Page 76 of Trove’s Purpose

Honestly, he barely even saw it anymore. Not to say that he ignored it. It was just such a part of her, it was like taking note of her nose or her shoulders every time he looked at her.

But her flippant comment hit much harder than he was sure she intended. She even laughed it off, turning as Haven called to her, gesturing her over to look at the painting. They were all engrossed in what appeared to be an old city bathed in fire. It was a huge scene of war, chaos, destruction, and tragedy. Beautiful, and terrible.

And that’s what her scar was as well.

There was a story there, and he didn’t know it. But he wanted to. He was eager to find out why she was attached to that scar.

Was she like him? Did the story of her past tie her tongue? Did she have screams that haunted her waking moments and infested her dreams? If he asked her about it, would she find her entire body locking down?

And if that were true, how could he ask her about it?

Chapter 24

Chee

They were having a viewing party in the main storage bay. The painting was so large and so full of details, they could probably spend a few hours just looking at it and finding more. Haven wanted to look up the techniques that made the painting. Goldie wanted to know the story and history behind the painting. Garnet, who was reaching the end of her pregnancy, was going in and out of moods, and she just wanted to be around ‘her girls’ as she said.

Tanin said that must be a human instinct, because it was not a s’skree one. Their females, he explained, tended to be very hostile towards strangers, and sometimes even towards their own mate. Their protective instincts over their young was super strong and it wasn’t uncommon for a female to attack her male soon after the birth.

Chee wasn’t sure what to think about that, but Garnet assured her that she didn’t feel at all violent towards any of them. Other people? Yes, she was having to fight the urge to ask them why they were breathing in her direction, but that could honestly still just be human pregnancy hormones at work, it was hard to tell the difference.

But she was happy around her people, happy around her family, and so she was comfortable in the pile of blankets and pillows they had set up in a half circle around the painting, sitting next to her sister, talking about the huge image full of tiny details. It really was a masterpiece, an absolute work of art that must have taken a very long time to produce. Every tiny building in the ancient stone city was unique – as was the damage done to it. There were so many people that were all different and they were all doing something – running, hiding, fighting, screaming, attacking. It was incredible. Like if a renaissance master had made a Where’s Waldo picture.

The guys were there as well, of course. This wasn’t a girl’s night. They didn’t seem as interested in the painting, but they were all hanging around. Including Alred, who was there in light form, standing behind Goldie and Garnet. He was the one providing the answers to the many questions Haven and Goldie had about the image.

The rest of the guys were lingering around. Trove had busted out his new liquor collection – apologizing that it wasn’t yet as large as his previous one. It did, however, have the advantage of having drinks completely safe for gravid females, however.

Grace had introduced Rok and Vytln to the concept of arm wrestling, so they were doing that, and seemed to be having a great time. Sway had gone and come back with food. Tanin was lingering around at his leisure, watching as the others moved and laughed and talked. Surprisingly, it was the twins who seemed most interested in the painting. Honestly, Chee wouldn’t have expected that from them.

Though, really, she didn’t know much about them. Even the data file Hyde had given her had been very scarce. They were former assassins, she knew, and now they worked for Tanin. Why, she didn’t know. What it meant by assassins, she also didn’t know. Like they’d killed someone important and were on the run? Or were they literally hitmen? Government hitmen or hitmen for hire? She didn’t know, and she probably didn’t want to know.

She joined Trove by the stack of boxes he was using as a makeshift bar and accepted the drink he offered with a smile. It was bright gold and bubbly. Not like champagne, but like bubbles trapped in something viscous like honey, just floating throughout the liquid. It wasn’t actually viscous though; it still moved like water.

“What’s this?”

“Golden cider,” he said, mixing a few things together. “A Holotulle specialty, and a personal favorite of mine. Made by the mixing the juices of three golden fruits from three different planets, aging them through a specific process of a completely different planet, then distilling only the lowest layer of the resulting concoction to purify it, then mixing that with enhanced water and allowing the whole mixture to be fed to and pass through a… You know what, you probably don’t want to know that part. Drink it, you’ll like it”

Chee, who had been swirling the drink and sniffing it – it smelled delicious – paused in the act of bringing it to her mouth.

“What part?” She asked suspiciously.

“Don’t worry about it. Just try it,” he encouraged.

Her eyes narrowed. “Pass through, you said. Something doesn’t pee this out, does it?”

“Pee? No.”

“Poop?!”

“No. Now, stop asking questions,” he gestured. “It’s delicious and it’s good for you. Guaranteed. Try it.”

What other options were there?!

Chee did not like the idea of eating something that passed through a living creature, regardless of how it came out. But she also could admit that sometimes how things were made on Earth could be gross too. As long as the result was safe to consume, right…

It was not a comforting thought, and she was more cautious this time as she brought the drink to her lips and sipped.

A bright, fresh, fruity taste spread across her tongue. Light and fragrant, she could actually taste the three distinct flavors. She couldn’t name any of them, but they blended so well together, she could also still taste the fourth flavor of them joined together. The bubbles didn’t pop or anything she noticed on her tongue, and the drink was smooth like silk going down her throat. And when it hit her belly, she could swear she actually felt lighter. Like she had infused herself with helium. She had to look down to make she wasn’t actually floating.