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  Geor was watching her carefully when she returned to face him. He didn’t say a word but helped her slowly down the hill and back into the city of the High Nalu.

  The few people on the walkways took one look at their group and moved out of their way. The colours she was seeing in the population fascinated Sinder. When one of the women displayed two distinct patterns, it was obvious that she was pregnant.

  His voice was low. “What are you seeing, Avatar?”

  “Probably the same thing that you are, the colours of Crixox in the souls of the High Nalu.”

  Geor didn’t say anything, merely nodded and continued to guide her through the city. The guards were still with them but further out and less tense than they had been on their way to Kema.

  Sinder listened to Kema as she made space for herself in Sinder’s mind. The planet was humming softly, songs ancient and slow. The songs calmed the parts of Sinder that were still panicking at the feeling of another mind inside her own.

  Surrounded by strangers on a strange world, she had one friend, and she was carrying it with her wherever she went.

  Chapter Five

  Geor led her back the way they had come.

  “I am not sure that I am up to another trip to the infirmary. I feel fine actually.” She tried to keep her tone light.

  “The physician will still need to verify that your lungs are healing. I am still not sure what occurred there, but the Alliance provided us with your species specs, so he will have a better idea of what happened.”

  She nodded and entered the infirmary ahead of the group.

  The physician seemed shocked to see her up and walking. “Agent Baroque, you look better.”

  “I feel better. Mind you, I am now a we, so there are two of us in here now. One of us is bound to be in good shape.”

  He didn’t seem to know how to take that, so he bustled her into the examination room and closed the door in Geor’s face.

  Sinder stifled a laugh and hopped up on the table. In a peculiar mimicry of an earth physician, he listened to her breathing with an instrument slipped into contact with the skin of her back.

  “If I did not know better, I would say this was a miracle. Do you really have the mind of the meteor inside you?”

  She shrugged and noted that the colouration of his aura had changed.

  He isn’t right. Get out of here. There was tension in Kema’s thought.

  Sinder faced the physician while she gathered her power and prepared to act. The physician seemed to have the same thought, and he lunged at her with a hypo in his hand.

  She didn’t scream. Sinder slipped from the table and speared the doctor with as much confusion as she could manage.

  He jerked to a halt, and his eyes widened. The hypo clattered to the ground, and he looked around in confusion.

  Sinder backed toward the door, unwilling to let him out of her sight. When she got the door open, she struck Geor.

  “What is wrong, Sinder?”

  She dragged in a deep breath. “I don’t think that the doctor is a fan of Kema. He tried to zap me with a hypo, but I am in fairly sound health, so I zapped him instead.”

  Geor gripped her shoulders and barked a strange sound. Two of the guards entered the examination room and quickly searched the workstation. One of the cowled men nodded and spoke, “A Purist, Lord Geor.”

  The doctor’s assistant was facing one of the guards.

  Geor whispered, “What do you see when you look at her?”

  “Fear, confusion, but no hate.” Sinder could feel Kema watching nervously from within her mind.

  “Are you sure?” The guard facing the woman grunted.

  “Yes, and she could not have been affected by the spike, she wasn’t in the room. Her confusion is genuine.”

  Geor walked over to the assistant and spoke quietly to her.

  Two of the guards moved and flanked Sinder on either side.

  The guards in the exam room finished their work on the doctor’s workstation. One of them took the loaded data pad and the other took the baffled physician into his custody.

  Geor returned to Sinder’s side. “We will return to my home. I will fill you in on what seems to have transpired.”

  She nodded and took a few steps toward the door. The guards surrounded them and closed ranks, on full alert once again. Sinder followed the lead guard and noted that their destination was far more ornate than the surrounding buildings.

  “You live in a temple?”

  Geor quirked a strained smile. “We live in a temple.”

  She knew that he wasn’t just referring to Geor and Crixox. She and Kema were now in the equation with them.

  Once inside, the doctor was hustled off in one direction while Geor steered Sinder down a hall and into a large dining area.

  Row upon row of tables took up a lot of the space. It could house over a hundred diners if they got cozy. A solitary table was up on a platform at the far side of the hall. The glowing light coming through the panes of coloured glass would frame anyone sitting there.

  Geor took her right to the platform and settled her in a chair before summoning a server with a slight flick of his hand.

  The server brought tea and bustled off with a smile and a blush.

  “She likes you.” Sinder smiled and sipped at her tea.

  He sighed and leaned back. “Geor was popular with the ladies even before he became my Avatar.”

  Blinking, Sinder turned and saw that Crixox was in charge again. “Oh, hello again.”

  “How is Kema doing?”

  Sinder checked with Kema and smiled, “She is fine. Apparently, my mind is a mess and my body needs some fine-tuning. She is having fun fussing with a living being.”

  “Do you mind?”

  Sinder thought about it. “No, I don’t think I do. She needed somewhere to go, and I was the most suitable choice. It’s nice to be wanted for your more basic qualities. How long have you been in charge of the body?”

  “Since I had to stop Geor from killing the physician back at the office. The Purists are a small group who believe that Kema is my destined bride and that her host had to be a High Nalu. Sadly, this was not the case. The women who tried to sync their minds to Kema’s went mad.”

