Page 29 of Tearing the Sky
“I would still like to see it.”
She shrugged. “The music I danced to is long gone. I haven’t heard any of the local music.”
He nodded. “I understand. I will work something out.”
She sighed in relief. “It was just one of a hundred jobs to support Lily and me and keep her in school. Our mother had a number of issues, so I raised her and made sure things were paid for. It didn’t feel right to stop just because she went to school, so I kept paying for things because I knew how to do the work.”
“Once you started with filling all waking hours, you could not stop.”
“Right.”
“You did not pursue additional education?”
“No. I couldn’t study and work at the same time. Plus, Lily is very smart, and she needed her chance. Mind you, if I knew that the world was going to end, I might not have taken up stripping.”
He stroked her back. “Whether it ends in war, disaster, or disease, no one is prepared for their world to end. I am here to start new ones.”
She froze as his words sank in. She looked up at him. “That is the purpose of the Hmrain, isn’t it? It isn’t just starting new worlds in empty spaces; it is to recover populations and mix them with other survivors who are compatible.”
He smiled. “Of course. The education station was started by the Hmrain. We endeavoured to create a place for other species to get interesting servants who would grow into interesting citizens.”
She smiled. “Do I get citizenship?”
“Irith, you can have one of my worlds if we manage to create a child.”
The server made a startled sound as he set down the desserts.
She shrugged. “That’s why I am here.”
Yavor nuzzled her neck. “Not just that.”
“Oh, right. That.”
She reached out and got what looked like a frozen berry smoothie. She took a few spoonfuls, then yelped when brain freeze struck. She put the bowl down and pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth while a large blue head tilted toward her. “You are in distress?”
She felt the pain subsiding. “I ate the cold stuff so fast and had discomfort due to a nerve and sinus issue.”
“You are no longer in pain?”
She squinted up at him. “I think I got most of it.”
“What was the treatment?”
“Pressing my tongue to the roof of my mouth.”
“Ah, what is this called?”
“Brain freeze.” She chuckled. “That is what it feels like.”
“Does it happen often?”
“Only when I eat frozen things too fast.”
He nodded with a thoughtful expression on his features.
She grinned and went back in for more.
She felt the pain building and slowed down.