y-You went on a picnic?”

”Yes, why what’s up?” I replied, concerned by her shaken up expression, prompting her to stand up.

”Oh, it’s nothing. Well, I was just hanging around to make sure you got back safe, I need to go study.” Janine then stood up and walked towards me, she then pulled my head down and gave me a kiss on the cheek, followed by a wink to Hailey before walking upstairs.

”That was cute.” Hailey commented before looking towards the couch, confused. Wait, Onyx? You are here?” Hailey was confused, she didn’t see the woman at enrollment. Just as Onyx went to open her mouth, another voice interjected.

”I advise you Hailey, leave your questioning there. Apollo will tell you in time. Once you have earned their trust, not just his.” Nerissa said, entering the room from the kitchen

”Oh Nerissa... Hi, I forgot you were living here for a moment. How are you?”

”I am well Hailey, thank you- Oh, she’s done her party trick, cute.” Nerissa said, looking at where Onyx was. Hailey then followed, When she did turn back to Onyx, she was gone. No trace whatsoever.”

”Ignore the oddballs, they are all crazy, come sit down and Onyx... Don’t even think about tackling me from your hiding spot, I can feel your gaze. You are losing your touch.” Feeling the looming presence clinging to the ceiling disappear, I then turned to Hailey and gestured.

”Come in. Can I get you anything to drink?”

Hailey shook her head. ”Best not, the wine has left me a bit tipsy and what I need to say to you requires my full coherency.” I nodded hearing this and sat down beside Hailey.

”Ok, well the pulsar is active, it always is. You are free to speak.” I declared, but Hailey looked around the room at Orchid and for a bit longer, Nerissa. She then turned back to me and asked.

”Apollo, is there any chance we could speak in private?”

I furrowed my brows. ”Hailey, I am going to be blunt with you. Anything you tell me, If Orchid or Onyx ask, I am going to tell them. Orchid probably won’t ask, but Onyx is a lot more inquisitive. I’m sorry, but I don’t keep secrets from them.”

Hailey nodded. ”Yes, I had a hunch about that one. If you trust them, then so do I. We are all most likely going to be family soon anyway. I was actually more concerned about Nerissa.”

Before I had a moment to speak, Nerissa spoke with a calm tone, yet her voice was laced with something. ”Hailey. Are you seriously telling me you do not trust me with secrets?” Knowing exactly what Nerissa was referring to, Hailey hastily explained.

”Yes! Of course I do! I also know you are not unopposed to bending rules here and there, but Nerissa, trust me when I say that If you heard what I had to say, you would be forced to return to your brethren with the news and launch an investigation and I do not want that. So please. Leave the room. Just know that no one is in trouble and nothing is stirring. You have my word.”

An uncomfortable silence permeated throughout the room as the two maintained a stare before Nerissa turned to me and said. ”Well, we cannot have that can we? My intrigue is far from satiated. Having to report something will be more than bothersome. Enjoy the rest of your night you two. I am going to go and train. Apollo, be up bright and early for our spar before your training with Valerica.” She then walked towards me, booped me on my snoot before making her way upstairs.

”Loves, why don’t you go upstairs as well? Let Hailey and I chat in private. This clearly means a lot to her.

Onyx then appeared, her arm wrapped around Hailey’s waist sitting beside her. Hailey jumped in shock, not feeling the woman’s presence before she spoke. ”Oh very well. Be lucky Apollo makes us soft, little cupcake. Come on Orchid, let’s give the new lovers some privacy.”

”Grrrrr.” Orchid protested at the wording choice before being dragged upstairs by Onyx. Hailey watched all this, still recovering from the odd sensation of being so close to Onyx. After they had both entered the same room, Apollo’s room, Hailey turned to me and stated.

”I don’t think I am going to be seeing that other side of Orchid anytime soon. Did she actually just growl at me?”

I scratched the back of my head, a little embarrassed. ”Yeah, she sort of does that. Also, sorry she smelt you so... Aggressively. I think Onyx put her up to being weird. Orchid isn’t dumb, but she is a bit naive.”

Hailey shrugged her shoulders. ”Don’t worry about it, It’s actually not the first time she has sniffed me like that, but that was a while ago. Anyways, I think I should just get into it before I lose my nerve. Phew. I have kept this a secret for over a decade and now I tell two people in less than a year? My life is getting hectic... Oh, in a good way!” She said, seemingly correcting for my benefit.

I simply smiled at her and placed a hand on her knee for emotional support. I had no idea what she was going to say that required the privacy my pulsar provided, but just being there for her, not even as her new boyfriend, but her continuing friend was what I would do for her.

Hailey then placed her hand atop mine and smiled at my small, yet significant gesture. She then took a deep breath, collecting her shaky nerves.

”Apollo, I...”

...

...

...

...

”Achoo!”

”Woah, big wind up, are you ok?” I asked, as Hailey paused for a good ten seconds for that sneeze.

”Yeah, sorry, must have been dust or something. Sorry, as I was about to say, Apollo, I am going to tell you something that if it got out, the entire empire would be thrown into disarray. The severity of this, well I suppose its two secrets actually. The first part is only known by my mothers side of the family, but the latter... Only Queen Elaine and I know. I just need you to understand how serious this is.”

Her words felt heavy, like her mind was racing, like she was still convincing herself to tell me. I simply reassured her. ”Hailey, I told you I will do my best to protect you. I will never do anything intentional to hurt or harm you and considering the severity of the matter. What you tell me will not leave this building. That I vow on my soul.”

Hailey looked deeply into my eyes after saying that, looking genuinely moved by what I just said, it seemed she found her resolve. ”What did I do to deserve you in my life?”

She then inhaled one more time before ripping the bandage off. ”Apollo, While it was true my mothers name was Bellona Athena. We inherited that last name from the founder Athena the wise. Athena, to put it simply, was a genius and found a way to engram her soul into our bloodline. My mother was the founder, Athena, in Bellona’s body.”

My mouth hung open ever so slightly at that revelation. That was a lot to digest and I had a lot of follow up questions, but before that. ”That... Is quite a titbit of information Hailey, but what is the second secret?”

Hailey’s expression turned angry, being me, I assumed I said something wrong and was about to apologise, but Hailey beat me to the punch.

”The second secret is that my father had my mother murdered by assassins and I have been sitting on that information since I was a little girl.”

My mouth this time fell to the floor in shock. I don’t know what I was expecting tonight, but this certainly wasn’t it. A few moments later, I picked up my jaw, I then looked at Hailey and composed myself for her. She was looking at me expectingly, thankfully, so I asked.

”So... Are you open to some follow up questions?”