{Cinder}

“Are you excited to meet your relief team?” Bones rushed down the ramp to find Para staring into space again.

She looked ill. Pallid to her gray skin. Dark circles under her black eyes. Hair frazzled from gripping it. The hollowness of her voice would haunt him forever. “I can’t think. I…”

Silence filled the pit. Only their breathing sounded between them. It was cruel poetry that the females among their race built best for war suffered the most from grief and loss. Almost as though one could not be had without the other.

Sagan Seamswalked into the pit with Tameka. The blond girl headed straight for the fridge. “I’m starved. Anybody want anything—Hey!”

“Sorry.” Bones nodded toward the smallest Valkyrie. In mourning, she cleaned out their entire supply. “All gone. I meant to grab some at the fortress.”

She smiled sadly. “It’s fine.” Seamswalking over to the couch, Sagan sat next to the stricken woman. “Para, I’m taking you as soon as Tumu gets here. I saw Chris. He said good things about their progress with Karter.”

No response.

Tameka took the skid to King Rayne. “Hey, I brought your girlfriend with me this time.”

Bones took a few steps away, respecting the Progeny’s space.

“So, it’s true. She can hear you?” A deep voice called from behind.

Bones whirled around to find a Tritan standing on the ramp overlooking the lake. The seven-foot tall man was green. Not blue.

Fury glared from the island.

Sagan Seamswalked beside him and put an axe to his throat.

Para went full Atramentous and growled in three pitches, “I didn’t know they made Tritans in your color.”

“I’m not your typical Tritan.” He took in their team and chuckled in a strange, high-pitched yowl. Like a hyena. The almond-shaped black buttons for eyes bounced manically between them. “She’s got nothing to fear. Am I right?” The Tritan leaned over the banister and called to the Martyr Complex, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.”

Bones shifted uncomfortably as he looked to the Progeny for orders.

Tameka shouted up at the stranger from the island, “So you’re ‘the Chef?’”

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Dramatically, the stranger pressed the back of his arm to his forehead and groaned. “Oh, no! They told you that name.” He straightened and locked eyes on hers. Serious, stern. “Now I have to kill you.”

“What the fuck?” Sagan cried out.

Para flew to the ramp and got all in his personal space.

But Bones restrained from laughing. Something in the Tritan’s posture, his eyes… He was taking the piss, but the poor bastard picked his audience badly. These were not the girls with whom to fuck while protecting their King.

The Chef matched Para’s gaze without patronizing her over the height difference. The tension loosened a notch as he frowned at the tiny woman’s apparent condition. “Sparkles will be fine.”

Para startled and took a step out of his space. Tumu’s nickname for Karter softened the moment, allowing them to breathe.

“Why do they call you that? Is your specialty knives or something?” Tameka asked as Bones rounded the lake to the ramp.

The Tritan turned his green back on Para and bounced his brows at Tameka. “Flambé.”

“Dammit! Why do I keep falling for men who like to keep the mystery going?” Tumu finally rounded the corner from the tunnel. “Lamassau breathes fire.”

The Chef—Lamassau—growled, “The ‘air of mystery’ fetish keeps your ancient ass young, Tumi.” He leaned over the banister again, all conspiratorially for Tameka. “Sounds like ‘do me’ in the bedroom. Get it?” He winked extra big.

And then… they made out. Bones gawked as the two lipless aliens exchanged very tongue-heavy kisses. Talk about inappropriate timing. Although Enki sounded so stiff and regimented, a pair of Tritans might take advantage of any opportunity for affection.

Sagan’s unexpected giggling brought everyone out of their shock and broke the pair up.

Bones reached Para at that point and barked out a laugh as he chafed her biceps.

Tameka shook her head, bewildered. “I know so many things I didn’t want to know five minutes ago.”

Sagan Seamswalked to the island and beamed up at the odd couple. She declared, “I vibe with it.”

“I knew you were always my favorite, Star.” Tumu nodded to her and took Lamassau’s hand, bringing him further into the pit. As he passed Para, he offered, “Let me on-board him, and then we’ll take you to see Sparkles.”

Para nodded in response, fading back into catatonia.

Bones muttered against her hair, “Soon. Okay? You’ll be leaving me alone with a most interesting character.”

Hey, she laughed a little and squeezed one hand he offered in comfort. “Thank you.”

Behind them, the girls introduced the Chef to their King. “Rayne, keep the morgue pranks to a minimum. The last thing I want to hear is that you spooked him and he promptly cooked you.” Tameka made a good point.

Sagan’s voice went quieter than usual. “Can you give me a minute with her?”

The grouped back way off. Lamassau and Tumu went to the corner. To make out. More. And Bones took Para over with Tameka where they all watched, unable to look away. In approximately five minutes, Sagan returned to the lake’s shore and the two Tritans finally came up for air.

The blond Progeny took Para’s hand. “Ready?”

“She’s allowed visitors. You’ll be in the room with her,” The redheaded Progeny assured.

“Bones.”

He turned to Tumu, prepared to receive security orders.

“Don’t let Lam convince you we have an open relationship. We don’t. And he likes to make me jealous.”

“Aww, Tumi. You spoil my fun. I’d planned to immediately seduce the strapping Icarus. Now how will I entertain myself?”

Tameka shook her head incredulously. “I swear to Elden, all Tritans do is cause trouble—”

And Sagan took them through the Seam, leaving Bones alone with the Chef.

“So, why do they call you Bones?”