Late afternoon light slanted across the dry pasture, casting long shadows from the posts they'd spent all day reinforcing. The rails were sun-bleached and splintered in various places, but at least they stood a little more solid now. No more sagging under pressure. No more wandering livestock.

  Dust kicked up in little spirals across the paddock where a few bram sluggishly grazed. The thick-bodied cattle beasts were native to Mol'eyne, producing rich milk and hearty meat. But they liked to ram their horns into each other and often missed, sending all that momentum into the nearest solid object.

  The team had been in Boadicea just over three weeks now, and it had been mostly quiet and productive other than the first scuffle. Brana was performing miraculous mechanical surgery on the south power grid, so the fluctuations that had been plaguing the town were far less frequent. The eastern bridge was all cleaned up and awaiting supplies to begin repairs. There was still an extensive list of things they hadn't even started yet, but it felt good to see some visible progress.

  Soren leaned against the pasture fence, his forearms atop the railing and one foot on the bottom rail. He and Aurania were taking a moment to catch their breath from the day's heavy labor. It felt like magnetic gravity was locking his gaze on her—he was actively trying to stop watching her, but just… couldn’t.

  She was leaning with her back against the fence, both elbows propped up, causing her massive chest to push forward. She wore her usual two-piece robes, today's were a royal emerald, the color damp and darkened by sweat, contrasting against the bronze of her skin. Her shoulders, collarbone, and midsection were all bare, and a long, light-cut of fabric draped off the front and back of her hips, held by a thin, gold-chain belt.

  Soren stared, mouth agape, completely stricken. His thoughts had vanished, and all he could do was observe the light tracing over her body.

  She stood with one leg bent, her hoof casually propped on the lower fence rail, posture relaxed but still somehow regal. A light coat of red dust clung to her legs and hips, softening the gleam of sweat that traced down her bare abdomen. Beads gathered along her entire body, catching the late sun like droplets of gold. Her skin shimmered in places where the dust hadn’t settled, heat drawing a fine sheen across the curves of her chest and the firm lines of her arms. One droplet broke loose and slid down her neck, trailing her sternum before disappearing between her breasts.

  His eyes followed without permission, more out of reverence than lust. It was like he had been hit with a blunt object, or looked at a piece of sacred art too long and now couldn’t look away. A quiet sound slipped out of him—barely more than a breath, something between a hum and a stunned exhale. He didn’t even realize he’d made it until she said something.

  “If you keep your mouth open like that, you’re going to attract flies. Or swallow a bug.”

  Soren blinked, startled back into himself. “Right…” he swallowed, but still couldn't seem to look away.

  She shot him a glance that looked like irritation, but then raised both arms overhead to adjust her hair, slow and fluid like a stretch. The movement drew her shoulders back, arching her frame, the gold chain at her hips catching the light. Her long hair flowed down her back and past her hips, but —and when she was done, it looked exactly the same. Soren was pretty sure it hadn’t need adjusting at all.

  It was a pose—It had to be a pose. She was just fucking with him.

  His expression grew combative. “You know, Elias told me that lacravida know full well the effect you have on people, even when you pretend not to.”

  That finally got her to laugh. “Maybe, but you're exaggerating with the way you're looking.”

  “Bullshit.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Amalia walking past, off in the distance. He beckoned her over, then said, “Help me out here. She claims I’m exaggerating about how good she looks.”

  Aurania cocked an eyebrow while the bubbly girl looked her up and down.

  “Sorry,” Amalia finally said. “I’m with Glowstick on this one. All this,” she pointed up and down Aurania’s body. “That is one of the hottest fuckin’ things I've ever seen in my life.”

  Aurania just stared back, unsurprised. “Okay, but he still doesn’t need to stare at me like someone worshipping the sun until they go blind.”

  Amalia casually glanced between them, then shrugged. “He came from a black hole, didn’t he? Don’t black holes drink sunlight?”

  Silence hung in the air as they absorbed Amalia’s sass.

  Aurania blinked long and slow, a grin creeping onto her face before she eventually rolled her eyes.

  Soren leaned towards Amalia, eyes still on Aurania. “Damn, that was smooth.”

  “I know, right? Just thought of it on the spot.”

  He quickly held out his hand to her, palm up.

  Amalia immediately flowed right into a low-five, giving it a satisfying smack like they had rehearsed the entire thing. Then they both crossed their arms and stared at Aurania while trying not to laugh.

  Aurania let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose, losing the fight against the grin on her face. Amalia turned and started skipping away.

  Aurania called out after her, “Traitor!”

  The laughter faded, leaving behind a dry breeze and the low grunts of grazing bram in the distance.

