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Leaf smiled. “So, Xeva, aside from my brother, what do you want to see on the island?”
“I would love to see tourist stuff, but something tells me it would make you roll your eyes.”
Leaf nodded. “How about the shield station?”
“That sounds good. I can see the tech I nearly turned into a paste for.”
Apple smiled. “And take her to the tattoo shop. Rethigigs. She needs to be there before noon.”
“Right. Will do. Anywhere else she should go?”
“No, that’s it. Bring Doc Negerith a cup of coffee. She’s going to have a rough day.”
Xeva smiled. “Seers have it rough. Thanks for the direction.”
Apple shrugged. “It isn’t so bad. Fixed points are easy, but when it comes to people, they can move around in funny ways if startled. Too early and they run, and too late and they defend themselves in dangerous ways.”
The other guests nudged and mocked him, asking who their perfect match was and how many kids they would have.
Revakka laughed. “I am looking forward to a wave of grandchildren.”
Jeron laughed and spoke to his mother about the recipes needed for that many people.
Apple looked at Xeva and met her gaze. He grinned wide and held up both hands. Seven.
She stared. “You had better be referring to the days I am here.”
Apple shrugged. “It is what it is.”
Jeron looked at her. “You look white as a ghost. What’s wrong?”
“Your brother and math.”
Apple had his hands around his mug and shrugged. “You have a very funny girlfriend.”
Jeron frowned. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
Xeva was mortified.
Leaf must have seen her face. “Jeron, you may want to rephrase that fucking fast.”
He looked at Xeva and said, “She’s the missing part of me, and as soon as I can formalize it, I will.”
“Do I get a say in that?”
“Do you want to go back to the teams?”
“Not really.”
“Then no. I will invite Dmitri and Nelith here, and you can be reunited.”
She smiled. “That would be nice. I miss her hugs.”
“You are the only one brave enough to hug her no matter what mood she was in.”
“She only struck out when attacked or tortured into action. She’s really even-tempered, but she has no socialization skills. They weren’t big on making us the bells of the ball. They wanted us to be functional and aggressive. If we had social skills, it would help us escape, and they didn’t want that.”
“But you got out anyway.”
