Page 7 of Orin

Grace’s voice jolted me back to reality. Shaking my head, I glanced at her. “Huh?”

Her lips were curled into a grin. “Any plans for the rest of the day?”

Grace wasn’t just the new Queen of Alara. She had been a nurse on Earth and spent some of her day with Rekna in thepalace infirmary. He’d been training her since we were on the Chetok, Trex’s former starship.

She worked, a lot. Which was one of the reasons we didn’t go outside together. Plus, as a Queen, she couldn’t leave without a guard.

“Oh...I don’t know...Clor might drop by for a visit. I was thinking of asking him to go with me to the market just to get some fresh air. We’ll take a viko though. Walking far is too hard for me right now.”It beats sitting in my apartment feeling bored.

Grace reached over and patted my baby bump. “Just don’t overdo it, Liv. Rest as much as you can. Baby will be here soon.”

Ever the nurse and big sister, I chuckled at her advice. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything demanding.” I grinned when baby kicked my hand in response as well.

INSTEAD OF WAITINGfor Clor to come visit me at my apartment, I decided to head to the kitchen to ask him about going outside for a walk.

The only sounds I heard as I walked through the halls were the occasional nearby footfalls of leather boots on the floor. Alarans communicated telepathically, leaving few voices to be heard.

I entered the sprawling palace kitchen and greeted everyone with a “Good afternoon.”

The aroma of herbs, yeasty breads, and savory soup filled my nose. Even though I just ate, my stomach still growled.

With its sleek metal counter tops, the kitchen had designated spaces for both cooking and food preparation. The cooked meals always provided a sense of familiarity and comfort, making the alien world feel less foreign.

The two cooks, always too busy to chat, stood with their backs to me and didn’t look at me. Whenever I arrived to assist, they were always at the stove, communicating telepathically.

“Olivia!” Clor’s face lit up with a smile as he looked up from chopping vegetables. “I wasn’t expecting you to visit.”

I grinned at him. “I wondered if you wanted to head to the marketplace with me this afternoon?”

At times, the palace felt like the only place. Like I was living in a safe bubble. Aside from the fresh air, I enjoyed spending time outdoors somewhere other than the palace halls or gardens.

Clor went back to chopping up vegetables. “Of course. I am almost finished here and we can head out.” He looked over at me. “Perhaps it’s best to arrange transportation, don’t you think?”

I chuckled. “Yes, for sure.”

When we first became acquainted, Clor and I began regularly escaping the confines of the palace to visit the market together.

Until a couple of weeks ago, we would wander to the vibrant marketplace on foot.

There, he would buy foods requested by the cooks, and we would walk around seeing what the various vendors were selling.

A credit system was used on Alara, and Trex made sure I was given a weekly number of credits for anything I might want to buy. I chose kitchen work to earn them. Being in the kitchen gave me a sense of contribution.

I lent a hand whenever I could until my lack of stamina got the better of me and it was too much at this late stage in my pregnancy.

Not that I was very fit before I got pregnant, mind you. I’d always had a curvaceous body, with some extra weight on my hips and thighs. But at this point in my pregnancy, I was always tired and sometimes needed an afternoon nap.

I watched as Clor removed his apron and motioned for me to lead the way out of the kitchen toward the staff entrance.

When it came to weather, Struna boasted a year-round warm and inviting climate.

It fascinated me it only appeared to rain at night, waiting until the cover of darkness to water the plants and fill the water reservoirs.

Once we were dropped at the marketplace, I pushed myself to keep pace while Clor adjusted his speed and stride to ensure I could keep up.

As usual, Clor talked non stop, and I nodded along, responding with a half-hearted, “Hmm” to show I was paying attention.

I grinned to myself as I listened. It was easier to stay quiet and listen sometimes.

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