I left the ship determined to postpone the trip to the cave until the next day. The day promised to be hectic, and my body was already showing the first signs of exhaustion.

  The strong sun illuminated the bustle in the center of the village, with all the Reborn in a state of excitement. Aluram stood a little apart, observing everything.

  “Good morning,” I greeted him. “Resting?”

  “I came to see how the houses turned out, hoping to get new ideas, but I found this instead,” he replied, gesturing with his eyes toward the Seliums.

  “What’s going on? Are they fighting?”

  “No. They’re just excited because too many are talking at the same time.” He laughed. “Go over there. It’s about you.”

  I leaned against a bench, just to feel the cool breeze pass over us. That was when I noticed Nissi, her hand resting against the wall of a house, her eyes fixed on the ground. Something was wrong.

  I went to her, noticing the sadness and apprehension on her face. I hugged her without saying anything. She wrapped her arms around me, and we stayed like that for a while, until I whispered in her ear:

  “I love you.”

  I knew that was enough to calm her heart and drive away the fear trying to overwhelm her.

  “I have you,” she smiled. “Thank you.”

  When I looked around, there was silence. Everyone was watching us.

  “What is it, my loves?” I asked, amused by so many curious looks.

  “May I speak?” Lira raised her hand.

  I nodded.

  “You took us as your wives, and Mala sent Mila to lie with you.”

  “You mean by kissing your navels?”

  “Yes.”

  I looked at Aluram with narrowed eyes. He looked away, laughing.

  “We want to know when it will be our turn, or what we should do,” Lira continued. “Are we all your wives? Do we need to ask Tariel and Anastácia for permission?”

  “I understand,” I interrupted. “Yes, you are all my wives. Just a moment…”

  I had seen Aerin looking for a place to sit, limping slightly. I went to her.

  “What happened, Aerin?”

  “It’s nothing,” she said, standing up. “Earlier I fell and hit my hip. It’ll pass.”

  “AX, bring the regenerator,” I asked.

  I knelt and held out my palm to receive the container. Without asking permission, I lifted Aerin’s dress and saw a large bruise on her thigh. She helped raise the fabric.

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  “The pain will go away, and soon there won’t be any marks,” I explained as I spread the cream over her skin. “When something like this happens, ask the Observer for the regenerator.”

  “I won’t do that,” she said firmly.

  I looked up and met her charming, mischievous smile.

  “If I’m nearby, you can come to me. I’ll take care of you,” I replied, smiling.

  I finished the treatment, but before standing up, enchanted by such beautiful legs, I teased her with a gentle kiss on her thigh. Then I gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

  There were smiles and murmurs. Then I returned to where the others were.

  “So, I’ll repeat. You are mine. We are a family. But I still don’t know how this will work,” I took a deep breath. “Mila was with me, but I didn’t take her, because, from a human point of view, she’s still too young for that.”

  “Why?” Aerin asked beside me.

  “It’s something cultural that I haven’t overcome yet. She told me that just knowing she was my wife and that she would be cared for already made her complete.”

  “That’s what matters. The rest is a consequence,” Lira said.

  “Then it’s settled. We have what we need. Time will teach us,” I concluded.

  “But what about Tariel and Anastácia?” Nissi asked.

  “My feelings are the same for all of you,” I replied, noticing a few laughs. “But I admit I’ll be more careful with Tariel, Nissi, and Mila.”

  “With me? Why?”

  “You and Tariel went through things no one should ever have to endure. And I realized that Mila, because of her illness, expected the same ending.” I looked at all of them. “I know each of you carries your own traumas. I’ll always be present when you need me—and even when you think you don’t.” I smiled. “The only trauma I carry is having watched you go through all of that.”

  Nissi stepped closer and kissed me.

  “A kiss for everyone,” she said.

  “But…” Lira spoke a little louder. “We’d like Tariel and Anastácia to be the main wives.”

  My expression became a silent question. Lira explained:

  “Even if your love is the same for all of us, we think the two of them can centralize our needs. They’ll listen to us and take care of us when you’re absent or busy.”

  “With them watching over you, we feel more at ease…” Even tried to explain, with a mischievous smile. “That way we don’t have to fight over whose turn it is.”

  “That removes the obligation and leaves only the pleasures,” I joked. “Any special reason for this?”

  “When the imbalance happened, those who had someone suffered from the fear of losing them.”

  “I understand. Tariel and Anastácia will bring comfort. But…” I paused playfully, building suspense. “Knowing the Sekvens’ history, there’s no possibility of our connection being canceled or even altered.”

  “That’s it! Let’s get to work!” Lira shouted.

  Many of them came to kiss me or give me quick pecks. I walked back to the bench where Aluram was, feeling as if I were floating.

  “Unbelievable,” he complained. “No fights, no jealousy. And they even appointed others as main wives!”

  “Is that so unusual?”

  “It wasn’t…” he said nostalgically. “There were no women without someone to take care of them. Today, there are more single women than married ones.”

  “Seems like they enjoy being cared for.”

  “That’s what matters to a Selium woman. And they’re demanding about it. That’s how they feel loved and happy. We can’t fail in that care. Otherwise, none of them will want us.”

  “That explains everything,” I laughed.

  “But that didn’t happen here. They know they’ll be cared for. And more than that: they’re so certain of it that they want to enjoy the moment.” He laughed, then grew thoughtful.

  “I thought it was sweet.”

  “Was this possible because the Sekvens intervened?”

  “I don’t think they wanted to place such a huge responsibility on me—not all at once, like it happened. But accidentally, the connection with Melissa lasted longer and was stronger than expected.” I crossed my arms and watched a flock of birds pass overhead.

  “I’ve been thinking… Could the Sekvens do the same with our people?”

  A little surprised, I remained silent.

  “With the human problem solved, I need to face our internal issues. The biggest—and by far the hardest—is dealing with the sadness, anxiety, and conflicts caused by our imbalance,” he said, stirring the ground with his feet. “That’s why I want to encourage my people to care. In other words, to take more than one Selium as a wife.”

  I smiled, with a hint of revenge and satisfaction.

  “I think the Sekvens have already noticed your problem.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “By the end of the day, almost a hundred of them will land here.”

  “That many?” His eyes widened. “You said only three…”

  “You agreed. Now get ready.”

  It had been a long time since I had laughed so much. His expression was priceless.

  Deep down, I was anxious too.