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“Do not fear, my beautiful queen, we have time. There is no rush. I think webothhave much to learn abouteach other, and even about ourselves. I’m looking forward to it.” He resisted the urge to look over his shoulder at the stunning female who had changed their world in an instant.

“Awe, he’s the sensitive, sexy, intellectual type,” Queen Isa said.

He perked up at the comment. “Ah, so you already have me figured out,” he teased his queen.

“Dammit!” the queen barked. “You heard that!?”

Artifex’s eyes widened. “Yes,” he hesitantly replied, realizing her complimentary assessment had also been private. “I can pretend to forget it?” he offered.

“Ha! Iamlearning more about you every minute,” she said out loud, making her cute, breathy laughing sound.

Warmth filled Artifex’s chest, loving his queen’s temperament.

Behind him there was a slight thud as the queen hopped down, then the pitter patter of her tiny feet on the stone floor, followed by splashing water as she washed.

“Amazing. All this in a cave,” she commented as she exited and joined him. “How do you pump the water, create the blowing air, and power the lights?”

Artifex grinned, loving how inquisitive the queen was about how things worked. She was definitely a member of the servitor caste.

“There’s a spiral in a vertical passage that raises the water.” He patted the nearby wall concealing the shaft. “Down below, in the underground canal there’s a paddle. The rushing water moves the paddle and turns the spiral,” he attempted to explain.

“The spiral sounds like an Archimedes screw,” Isa said thoughtfully.

“I am not familiar with this Archimedes.” He curiously tilted his head.

“He was a man of science on my planet. They named the spiral that raises water after him.”

“Ah. I like that both of our worlds have this innovation. It is very simple, yet extremely useful.” He smiled. “The blowing air and lighting grid are a little more complicated, but also involve shafts throughout the hive, reflected sunlight and natural air currents.”

“Hmm.” She nodded in appreciation.

Not only was his new queen a stunning, sexy, little female, he was discovering they had a great deal in common. He didn’t know what to expect when a queen entered his life. He assumed hatchlings would be involved, but Isa was fascinating, and he could foresee many enjoyable discussions in their future. Artifexglanced toward her chamber where the others waited and an impish notion occurred to him.

“How would you like to come with me? The Bonding Feast is being prepared and I’d like to find out which of our foods you enjoy. I would also like to continue this discussion.” He took her hand and gently urged her in the opposite direction.

“Oh, okay.” Queen Isa smiled and followed.

He grinned, pleased that she agreed to join him and tickled he was able to abscond with their queen.

“That was the queen’s branch. It contains your and the consorts’ chambers,” he explained as he held the door exiting the area.

Queen Isa admired everything from the floor to the ceiling, her hand gliding over the polished stone wall, as they headed down the passage.

“The Vorto prefer to integrate their hives into their territory and nature,” he commented as she studied her surroundings. “Our hive was carved out of the mountain, extending the natural passages over scores of generations before the Blight struck. That was when we had more advancements, but wisely the ancestors used simple innovations as much as possible. It makes it easier for us to maintain now.”

“That Blight sounds terrible, and it obviously had a devastating effect on your people.” Isa frowned. “It reminds me of the plagues my people suffered. Did anyone else get sick besides the females?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I am lucky that I survived to emerge. From what I was told, many amnio sacs shriveled before maturing. Not even therefectiowas able to heal those struck by the Blight. But that was over a hundred orbits ago.”

“Refectio?” Queen Isa cocked her head.

“It is one of our highly prized pieces of old technology. It healed your arm and head,” he explained as they walked toward the gathering areas.

“That sounds very advanced.” Her eyes widened in surprise.

Her shock was understandable. Therefectiowas advanced, considering the simple machinery they were working with in this era.

“I’m lucky you had it,” Isa added, squeezing him with the very hand that had been seriously injured. Her sincere expression then shifted to worry. “Do the other hives have these machines if my friends need them?”