Page 15 of Fire Forged

But the volatility of its females.

No, women.A religious text said that the Maker created man first then drew the woman from the man’s rib.Possible for a creator, still, it explained the ‘wo’ part of woman.But women were in no way like men.And men weren’t like Etterian males.

He tutted.His thoughts circled and didn’t settle.

“This is the common,” Aldur said.“Housing medical, sparring facilities, and the rehydrator.”

Nerx stiffened, sprawled onto his back, and wished he could see.He wanted to face the woman called Britt when she apologized for her unprovoked attack.Would she be as soft as the other women he knew?Or would her outer appearance reveal a violent nature?A hard human?Did such a thing exist?

“What is a rehydrator?”

Nerx squeezed his eyes shut at that voice—its huskiness rippled over his senses like fire to tinder.Britt.

“We order food from it,” said Aldur.“I will demonstrate when you are hungry.”

“Which is now,” she said.

“Britt.”Her mother’s tone was in warning.

“What?”Britt whined, “I’m starving.And you know how hangry I get.”

Hangry?Nerx frowned, not willing to bring attention to himself by speaking the word for his O.D.I.to instruct him.

Aldur said, “Lady Dahlia, I can—”

“Not now, Britt,” Lady Dahlia snapped.“It takes forty days to die of starvation.”

“And three days from thirst.Yeah, so you’ve said…many times.”Britt harumphed.A crackling followed then a snort.“A mint?Why didn’t I think of that?We can save the world’s starving masses with buttloads of peppermints.”

“Give it back then,” Lady Dahlia huffed.“You’re behaving like a child.”

“Fine, if you must know, I broke Kev’s finger.”

Aldur gasped.

Britt’s admission made Nerx nod.Yes, this woman would do such a horrid thing.

“What?”her mother hissed.“Why?”

“He…uh,” Britt cleared her throat, “touched my ass.”

Fire burned through Nerx, an anger as potent as earlier.He formed fists and clenched them to his thighs, trying to calm the urge to port to Earth and beat the man named Kev.

“Well, serves him right,” Lady Dahlia gritted out.

“I probably lost my job.He’ll run to his daddy and tell him I did it for funsies.”Britt chuckled.“And it was fun.The idiot.”

“And you’re telling me this now…here,” her mother whispered, no doubt not knowing all Etterians could hear her.

“Like I’ve had a chance with you stuck in Aldur’s arms.No offense, Aldur.”

“None taken,” Aldur said, amusement saturating his voice.

“Mom, do you think my solarcycle will still be there if we come back?”

“If?”Lady Dahlia’s voice spiked.“And where did you leave it?”

“Next door.It wouldn’t start… I had to push it home.”

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