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Chapter Fourteen

LACIE

For once, I’m up before Briar . Sliding down the ladder as quietly as I can, I tiptoe into the bathroom, not turning on the light until I’ve fully shut the door.

After a quick ionic steam shower, I run a brush through my long blonde hair, noticing that the ends look a bit ragged.

While brushing my teeth, I contemplate putting on some makeup …

Before my world shifted and my appearance got put on the back burner, I would’ve never left home without my eyeliner on, at the very least.

Pulling out the small makeup case that I had stuffed into my bag because it might have been the end of the world, yet I still had to look good.

I shake my head at my foolishness, but what do they say, ‘it’s spilt milk’ ?

Taking a minute to really look at myself, the only real difference in my appearance is that my hair is longer than I remember.

“ Time to reclaim your life one step at a time, Lacie ”, I whisper to the girl staring back at me.

She knows the real reason I’m applying my makeup and fixing my hair …

it’s that big, dark, beautiful alien who I will hopefully be working with again, especially since James told me he didn’t need me in the fields today.

Deciding to go subtle, I put on some lip gloss and a lighter eyeliner than I usually wear before grabbing another unflattering jumpsuit out of the wardrobe. Just as I’m sliding my arms through, Briar knocks on the door.

“ Hey , you done in there? I’m about to pee on myself!”

“ Come in, crazy ass. I’ll turn around since I know you have a shy bladder.”

“ Ohh look! Someone’s a little spruced up this morning, I wonder why?”

“ No reason … just decided I would feel more like me if I had my war paint on.”

“ War paint?”

“ Yeah , that’s what Papaw always called it. Said you could always tell when the girls were hunting by their war paint.”

“ God , I would have loved that man. You were so lucky to have been raised by someone like him.”

“ Yes , … yes I was, Briar .”

I find myself on the dropship, actually anxious to land for a change.

The moment we land, I’m up out of my seat, standing at the ramp.

When it starts to open, I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling as MeK’s huge form is waiting at the bottom.

Skipping down to meet him, I can no longer hold in my grin.

“ Hey , fancy meeting you here, have you eaten yet?”

His eyes flash silver, and I swear I see him physically fighting to stand still. “ What is on your face?”

“ War paint. Come on, I need more than coffee. My belly thinks my throat has been cut.”

Suddenly , I find myself in his arms, my face inches from his as he lifts me slightly above him. “ I see no injuries. Who have you been battling?”

Grasping my hands behind his neck, I kiss his forehead with a quick peck as he looks at my neck.

“ MeK , my poor, confused alien. It’s gonna take time, but you need to not take everything I say to heart.

” Then I reach up and wipe my lip gloss off his forehead before he sets me back down.

My face is now level with his chest as he towers over me.

“ That color was all wrong for you. Are you done inspecting me now?”

MeK doesn’t say anything, not that I expected him to, but he does follow me into the tent and even carries my tray when I almost trip.

As I sit down at the table, neither of us tries to say anything above all the noise of everyone preparing for their jobs for the day.

When he sees that I’m finished, he picks up both trays and takes them to the sanitizing station he had installed, then motions for me to follow him.

I wave at Kira as I head out, noticing her watching me … us.

Following his massive frame toward the Timbers and the cleared spots for the other houses, I have to make myself stop watching his butt and those powerful legs when once again, I almost trip over my own feet several times. Lord , when did I get this clumsy?

Walking past the house we worked on yesterday, I’m shocked to see there are two more foundations already formed for the next ones to be installed. “ MeK , did you stay up last night and do this?”

“ No , the maintenance bots finished one section of perimeter fencing then ran out of materials, so they reverted to their next set of orders: the foundations of the new dwellings. In the next couple of shifts, an assembly bot will also be delivered, which will move things along much quicker and without my constant supervision.”

“ I’ve heard you all mention these bots several times now. Why did you not bring a whole herd of them if they’re so handy?”

“ Lacie , there are times I struggle with the meaning of your words. If you are inquiring about the lack of bots brought along in the beginning, it is because there are no charging ports yet, and they cannot perform properly without actual docking stations. Thankfully , I was able to install two into Father’s private shuttle, and then when you retired to ANDI last rising, I finalized one in mine as well. ”

“ You stay here at night? Well , I mean when we leave?”

