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She giggled and gave me an affectionate bump with her shoulder.
“So all the things I see people talking about they’re going to do…”
“Public!” she said cheerfully. “Just say you will be there. If they don’t want you there, they shouldn’t be making it public.”
“I think I’m the exception to that Lemurian nicety.” I very much doubted Lemuria wanted me to roll up to the Neighborhood Family Fun Day with my three consorts and reputation for being messy.
She frowned. “Of course you aren’t. If it’s in public, it’s open to you too.”
We resumed walking. “I don’t think so, Kira.”
“Well, why not? You think everyone likes everyone else at these things?”
“No, but with humans, there’s all this etiquette. It’s rude to talk about an event unless everyone present is also invited, but if it happens, and you’re not invited, you’re not supposed to ask for an invite. You’re also supposed to be sharp to when you get an invitation but it’s apoliteinvitation and you’re notactuallysupposed to come so you say no because you aren’treallysupposed to be there but the host was obliged to ask you.”
Kira scrunched up her face. “That sounds too harmful and complicated. So are you saying that even if you had seen the chatter about Movie Night, you’d have thought you weren’t invited?”
I nodded. “That’s how it works. I mean, I’m sure if IdidRSVP and show up I wouldn’t be turned away, but nobody would want me there and it’d be awkward.”
“Is that how it works with humans?”
“Yes.”
“That explains so much I’ve seen in shows and movies! We’re always confused when we watch one where the main character agonizes over if they should go or not to something, and then they decide they’re going to do it, like it’s an act of courage, but they get there and everyone acts like they shouldn’t be there.”
Only Kira could make high school nightmares and awkward college dorm parties sound cheerful.
“And it’s all silly. Besides, youchooseto live here with us, don’t you? Auryn could glamor Akoni and you could all go live topside.”
“I can’t take Auryn and Akoni away from Lemuria.”
“See? Exactly. YouchooseLemuria. Don’t pay attention to the hashtags. They’re all idiots who don’t know you. Because you don’t show up to the events!” She smiled warmly. “It’s a misunderstanding. But there’s a rumor going around topside operations are over. All the topside drakes are back and won’t talk about it.”
If Hekon thought dragons weren’t going to take headcount and notice all the topsiders were back and without jobs, then Hekon had been spending too much time in bed with A’ka. “It’s true. Hekon’s recalled all of them after the last mission.”
Kira’s eyes got wide and she grabbed my wrist. “Why? That’s the one you were on, right?”
I shrugged, suddenly miserable as my side throbbed. “You’d have to ask Hekon. I can’t talk about it.”
“Oh no, Helena!”
“I don’t know what it means, but I know it can’t be good for humanity.”
She grabbed me and threw her arms around me. She smelled faintly of strawberries and sweetness.
“I can’t talk about it, Kira. And you’re squishing me.”
“But nothing’s happeningyet, right?”
“No. I just know that Hekon’s cancelled all topside operations.”
“Then there’s still hope! Nothing has happened today.” She took my hand and tugged me down the path. “Or maybe it won’t be that bad. Or they’ll find a way to warn humanity.”
Or the Atlatenan archives would contain a pamphlet on Gate construction. “Kira, would you go to Homeworld, if you could?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. Earth’s my home, you know? But I also know what’s happening to the planet. We can’t stay down here with the O2concentration of the oceans, but you know that as well as I do. At the same time, topside isn’t any better, and if their minds don’t change…”
“But if you could go to Homeworld tomorrow.”
