{Earth}

Blue. Earth’s sky was blue. White fluffiness patterned the clean atmosphere. Ozone and sandy grit filled each inhale. And food. Delicious food grilled off to the side by a collection of friendly-seeming humans. Short and fuzzy people.

“Welcome to Earth, E7.3 through E7.5. Please continue to the final Progeny screening station and wait for your number to be called. In the meantime, help yourself to a meal and some water. Even nacre-bearing Icari are prone to dehydration in the deserts of Egypt.”

The young Icarean woman woke only four days ago. She couldn’t find anyone to tell her how long she’d slept. But the sight of Umbra’s Spire in ruins both startled and delighted her. The Night Prince’s reign already came and went. How old was she now?

“Care for a kebab?”

She spun to find a short man holding seared meat on a stick. The aroma enticed and disgusted her all at once. Her stomach growled and turned. She slept too long this time. The man’s jugular throbbed in his dark neck. Food wasn’t enough.

He noticed. The kebab shook, and his voice wavered, “We have volunteers in the tents.” One long finger pointed at a row of shelters.

She didn’t mean to move faster than he could see. She was just so thirsty. He yelped when she gripped his shirt front. Those beautiful black eyes widened in fear and searched her face. “Please!”

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“Feed…” The word rasped from her unused throat. Parched. Thirsty—

Powerful hands gripped her wrists. A firm male voice reasoned with her from behind. “Let him go. We’ll get you fed after your long nap.”

This close to her, the man at her back smelled funny. Like herbs and cologne. The one in front of her smelled of adrenaline. She found both equally enticing. “Feed.” Satisfy all her appetites.

“We got another one.” The firm voice assured.

The human in her grasp licked his lips and glanced behind her. “Copy that.”

“One. Two. Three—”

She lunged at the first man’s throat right as the newcomer shoved his forearm in the way. Fangs sinking in, she moaned at the taste of his blood. He pulled her against him and let her feed with a grunt through his clenched teeth. The other human ran back to the tents.

They were alone.

Sweet nectar flooded her stomach, regenerated cognitive cells, and stimulated her stunted metabolism. Leaning back against him, she purred into the bite.

“That’s right. Take what you need.”

His throat convulsed against the top of her head, and a strange smoke surrounded them. A sweet herbal smell. It left her dizzy. His blood… Dizzy.

“Shh… Easy. Progeny blood is wild on the lower castes. Just breathe through it.”

Progeny? Why did humans speak such nonsensical words? The Icarean female lost her grip. The desert dunes swirled to the top of her vision. The sky dripped into her eyes. The sand ground into her bare knees. Who was she?

“I’ve got you.”

Indeed, strong arms gripped her. Voices called out. One belonged to the first male. “Sir, do you want us to detain her?”

The firm reasonable voice replied, “No. Have her taken…”

Their conversation swirled into the spinning scenery. The course of his blood inside her. The sensation of the sand against her skin. The smell of herbal smoke. It all assailed her senses and overstimulated her addled mind.

So long she slept. No memory of before. Who was she? Why was she?

Wait… the confusing words stopped. Her distracting hunger abated. Her unnecessary thoughts ceased.

That’s who she was.

Silence.