Page 40 of I Married A Syllen

“Sweet flavors?!” I exclaimed, thinking that I would explode if he asked me to take another bite of anything else.

“Mhmm. Watch closely,” he said, picking up both shells before rising to his feet.

He strolled over to the next tree behind me. I turned around to observe as he placed the shells near the roots. He barely even started walking away when what I initially assumed to be oddly shaped leaves unfurled before flying down. I yelped, thinking he was about to be attacked by large insects, but they flew directly to the shells.

“Peace, my mate,” Taelen said with a chuckle. “All is well. They are Opiris. Harmless insects who love sweets, and who can eat almost anything, so long as it’s sweet.”

I leaned forward to get a better look. My brain failed to come up with a proper description for their appearance, except that they were incredibly cute. In my line of work, being afraid of bugs would be a major issue. While I didn’t find them particularly appealing, I’d never been the type to squeal or run in disgust or fear at the sight of a creepy crawler. But these ones, I would definitely hold in my hand like one would a beautiful butterfly.

If not for the green chitin scales covering their bodies, the antennas, and mandibles, you would assume they were miniature mammals the size of a plum. There was something slightly canine about their slender frame. The tall wings on their backs could have belonged to a wood fairy.

At least eight or nine of them had flown down. The creatures immediately started eating the shells, half of them working on one shell while the others went to town on the second shell. The voracity with which they devoured them left me reeling.

“That’s incredible!” I whispered, blown away.

“That is Mazeria,” Taelen said proudly. “The Opiris usually lurk around here waiting for Wonthonnas to come by. They’re giant creatures with a bowl-shaped shell on their backs in which they carry their offspring. Over time, the shells tend to grow excessively to the point of increasingly choking them. The Wonthonnas come to lie down on the beach, and the Opiris eat the excess.”

“Wow, everything truly is in symbiosis here,” I said with wonder.

“In this world, everything has a purpose. So long as we all do our part, our world and all its inhabitants will always thrive. As you can see, there’s no waste. Everything can become another’s food, fertilizer, nest material, and anything else you can think of. All that we transform can be broken back down into something usable or consumed.”

“So your people never have to deal with trash?!” I exclaimed.

He shook his head. “The only time we had to deal with what your people call ‘trash’ was when the Settlers came. They created so much waste that the Great Mother struggled to absorb or break it down into something harmless.”

“I’m sorry this happened,” I said apologetically.

“It wasn’t your fault. But once we have our lands in order, we will want to look at what waste your settlement is generating,” he warned. “So long as your people do not interfere with us, and stay away from our lands, we don’t care about their presence. But if the way they live affects the balance and infects their sector of the world, the ‘disease’ will spread to the rest of Mazeria. And that is unacceptable. And judging by the abominable garden Doopeluk Moniuk built, I shudder at the thought of what other atrocities we will find in your cities.”

I couldn’t even argue with that.

“Of course. The human city’s governor will be very open to discussing the matter with you,” I said with conviction. “I know that they follow the strictest environmental protocols in terms of recycling and renewable energy. But any improvement or corrective action you can suggest will be welcome.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Are you finished with your drink?”

“Yes, I can’t consume anything else without bursting,” I said with an embarrassed chuckle.

“No problem,” he said with a smile. “The Opiris will be grateful for more free food. The paya shells are soft enough for them to consume directly. Had we been back in the village, we would have roasted them for dessert. You’ll get to try it another time.”

“Looking forward to it!”

He placed the empty payas near the Opiris, who didn’t pause gorging on the remains of the dasay shells. Taelen then headed for the water where he washed his hands. I joined him and washed my own. He shook his hands twice before looking at me frantically shaking mine with a puzzled expression. Feeling self-conscious, I stopped and nearly wiped the remaining moisture on my pants. However, a look at his own took me aback.

“How come your hands are already this dry?!” I exclaimed.

Taelen glanced down at his hands before peering back at me with sudden understanding.

“Our skin sheds most of the moisture. Whatever lingers is absorbed by our vines and veris,” he explained, holding his arm up for me to look.

On instinct, I reached for his forearm only to catch myself at the last second and yank my hand back with a guilty expression. He burst out laughing and shook his head as if I was a strange creature that defied logic.

“You off-worlders and your rules about not touching are hilarious. Have you forgotten the part where I’m yours, Mirella?” he said in a taunting fashion. “I do not have your human restrictions. You can touch me whenever you want, however you want. So go ahead and sate your curiosity.

Despite my cheeks feeling on the verge of combusting, I didn’t make him repeat the offer and just went for it.

My lips parted in wonder as I ran my fingers over the skin of his forearm. It didn’t have scales like the Thalans. And its texture didn’t match the dolphin-like feel of the Raitheans’ skin. It didn’t quite feel human either, but it was so incredibly soft!

His stare weighed heavily on me as he studied my reaction to touching him. I traced the swirling patterns of his yevins, then gently ran my thumb over some of his vines.