  Sinder spluttered on her tea. “And no one thought to mention this?”

  “You had already been poisoned. The doctor was the one who crafted the gas grenade in an effort to destroy you before Kema was offered your body as an option. If he had not brought you so close to death, you may have been able to return to your people.”

  She rubbed her forehead. “Somehow, I think I still would have let Kema in, even if I had spoken to my people.”

  “Why?”

  “She needed me.” Her words came out without her thinking about them, and Kema spilled warmth through her thoughts in appreciation. “And I think I needed her.”

  Crixox nodded. “That was the situation with Geor and myself. I needed a body to speak to the High Nalu settlers, and he needed a purpose beyond drinking and sex.”

  The thought of Geor having sex caused heat to spread through Sinder’s body. Her blush was horribly obvious.

  “Why didn’t he simply find a mate and raise a family?”

  Crixox sighed. “He couldn’t see himself with one woman for any extended period of time. The High Nalu were putting pressure on all of their population to pair up and begin breeding as quickly as they could. The problem was that the population has always been skewed in favour of males. They outnumber the females and fidelity has not been a major concern. He had been on the side of being the other male for so long that he couldn’t imagine a woman of his own seeking out another male. It is a bit of hypocrisy, but it was how he felt. By becoming my Avatar, he could wait until the right woman presented herself.”

  She sat with her eyes wide. “I see.”

  “He is calming down now and wishes me to cease discussing this. I will speak with you another time, Avatar of Kema. Enjoy your meal.” His
eyes shifted, and she was once again facing Geor.

  She cleared her throat as his intense gaze raked over her from head to toe. “So tell me more about the Purists.”

  He nodded and sipped at his tea. “When Kema landed and Crixox confirmed that she was thinking within the piece of her world, the High Nalu were excited. No world has two minds to it, and the thought of a mated pair of Avatars was exciting. If it could come to pass, it would be a new triumph for the High Nalu. Dozens of females of all ages went to the summit and tried to bond with Kema, but they did not manage to blend their minds to hers. Madness kicked in and our population suffered. The Purists insisted that a High Nalu woman would be the new Avatar, so when Kema spoke to Crixox and told him what she needed, the Purists became upset.

  “They had held to the hope that one of our kind would be suitable for Kema, but there was no way. She simply did not resonate properly with our kind.”

  “Speaking of resonate, why did the guards hum like that while I was bonding to Kema?”

  His grin was amused and relieved at the same time. “It was part of a funeral chant of our people. If you died during the transfer, your soul would have joined Crixox. The resonance would focus your mind to his frequency.”

  “So, my mind would be carried off into the world I am standing on. Nice. Very pleasant.” She remembered the chant and her words were surprisingly sincere. “Not the worst way to go.”

  “I am glad you think so. It is a tradition that my people have carried out since they first began to feel Crixox’s mind near them. In theory, my ancestors are whirling in the energy around us right now.” He smiled.

  “Speaking of the energy, you can’t see the auras, can you?”

  He shook his head. “No. Kema knew that her true host would gain that skill but none of the others even came close to something like that.”

  Trays of food started arriving and more hooded guards filed in, took seats and began to eat.

  “Why do they wear hoods?”

  “It breaks connections with their families by hiding their identities. Since our population has more males than females, the men who can’t find mates or wish to live a life of the mind, join our ranks and serve the temple of Crixox. They are our police, security, counsellors, and off-world representatives.”

  She nodded and took some flatbread off one of the platters.

  I have changed your digestive process to match that of the High Nalu, also your lungs, circulation and hair follicle growth.

  Thank you, Kema. How many other changes are you going to make?

  A low laugh rippled through her thoughts. Eat up, you are going to get taller.

  “Fantastic.” Sinder muttered to herself as she piled more food on her plate.

  “Um. You seem hungry.”

  “Kema is making changes to me. She is increasing my body’s efficiency and making me a little taller.” That sparked a thought. “Is there someplace that I can get some clothing and some way I can pay for it?”

  “I will cover the first few outfits until you can settle in.”

  He held out his hand, and she quickly dropped her food, dusted her hands on her napkin and extended her palm to place her hand in his. A swift communication occurred between them but neither Geor nor Sinder was involved. Kema and Crixox spoke to each other rapidly via contact and energy, ignoring their Avatars while they caught up on what they had to say.

  Geor’s thumb and finger stroked her hand, and Sinder fought the shiver that rippled through her. While their planets spoke, Sinder asked, “So, what is normal dress for a woman on Crixox?”

  Geor shrugged, “Long skirts or loose trousers, wrap, long-sleeved tunics and matching jackets. There are gowns for festivals and special occasions. Slippers and boots. Your clothing depends on what you are going to be doing.”

  The conversation of the planets was over, and Geor released her hand.

  Kema changed direction in her thoughts and began a private project inside Sinder’s body. Power wrapped around her and pulsed gently while the planet went to work.

  Sinder was about to go through some dramatic changes, and she had no say in the matter. Sighing, Sinder reached for more food. If Kema needed fuel, Sinder had to provide it.

