Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
One human with a rounded figure and a motherly smile approaches us, a primitive cooking pot in her arms. “I’m going to start the food, but before I do, I should ask if you guys have any allergies. The sa-khui don’t, but you guys seem a little…” Her gaze flicks to Niri’s capped horns and my tattoos. “…different. Do you eat raw meat?”
Niri makes a sound of horror.
The human’s eyes widen. “I’m going to think that’s a ‘no.’ It’s not something we humans are fond of either, but the sa-khui prefer their meat that way. So cooked meat, then?”
“No meat,” Niri says.
“Eggs? Roots?” Her small brows draw together. “I can make a great frittata—”
“We brought our own rations,” Niri replies quickly. “It won’t be necessary to feed us.”
“Oh, I see.” The human woman looks crestfallen.
I speak up, because I bet they never have visitors, and the human seems excited to cook for us. I feel bad. “I’d love to try the fritt-fritt—”
“Frittata.” She beams. “It’s a human dish. I promise you’ll like it.” She bustles away.
Farli passes by, and her hand goes to my shoulder. She leans in. “Stay-see is a good cook,” she murmurs, lips brushing against the edge of my ear. “And you have made her very happy today.”
I am more interested in making Farli happy, but I nod. I watch her as she saunters away again, her tail swishing. She moves toward an elderly couple dressed in furs and embraces them, talking and laughing. These must be her parents. Her animal is in one corner of the meeting house, chewing happily on a pile of roots.
There’s an overwhelming amount of people around us, and for space-faring loners who don’t see others for months on end, it almost feels like too much. We’re handed babies, introduced to everyone, and many of the tribe take a turn coming to sit by us. Farli’s father offers a skin of a fermented drink that Trakan exclaims over, which makes the tribe very happy. Chatav talks quietly with their chief, the human mate with the curly hair hovering nearby. Niri sips a cup of tea and doesn’t eat, and so that leaves me to taste all of the dishes Stay-see and the others are pushing in my direction. I try to ignore the textures and where the foods might come from. I don’t want to know. The flavors are incredible, though, and I think my surprise shows on my face, because Stay-see giggles every time I take a bite.
“Told you that you’d like it.”
“I do,” I say, shoving another spoonful of frittata into my mouth. It’s delicious, and if I don’t think about the fact that it comes from eggs, I love it. These people don’t use eating sticks, only spoons, so it’s a little bit of a challenge. The humans do seem to be fairly advanced, and don’t blink an eye with our talk of ships and interstellar travel. They nod knowingly when Chatav mentions that we are a freighter, and ask questions about trading posts near here or where the closest space station is.
As I eat, one female with a huge stomach comes and sits next to me. She is one of the smallest of the humans, and she has a baby on her hip, one in her belly, and a little boy with small horns and big, glowing blue eyes is clinging to her leg. He watches me with a wary expression. “Hi there,” the woman gushes happily. “You must be Farli’s new mate. I heard Haeden mention it and thought I’d come over and say hi. I’m Josie.” She sticks her hand out, and I realize humans have an extra finger. Ugh.
I take her hand anyhow, just to be polite, and clasp it in greeting. “I am Bron Mardok Vendasi, and I am honored to make your acquaintance.”
Her eyes widen. “So polite.”
“Isn’t he?” A yellow-haired human sits down next to her, grinning at me. “That’s different. I almost expected you to beat your chest and declare Farli yours. Maybe grab her by her hair and take her off to your lair, caveman-style.”
I’m…not sure if I’m being insulted. “Hello,” I say slowly.
Josie waves a hand. “That’s just Liz. Pay her no mind.” Josie jiggles her baby and then leans in a little. “Can I ask you something? Liz and I have a bet.”
“A bet?” Now I am curious. “What of?”
Instead of answering me, Josie touches her son’s cheek. “Joden, why don’t you go find Daddy, okay?” She smiles at him encouragingly and waits for him to scamper off. When he’s gone, she turns back to me, the look on her face calculating. “It’s about…anatomy.”
I choke on the mouthful of frittata.
The humans just laugh. Josie waits until I finish swallowing and then rushes on with her question, breathless. “We want to know what the spur is for.”