Page 80 of Return of the Nine

“Oh, excuse me. I didn’t see you there.”

He grinned, “I was merely getting some nice exercise when I saw your toes re-entering the water, and I thought to ease your entry. You seem tired.”

“I am. If you are in the mood, please haul me back to where I have that towel, and I will feel markedly better about being naked in front of a stranger.”

He chuckled. “Amongst the Water Folk, there is nothing unusual in nudity. It is preferable to be circumspect with strangers, but no one comments on it.”

She blinked. “Oh. That makes me feel a little better.”

“Good.” He didn’t appear to move, but they floated toward the spot where she had entered the water.

“I think I might need swimming lessons. You move so easily that I have to confess I am jealous.”

“It is something that comes with practice.” He stood and helped her to her feet.

She quickly bent and wrapped a towel around her. The warm, fluffy fabric felt good against her skin.

She asked, “Do you want a towel? I keep several stocked.”

Rivvin smiled. “No. My skin does not need it. I exude a non-permeable layer while in the water.”

Em nodded and pattered up the stone slope to the desk. She flicked her heater on and the temperature in the room rose in a few seconds.

She yawned and took a seat on the small couch.

Rivvin joined her. “You seem tired.”

“I have been awake for a while, and it has been a trying day.”She smiled and propped her head on her fist. “Why are you on the mother ship?”

He sighed and leaned back, his thigh touching hers. “I was on the planetary council of Vmesh when the call went out for representatives of the Water Folk to join the mother ship. I had no family to worry about, and I craved adventure. I signed up, got the basic training offered to all members on the ship and majored my studies in the biology of Underhill. It never occurred to me that we would actually make it here or that another species had taken up residence.”

“It surprised us, too, to find out that the owners of the ancient cities were still out there somewhere.” Em chuckled.

“I believe we should return to the lab before you fall asleep.” Rivvin touched her arm.

She smiled. “You are probably right.” Em got to her feet and dropped the towel, walking calmly to her spare clothing. The dress dropped over her head and the sandals were snug on her feet as she picked up the towel and dried her hair.

“Okay, I will be alert for about ten minutes. Let’s get going.” She yawned. She walked to the desk and flicked off the heater, double-checking that it was off.

He was dressed and at her side in seconds.

“I will walk you back to the habitat and then join my companions in the guest quarters.”

She walked with him and paused while her eyes adapted to nothing but starlight.

Her path lit up in her mind, and she took his arm to lead him through the stone forest and back to the coastline.

Chapter Six

Em woke, and there was a smile on her lips. He had kissed her good night. She touched her mouth in remembrance as her parents started to move around in the main living area.

“Em, are you awake?”

She cleared her throat. “Yes. I will be down in a minute.”

Em grabbed one of her swimsuits and tugged it on before slipping into a shapeless jumpsuit. If she was going to be in and out of the water all day, she wanted to make it easier.

She joined everyone in the kitchen and was unsurprised to see Weelar there, working on breakfast. He flipped, cracked and whisked his way through the morning supplies until the moment when he said, “Morro has set the table. We can join him in the dining room.”

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