Page 38 of Rule

I smiled. “Good enough.”

She rubbed her hand across my chest. “Whatthese, Evie girl?”

“They’re called breasts,” I said.

“Breasts,” she mimicked.

“That’s right. Girls – women – have breasts.When you grow up, you’ll have them too.”

“I look,” she said. She pulled my necklineout and stared at my naked breasts. I let her look her fill, figuring if Ididn’t, she’d be constantly trying to peek at them. After a few minutes, hercuriosity was satisfied, and she let go of my tank top. “Evie girl play with Bella?”

I couldn’t resist her sweet and hopefullook. “Sure. Just let me get dressed first.”

I slid off the bed and put on my bra and a t-shirtand layered my sweater over top of that. I’d have to ask Court or Bran where theirlaundry machines were. I didn’t have very much in the way of clothes and thissweater was the only one thick enough to keep me somewhat warm in the house.

“You cold?” Bella said. She was studyingthe goosebumps on my bare legs.

“Yes, it’s very cold in here.” I studiedthe t-shirt and pants combo she was wearing. “Are you not cold, honey?”

She just shrugged. I took off my shortsand slipped yoga pants on. My ribs and back protested, but compared to how itused to be, I could handle the pain. Although – my mouth watered – a glass ofgallberry juice would definitely help.

Bella leaned forward on the bed and staredat my ass. “Where your tail?”

“I don’t have a tail.” I sat down on the bednext to her, smiling a little when she used her tail to tug on the hem of my sweater.“I’m a human and humans don’t have tails.”

“Human?” Bella cocked her head at me.

“That’s right.” I pointed to myself. “I’ma girl human and you,” I pointed to her, “are a girl Draax.”

She giggled and took my hand, jumping offthe bed and pulling me toward the door. “Play with me, Evie girl.”

I followed her down the hallway to her room.Her room was small but stuffed full of toys and books. We sat down on thefloor and Bella handed me a purple doll. “Draax girl.”

“What’s her name?” I said.

“Noola.” Bella picked up a toy spaceshipand zoomed it around in the air. “Noola go in spaceship.”

I handed her the doll and she stuffed itinside before waving the spaceship in the air. “Noola flying.”

I picked up a stuffed animal. It was brownwith yellow spots on its hindquarters, a bushy yellow and brown striped tail,and antlers protruding from its head. “This is a grundleswat, right?”

“Yes. Grundleswat.” Bella made a snortingnoise before giggling.

I’d done some research at the library aboutthe Draax and knew that the grundleswat was very similar to deer on Earth. Theywere the main meat eaten on the planet Draax, along with…

I frowned, rubbing my side absently as Itried to remember. “Bella, what is the animal called that turns white in the winter.”

“Winter?” Bella cocked her head at me beforesetting the spaceship down.

“The cold months,” I said. “The animal thatturns white…it’s small and you eat it.” I made an eating motion, chewing in anexaggerated motion.

Bella jumped up and ran to an overflowing toyboxin the corner. She rummaged through it, tossing out books and stuffys, and spaceshipsand land vehicles of all shapes and sizes before making a triumphant squeal.

She returned with a brown stuffed animal inher hand. “Maluken.”

“Right, maluken,” I said. “In the winter,they turn white to blend in. Kind of like our rabbits.”

Bella grinned at me before pressing abutton on the stuffed Maluken’s head. I watched in amazement as the stuffedanimal’s fur turned from brown to white. “Wow. That’s very cool.”

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