“ Yes . Like ANDI , my main cruiser is in orbit above us right now. Most of the cargo coming from MeKurem is transferred to the Ingenuity and then sent here as needed.”

“ Wow , you really are a big shot! So , what are our plans for today?”

He turns away from me only to reach down into his large tool bag to take something out, hesitating before facing me again. “ Here , this should make your job easier.”

It takes me a minute to realize what it is.

“ You made me my own tool belt? Whoo , how awesome is that? I was just looking at my jumpsuit this morning, wondering where I could sew in a few more pockets.” Gift -giving apparently isn’t something he’s used to because this is the first time I’ve ever seen him not sure of himself.

“ I fabricated some tooling that should fit your small stature better as well.”

He motions to a small bag that is identical to his own but more compact.

I sit down in front of it, cross-legged, with my new tool belt draped over my lap, going through the tools inside, only to stop when I come across a small hammer.

It’s identical to his but a quarter of the size.

“ Ohh , out of all of these, I think I love my hammer best. Thank you, MeK .”

Bouncing to my feet, I grab him in a hug.

My arms barely reach around him and I squeeze him tight, even though he feels like carved marble under my hands.

“ Thank you, thank you … I can’t believe you took the time to do this for me.

” Stepping back, I notice he has his arms out slightly with his hands balled up into fists like he is fighting against something.

“ Sorry , didn’t mean to invade your dance space like that.

I’m a hugger by nature, and I tend to react before thinking. ”

“ Your thanks were not expected, nor needed. The tools are a critical part of what you are doing through the rising.”

I can tell I’ve made him uncomfortable, so I grab my little bag of goodies and walk toward the next foundation. Once there, I stop to secure my tool belt, grateful he put such wide straps on it, so it doesn’t aggravate a sore spot I’ve developed on my hip.

“ Whose dwelling is this one gonna be?”

“ Master Ricky’s , I believe. This is one of my newest models, and I am looking forward to seeing the final product once assembled. Designing something on a holo blueprint is not the same as the real thing.”

“ That makes sense. Did you design any of these after your own home?”

“ Negative . I live in my workshop, as I have not taken on a companion. Her duties are to obtain and choose our main lodging.”

“ Ok , back up a little. You have to realize my knowledge of your world, or any other one than my own is nonexistent. What is a companion … like a wife, or girlfriend?”

“ In my society, the women—or I should say the head female of the household—are the ones who choose your companion. They are presented to us, and within certain parameters, we can accept or discard them. However , my mother is becoming persistent, and it will not be long before I no longer have the freedom I currently enjoy.”

“ Are you saying you guys have arranged marriages, and you have no say-so?”

“ My mother is the head of one of the most prominent families in MeKurem . She took her role in my upbringing very seriously. As the son of DaR , I have more demands than most, so I am expected to have top pick once I start accepting recommendations.”

I know I’m standing here with my mouth hanging open, staring at him, and I’ll admit I’m a little heartbroken for some reason.

“ MeK , you are a grown-ass man. I’m pretty sure you can stand up to Mommy , dearest. Your easy acceptance of all this has me blown away, considering how opinionated you have been all this time.

I mean, I know I have no right to say this, but your mother is not the one sleeping with the chosen one. ”

He frowns before answering me, “ Lacie , it is simply how it is. Mother keeps me close and she even cut my training short with Father when I was a youngling because she was scared of his influence on me.”

“ MeK , what if you hate this chick? Are you stuck with her forever?”

“ There can be certain respectable discretions once the contract is fulfilled, but she is my main responsibility until her death.”

“ That’s just so sad. I have no idea what to say, MeK . Perhaps you should consider running away or something. I mean, if this is not something you want to do, have you thought about simply saying No ?”

His runes pulse angrily across his chest before he turns around to put his own tool belt on. Apparently , this conversation is over. Walking over to the panels, I start gathering the rivets and things we are going to need to get started.

“ What type of dwelling would you like to receive, Lacie ? I noticed you have not filled out the questionnaire as of yet.”