Page 63 of Xefe
“Thank you, Nheenya. You’re the best.” I wiped tears from my eyes. “Okay, okay. Information is power, so buckle up. I have a story to tell.” I launched into a tale for the ages: About getting lost in the tunnels, falling through the portal, finding the lab and the warriors… about the pangos and the adorable Baby, who’dfallen madly in love with me and made me hismamacita—all of it.
Nieve and Querida shared a look over that one but didn’t interrupt.
I finished with a bang, talking about Pinky and how he was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. Their eyes went wide when I went into vivid detail about how he grew and shrank before my eyes. I finished with the showstopper, “I think his dick is psychic.”
“It can read minds?” Querida’s mouth dropped.
“Exactly. I swear to God it’s my favorite thing about Sunny. The sweetest, happiest part of him. If it weren’t for Pinky, I’d have dumped that spiked-headed warrior a while ago.”
“No, you wouldn’t. Youlovehim… You want tomarryhim…” Nieve’s voice rang out in a singsong.
“Shut up. No, I don’t.”Untruth.Sunny’s voice boomed in my head.
“Did you guys do the dirty deed? The horizontal lambada, or what?” Nieve asked.
“No, I gave him the handy of his life and then he left me high and dry.”
“He did not!” Nieve gasped.
“He did. He shackled me and left me in his room.” A yawn split my face. “But, of course, he returned a few minutes later because he couldn’t live without me. He fingered me like a champ and ran away.” I sighed. “The story of my life.”
“I don’t know what most of this means, but it sounds disturbing. Why would he abuse you with his fingers?” Nheenya looked to Querida for confirmation. “He has so many strong muscles. Maybe he was going easy on you. What damage can fingers do?”
Querida smirked and whispered, “I’ll explain later.”
“So, I’ve decided I never want to see him again.”
“Que carajo?Wrong. You’re going to be seeing hima lot. Every minute of the day. It’s one of the few advantages we have. We’re going to have to use Loxo,” Nieve glared at Querida, “and Sunny. It’s the only way to make sure we’re safe here. Which brings me to my next question. Tell us about the Oro and why you couldn’t use it today. In the race?”
“I don’t know.”
Hoots and screeches sounded high above them. We looked up as the sound grew.
“What the hell is that?” Nieve spun her head around like an owl.
“Hope you don’t mind donating some blood,” I smirked. Normally, I would have loved her terror, but I was too tired. Of everything.
CHAPTER 28
Ablack cloudof tiny wings and six-fingered hands erupted from an opening high in the ceiling. The pangos crested like a giant wave, descending on us. Their little wings didn’t support their weight, but they gave them an extra boost as they raced over rocky walls. I felt the smallest smile spread across my face. These guys always seemed to show up when I needed them most.
“Blood? They’re going toeatus?” Nieve shrieked and hid behind Querida.
What a drama queen.
Querida squared her shoulders and gripped her shards, while Nheenya continued to putter around her space, checking on her plants. Not a care in the world.
The hoots increased, and I heard things like,Mama. No-Wing. Blood.
“Can you hear them? They’re calling to us.” I waved to the crew.
“I don’t hear anything except screeches and screams.” Nieve covered her head with her arms. “Can you understand those baboons on steroids?”
“Don’t call them that! They’re called pangos.”
An army of long-eared beauties surrounded us. By the looks of it, it wasn’t the whole bunch. Many remained above, but a good thirty circled around the cave. They had a blast jumping and bopping around a screeching Nieve. None of them seemed to want to touch the floor, so some stood on each other’s shoulders. Or braced themselves on Nheenya’s shelves.
“Hi, everybody,” I hooted softly.
