Page 31 of Free for Adventure

“Dorian, you are a better dancer than Ohno. Come up here and help her.”

He grinned at Ohno, got up to Amby’s side, and wrapped an arm around her, his hand low on her belly and hip.

Illu smiled. “You two look so adorable.”

“Auntie!” Ohno was shocked.

“Oh, relax. She has three marks, and you are one of them. She and Dorian aren’t in as close quarters as you and she are.”

“Yes, but he needs to be careful.”

Amby looked at him in surprise. “Aw, that is so sweet, Ohno.”

Illu said, “Of course he does. She’s a beta.”

Amby moved in step with Dorian. “He’s referring to the FGM that I underwent. I have been repaired, but no one knows how it works, including me. Mind you, Hara had the same situation, and she’s doing fine.”

“FGM?” Dorian murmured like he should know the phrase.

Illu spoke weakly. “Female genital mutilation. A religious group is finding girls that exhibit omega indicators, and they sew them shut.”

Amby looked at her in surprise.

Illu shrugged. “Haravin and I talked.”

“Right. Well, victims were identified after Haravin was discovered, and I was one of them. It makes sense as we are family.”

Illu leaned forward. “Didn’t you know?”

“How? I was given something to make me sick as a teen and brought into a clinic, and when I left, everything hurt. I got used to the physical restriction, but this is my first time being free. No stitches.”

Dorian froze and slowly withdrew his hands. “So, they mutilated you.”

“Yes.” She nodded. “And I have gotten better, but I am still lacking a few social benchmarks.”

Ohno walked up to her. “Which is why your friend sent you here?”

“Well, there aren’t any of the indicators for my marks back home. Not a lot of waterfalls and even less giant rays.”

Dorian frowned. “But you climbed...”

“Yeah, being able to stretch my legs that far apart is new. Weirdly fun, but new.” She chuckled. “If you are wondering what I think you are wondering, the ache is all in my arms and shoulders. A little bit on my inner thighs, but that is why Ohno is booking me a massage.”

Ohno contacted with her and hugged her close. To her surprise, Dorian pressed against her and made a little sandwich with her in the middle.

She inhaled and then slowly exhaled as she relaxed. “You guys are cutting into my instruction time.”

Illu chuckled. “Dorian can help you keep up after your massage. Tomorrow, you go to the island of butterflies?”

“Yes.”

“Then, we will resume when Ohno tells me you are available again.” Illu grinned. “At least the studio has been used.”

Amby reached one hand forward and one back. “Uh, guys? I really need to shut off the camera.”

She wiggled and was against both of them more firmly than she had assumed.

“Guys?”