  Chapter Six

  The hoods turned to her frequently throughout the meal, and by the time the men had finished their food, Sinder was on thirds.

  “You seem…hungry.”

  She swallowed and sipped at the cup of water in front of her. “Kema is engaged in renovations. Apparently, her conversation with Crixox gave her a few ideas on how to change the design of my body.”

  Geor suddenly looked a little embarrassed. “Changes?”

  Sinder sighed and looked up at him. “Apparently, I am too short to fit in with the High Nalu. She plans on making me a little taller, is already tinkering with my digestion, as well as the density of my skin.”

  He looked alarm. “She isn’t changing your colouring, is she?”

  Sinder cocked her head. “She hasn’t said yet. Why?”

  “I rather enjoy the way you change from pale to pink.” He smiled and a light came to his eyes.

  She sighed again. “Involuntary reaction. I will see if Kema is willing to turn it off.”

  “Don’t. I like it.” He smiled, and her heart flipped.

  She wanted to smack herself in the head. Sinder hadn’t felt this weak in the knees around a male since she was a teenager. Getting giddy by having him simply look at her was not something a grown woman should do. Still, being giddy seemed a fun and pleasant feeling. She shouldn’t give up on it as a pastime.

  “I don’t think we have a choice. If she wants to change the way I look, she will. I am holding onto my talent and my personality. The rest is hers to play with.”

  He blinked. “That is a very calm way of absorbing a dramatic change.”

  “She gave me my life back. It doesn’t matter that she was the reason that it was in danger. She let me live. That is something that buys a lot of consideration from me. She can change my form as she wills, as long as she leaves my core being, I don’t mind.”

  “Is she changing you into a High Nalu?” His tone was casual.

  “No, not as far as I can tell. Just more me.” She shrugged and pushed her plate away to remove temptation. A yawn swept up, and she caught it behind her hand. “Apologies.”

  He snickered. “Don’t apologize. The day that Crixox moved into me, I passed out for a week while my body acclimated to him.”

  “Kema isn’t still tied to her world. There is no balance to be struck for her. Despite my nerves about having her move in for my lifetime, she gave up an eternity as a planetary fragment to take me as her host.”

  You realised that much more quickly than I would have thought, Sinder.

  Well, when my body healed and you took such delight in moving in, it came to me that I was now your home as much as I was left with you inside me. It is a far more equitable arrangement than most Avatar situations.

  Thank you for acknowledging it. Yes, you are definitely now my home.

  Sinder asked, What colour do my eyes turn when you speak?

  Violet. It is the colour of the oceans back on my world before I began to die.

  So, we were both caught before we could complete the process of dying. We have more in common than I first thought.

  Kema sent a warm burst through Sinder’s body.

  Geor was watching her with an amused twist to his lips. “You were speaking with her?”

  “I am, was. She and I were discussing our similarities.”

  He chuckled. “I will escort you to your room, and in the morning, you will be given some clothing that will allow for adjustment.”

  “Polite word. Adjustment.”

  “Overhaul seems a little violent.” He grinned and got to his feet, extending his hand to her.

  She snorted and got to her feet. Sinder reached for his hand as her body lurched. Her balance was off completely.

  She looked up
at him and scowled, then blinked rapidly. “It seems that she started without the benefit of my body being at rest.”

  Her head was now even with his shoulder instead of his chest. Her limbs ached ferociously now that she was putting weight on her joints. Her dress was also uncomfortably tight. One deep breath caused an audible rip in the fabric.

  “Ow. And freaking ow.”

  Geor leaned down and lifted her, cradling her gently. “You shouldn’t put weight on them yet. Your next job should be resting.”

  She chuckled weakly and leaned her head against his chest. “I would ask to see a doctor, but the last time didn’t end that well for me.”

  He sighed. “I am sorry about that.”

  “Why? You didn’t do it.”

  “No, but the Purists have been growing more vocal as Kema’s position became completely unstable.” He spoke as he walked.

  “She wasn’t always teetering on the edge of a crater?”

  “No. There was a stable lip on the edge that eroded under the many feet of hopefuls.”

  Six of the guards silently wrapped around them once again as they left the hall. Their group moved gracefully back to where her bizarre day started.

  Sinder yawned again and snuggled into Geor’s chest. Kema was humming in her thoughts again, and it was with those ancient notes in her mind that Sinder fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

  Naked. The first thought she had when she woke was that she was naked. A quick peek under the covers proved that the gown had been removed after it had started to constrict her. Bits and scraps of fabric were pinned under her body and red lines marked her flesh.

  How much taller am I, Kema?

  By your measurement, fifteen inches or so. I read in your mind that it was important that you not be taller than your mate.

  Oh good. Sarcasm filled her thoughts. Sinder touched her head and sighed in relief that she only found her own black locks coming from her temples. No horns, thank the stars.

  She stifled a shriek when she touched her ears and then flicked them away from her fingers. That was new. You grew my ears?

  It was needed to have you blend in more with the High Nalu. I kept your colouration as it was. Geor is fascinated by it, especially your bright green eyes. None of the High Nalu have eyes that colour.