“I think he is trying to give her some space, even though it tears him apart inside seeing her with another. You see, they have been side by side since they were younglings. Keida claimed him the moment he stepped off RaZ’s ship, and that bond has only grown stronger as they have gotten older. Danny is serious, whereas Keida is silly and outgoing. But she is younger than he is and in his mind, this is her world, and if she decides at some point that she prefers another … well, I do not know if he could accept that or not, but I think he is trying.”
“You like him?”
“It is hard not to, as he cares deeply for Keida, Father, and Kira. He loves Victoria and Grandfather fiercely, but he fights an internal battle every tic. I know that Falcor has a private training area just for Danny because he is the only one strong enough to handle the power emanating from him. I do not know the entire story, but Danny survived something on Earth that should have killed him, and whatever that was, it changed not only him, but Raven and the other hounds.”
“You mean there are more like her?”
“Yes, there are three others, but Raven seldom leaves Danny’s side unless SeeSee is with them.”
“Is SeeSee the same as Raven?”
“No, he is a Selin, an extremely dangerous predator on Darverius. Keida bonded with him when he was little; she has a way with most animals. He would be here now, but he haschosen a queen and has to stay with her until the litter is delivered.”
“I have so much to learn about your world. Every time I feel like I’m beginning to understand the things around me, you throw another curveball at me.”
“Nonsense, I have never thrown anything at you.”
Laughing at his words, the day suddenly seems to have gotten to me, and I catch myself yawning. “Let’s see if Carla needs any help cleaning up. As enjoyable as this day has been, I’m tired.”
BuK is instantly on his feet, his hand under my elbow, helping me up out of the chair. Carla is busy gathering plates and napkins when we arrive. “Carla dear, what do you need us to do?”
“Not a thing, child. You two go on; you’ve done enough today. Dawn and Vedece both volunteered to help get things back in order, as did Ricky and Owen. Go on and get some rest. As much fun as all of this has been, unfortunately life gets back to normal in the morning.”
“Thank you, and you outdid yourself with the food, especially the cake. I ate mine and most of BuK’s.”
“I’d be lying if I said it was simple. Recreating something edible with the ingredients we have here isn’t always easy, but we seem to keep stumbling along. SCOUT mentioned he would talk to MeK about recreating an oven for me when the energy grid is done. The replicators are nice, but I would still like to be able to make some real bread and things for special occasions such as this.”
“Well, you’ve kept us from starving so far, so if you need a taste tester, just yell.” I hug her before turning back to BuK, who’s stood here the entire time, simply observing our conversation. He holds his arm out to me, and I grasp onto it, leaning affectionately into his side.
The moment we step out of the tent, the cool air hits me, and I shiver, not realizing it was that much hotter inside. “All those bodies mashed together must have really created some heat inside the tent, or does it feel cooler than usual out here?”
“I do believe the air is cooler, and the sky does not seem as bright.”
“I’m sure it’s just us; we are in a fog of overstimulation. Thank you for walking me home once again. I really enjoyed today and you.”
“Briar, it is my pleasure as always. You are my favorite human after all. I will be waiting for you in our usual spot next rising for our newest project.”
“Ugh, we do have that new pod to start on in the morning? Thanks for reminding me.”
Even though my new pod home is not as close as some of the others, we still find ourselves back at the entrance quicker than I would’ve liked. I hesitate for a second, almost asking BuK to stay with me, as the place is just too big and quiet for one person. Because I’m unsure of his reaction, and it’s late, I lean up and kiss him on the cheek before putting my hand against the panel next to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He doesn’t say a word, just stands there looking at me with his hand hovering over the cheek I had just kissed.
CHAPTER 4
BRIAR
I pull the covers up over my head, groaning when the shades on the viewers start to rise letting the light in. I feel like I’d just laid down. Pushing myself up, I stagger to the replicator and push the button for the magic juice I hope will wake me up. Struggling to get my jommies off, I step into the ionizer, leaning my head against the wall, and simply resting my mind for a second longer. When the hot air surrounds me and the door opens, I do feel slightly more awake, but I’m still just going through the motions.
Slipping into the dull gray jumpsuit that has become like a second skin for me, I wander back to the replicator, grab my cup, and then walk out onto the large balcony that overlooks the entire valley and the vast body of water stretching as far as the eye can see. The lights reflecting off Etherium dance wildly in the sky, but for a moment, I swear I see a shadow move across it, something I’ve never seen before. Turning my gaze away from the sky, my eyes roam over the large hills and smooth waters surrounding us.
This view never gets old, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I’m still slightly overwhelmed that I was lucky enough to receive this pod, considering there are only three of them on this specific ridge. If I look hard enough, I can barely see Lacie and MeK’s balcony over the Timbers, the sentient trees that surround us, but Ricky’s is entirely out of sight. A few people complained when these were assigned to us, but DaR was quick to put them in their place, as it was MeK’s funds that paid for the extra supports and modifications requested by the Timbers, so the pods wouldn’t damage the roots holding these hills together.
MeK had mine built simply so that Lacie and I would be close, and we all know he will do anything to make and keep her happy. As for why Ricky got the other one, I’m not a hundred percent sure. However, I still think it has something to do with Kira and her reaction to him the first time she saw him. There must be more to that story, I just know it.
I hope Lacie and MeK are enjoying their honeymoon stay. I don’t know who was more shocked, me or MeK when he asked her where she wanted to go after the wedding, and she’d said home. I remember laughing when she told him that she had traveled the universe and survived, and that she wasn’t going to push her luck by trying it again. MeK will probably convince her to explore eventually, but as of right now, she’s determined to remain here.
Because my thoughts have been all over the place, before I realize it I’ve finished my cup of magic juice. Sighing, my mind races through the stuff I need to bring with me so I can start cleaning the new pod. Turning around, I take a second to look around at all the things I’ve personally gathered for my new home. Even though it lacks color, the whites and light grays accentuate the open layout inside. Leather couches curl aroundthe pods’ natural interior, and the large rugs soften the harsh metal they’re made of. Most of the pods have a similar layout, but their owners have the option to change the main aesthetics. I’ve always enjoyed neutral colors, and now with the ever-changing landscape, their coolness is comforting when the world is too bright.
