Page 40 of Golden Darkness
“She is a new mother. She will be understanding and irritated.”
Kethen raised her hand to his lips. “I hope to find out one day how relaxed you will be.”
She chuckled. She gave into his fantasy for a moment while they left the ship and headed toward the purple-tinged world below them. She had no idea what shape life was going to take, so it was going to be a surprise when she got pregnant.
“How long have I been out here with you?”
Kethen smiled. “Since you were first dumped in my cage, about a hundred twenty days.”
Shock rippled through her. “What?”
“Your acclimation to me took longer than anticipated.” He kissed her knuckles. “After our first connection, you were unconscious for two weeks. Things moved quickly, but each time we came together, it took you a few days to recover. It stretched out over time, and you were lost in learning for several weeks.”
“The Vel-ech?”
“Dropped off at the mine three weeks ago.”
She went to rub her forehead and remembered the paint. “I only thought it was a few weeks. It doesn’t feel like four months.”
“Your body no longer ages. And you have learned so much.”
She paused and mentally went through the list of things and languages she had learned. “Well, I guess you are right.”
He laughed. “Except for Hmrain etiquette.”
“I am saving that for last.”
“I know. So, when you meet Mrkana, you will stand tall, and when she walks toward you, you will only incline your head an inch. You will hold that position for twenty seconds and then raise your head.”
“Oh. What about the consort?”
“He will bow to you. You outrank him. If we have offspring, you won’t need to incline your head to a Hmrain... ever.”
Janessa looked at him. “Okay.”
He smiled. “Now, practice the nod.”
She looked at him, bowed her head slightly, counted to twenty, and then raised her head.
“Perfect, Pet.”
He held her hand as they angled for entry to the atmosphere, and flames engulfed the outside of the ship. She clutched at him, and he squeezed her hand lightly. In a remarkably short span of time, they were on the ground.
“It is time for your first proper introduction, Pet. Let’s go.”
They walked hand in hand through the ship, and it felt like a trip on a private plane, but she supposed that was exactly what it was.
They walked to the door behind three bulkheads, and Kethen nodded to the crewmembers standing to either side. The door swung open, and air rushed in. Six members of the crew in very shiny uniforms exited their shuttle and then stood on either side of the doorway as Kethen led her out of the ship, down the stairs, and onto her first alien world.
The air smelled like flowers, plants, and soil. Janessa inhaled and closed her eyes. “I haven’t smelled a flower in over two years.”
“Bayra has many flowers, and the air is sweet.”
“Bayra?”
“The place where we are going next. The original home of the Kethic.”
As they spoke, he walked her toward a building that had the sensibilities of Angkor Wat. It was about a kilometre to walk, and Kethen kept talking to her calmly as they made their way to the pavilion surrounded by guards. A woman with pale red skin and black markings got to her feet when they approached. She was wearing a wrapped gown; her wings were rust colour and had a silky arrangement of overlapping scales. They looked like butterfly wings. They were lovely.