Page 86 of Dancing for the Minotaur

“And what does that one do?” she asked.

Taurex carried several of the vegetables over to it.

“This is where I will prepare the stew.”

Terra raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“You cook in a plant?”

He nodded matter-of-factly.

“The inner surface produces heat.”

He stroked one side of the bowl and thin lines of orange light began glowing beneath its surface. Within seconds Terra could feel warmth radiating from it.

“Holy crap. That thing really gets hot!”

“You seem to be very surprised by my domicile,” Taurex remarked.

“Because everything here keeps doing things plants are not supposed to do,” Terra answered.

“According to Earth plants.”

“Well…yes,” she admitted. “According to Earth plants.”

Taurex gestured toward another cluster of smaller pods growing along one side of the counter.

“These provide different cooking temperatures.”

Terra looked at the pod clusters with interest.

“So those are the burners?”

He shrugged.

“If that terminology helps you, I suppose.”

“It does,” Terra assured him. “I’m just trying to figure everything out here.”

“I understand.” He nodded.

Another flower opened when he touched it and released a thin stream of perfectly clear water into a basin formed from overlapping leaves.

Terra pointed at it excitedly.

“Sink flower! That’s a sink flower.”

The corners of his mouth twitched.

“I suppose,” you could call it that.”

Terra grinned at him.

“See? You’re learning.”

He shook his head, hiding a smile.

“Being with you is certainly an education, lovely one.”