Page 62 of The Monster's Mate

“Yellow. It’s a yellow sky,” Samantha breathes, from where she’s held in Mejak’s arms. She’s wrapped in a mass of tentacles since Kalrian sits right next to him.

I’m still staring at the roving clouds in awe when Skiden speaks.“I’ve mentioned how odd your blue sky was.”

“You did. Butsomehow it didn’t dawn on me that yours is a different color.”

His rumbling laughter is low.

“We thought we’d stop off at the Adroki village,” Tiran says. “So you and Samantha can meet the others. Mikhail and Lilaina stayed behind to wrap things up with law enforcement and the media. We’ll be the first bunch to try the new shuttle service between clans. It’ll save a ton of travel time.”

“You’ll love it there,” River says. “Tessa’s home right now. You’ll get to meet her. She was the President’s fiancée, the second matched bride.”

Skiden helps me to my feet and I’m surprised to find my legs are wobbly and weak, like we ran across time and space.

“It’s only the first trip that you feel this,” Skiden assures me. “You’ll have built immunities by the next time you travel by portal. Want me to carry you, beautiful? It would make me so happy.”

“But I’m heavy.”

“Then I’ll posture.” He swells slightly and easily swings me into his arms, before shrinking back down to a normal size.

“You know you’re the only one who can turn it off and on like that?” Tiran asks. “It’s not as easily controllable by other males.”

“What a superpower,” Skiden snorts.

But instead of letting him brush it off, Tiran grabs Skiden at the back of the neck. He holds him still, and drops his forehead to his brother’s, touching for a few moments.

Softly, so only Skiden, he, and I can hear, he says, “Your superpower is strong because you practiced control over it so often. You always postured first to take the attention from me or Brone. You were the first to turn it on and off when your patron insulted River when we brought her to the village. Don’t think me and Bronan haven’t noticed, little brother. We have.”

Then Tiran pulls away and winks at me. “Nice to meet you finally, Lucy. Isabel’s told us all about you. I’m glad to have yet another sister.”

“And a cousin!” River says, her arms around Samantha as she sits on the mound of tentacles. Apparently, she was introducing herself and now is forcing Sam to love her. “In six months when Sam goes back, I say we all go back with her and have another party in the commune like we did with mine. I swear those people will actually mingle this time.”

Tiran smiles softly at his mate. “You’re such a sweet female.”

Kalrian snorts. “Sweet? Your mate just placed bets with me and Mejak over whether the villagers will be braver with our second visit.”

“She’s wise enough to know which way they’ll swing and smart enough to make money for us,” Tiran snaps, and holds out his hand to River. She slips hers in his and he hauls her up into his arms.

We make it across the golden beach where another group of Pimeons wait. It’s obvious they’re a different clan. They’re not tattooed as heavily as our males and they don’t have black diamonds in their belly buttons.

“You’ll love Tessa,” Mejak grins. “Even though her mate insists on giving her shoes dipped in dirt.” He tosses a pair of strappy high heels to one of the waiting males, who grins hugely, and loops them to his belt.

“I told you a hundred times, the humans love their shoes dipped in the dirt of the beach.” The other person spreads his tentacles wide, lowering himself to the ground, and fills a bag with gold, then closes off the top and swings it over his shoulder. “Did Mikhail think it was weird that you requested a pair of female shoes size seven?”

“I didn’t have to ask him,” Mejak drawls. “Samantha had a ton of them, most never worn.”

Samantha snickers. “My parents would have been appalled if I wore something to one of their functions that wasn’t brand new.”

Kalrian looks worried. “I’m sorry, my mate. You won’t be able to wear those same spindly shoes where we live. Stratek here lives in a castle, you see. And their grounds are paved. Our village is different from the Adroki clan—”

“I’ve dressed up enough to last me a lifetime,” Sam says, cupping Kal’s cheek. “And I brought a ton of different outfits because Lucy and I are the same size. We’ll be fine.”

“And me,” River says.

Samantha laughs. “Who’d have thought we’re all so similar?”

“Isabel is too, though she’s pregnant right now. She looks adorable with all the maternity clothes the Tiiblets are making.”

“If your Tiiblets are like our little guys,” Stratek says, joining up with River and Tiran, as the rest of his clan blends in with our procession, “they’ll get oddly excited when she wears a specific outfit more than once. It’s like she’s showing favoritism to one creator. Then that Tiiblet who made it gets bragging rights within their community.” He chuckles. “They’re such a proud little race.”

---