  Soren settled back against the fence again, watching the sun stretch long shadows across the paddock. “You think the town’s warming up to us?”

  Aurania gave a faint shrug. “Some of them, maybe. The kind of attitudes that exist here won’t change overnight.”

  “Yeah… Doesn’t mean they’re not worth trying to show a better way.”

  Aurania just responded, “Hmm.” Not a question, more like she was thinking on what he had said. They stood in silence for a moment before he asked, “What ever happened with that local lacravida? The one Violet wanted to check on.”

  “Amaryn. I guess Violet and Tamiyo found her and chatted for a while. I think they’ve been going to visit every couple of days. Said the girl’s quiet. Shy. Not trained for combat. Apparently she wasn’t raised among our people—lost her mother young and got passed around by d’moria caretakers until she ended up here.”

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  Soren’s brow furrowed. “Must be hard for her to not be around familiar people.”

  Aurania nodded, but stayed quiet.

  “She alright?” Soren asked after a moment

  Aurania hesitated. “She’s... fragile. But not weak. There’s a difference. I don’t think she comes into town very much, keeps to herself like the mayor said. It’s a delicate situation, but Violet knows what she’s doing.”

  The sound of boots on gravel crunched in from behind, and Soren didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Tarnik, the loud-mouthed shorn who ran the ranch they were standing on. The scent of sweat, leather, and stale chewing sticks usually arrived a second before he opened his mouth. Curiously, Soren couldn’t actually recall seeing him chewing on anything, despite the smell. He’d been mostly cordial over the past couple weeks—he must have learned his lesson after Veolo introduced his face to the table.

  “Fence is lookin’ damn solid,” Tarnik said, strolling up and leaning on the fence next to them. “Appreciate the help. Thought we’d be dealin’ with loose bram for another month or two.”

  Cale, another shorn, trailed behind him. Something about Cale rubbed Soren the wrong way, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Tarnik was loud and abrasive, but at least he said whatever bullshit was on his mind, even when people preferred he didn’t. Cale seemed like he kept it all inside, and not in a healthy way. His features and demeanor reminded Soren of a slimy insect.

  “Wasn’t just us,” Soren said. “We’ve all been pulling our weight.”

  “Good work, either way,” Tarnik said. He gave Aurania a long look, then glanced between them. “Now, I heard you two chattin’ a minute ago. How come you don’t mind him lookin’, but you do me? That 'cause I’m a shorn? You got a thing against shorn?”

  Aurania’s jaw tightened, but she gave a smooth, flat reply. “Nope. Actually, one of the last guys I fucked with was a shorn.”

  That threw Tarnik off just enough to make the silence feel awkward.

  Then Cale spoke up, voice a little too eager. “Well where’s he at? Waiting back home for ya?”

  Aurania slowly focused her gaze on him. “Nope.” She thrust a thumb towards Soren. “He killed him.”

  Tarnik’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

  If not for their mental link, Soren would have thought a nerve had been struck, and that the painful memory had made her angry at even him. But she intentionally let him glimpse into her mind for a second.

  She just wanted them to shut up.

  A beat of silence hung in the air.

  One of the nearby bram sauntered up behind the fence, sniffing lazily at the wood post before giving it a dull thunk with its horns. Dust kicked off its flanks as it exhaled in a heavy huff. Cale glanced at the beast, then at Aurania. His eyes lingered a little too long on before he gave a dry little snort. “Huh. Y’know… you kinda got the same ears as that bram there. All soft and twitchy.”

  The fuck did he just say?

  Soren stayed completely still, but focused on the shorn’s leg, the same way he had on Philos when Amalia started chucking rocks at him. Just as he sensed Aurania’s temper about to boil over, Cale’s foot shot back like it was tied to a rocket. He pitched forward with a yelp, and the top fence rail broke his fall right between the eyes.

  He staggered, grabbed the post for balance, and struggled to stay standing. His eyes were wide and watering. Tarnik took a half step toward him. “What the—Cale, what the fuck was that? You been drinkin’?”

  Cale blinked and looked down at his boots like they’d betrayed him. Tarnik muttered something under his breath and helped Cale straighten up. He grumbled, “We’ll leave you to it,” and shot one last glance at Soren before leaving.

  “Yep,” Soren said. “Watch your step.”

  He watched as they left, then became keenly aware that he himself was being watched. When he looked over, he caught Aurania staring with a halfway affectionate look. She didn’t immediately look away, letting it linger for a long moment. Finally, she looked off towards the horizon.

  He smiled to himself, letting her expression cement into memory.

  He looked back to make sure Cale and Tarnik had left, but they’d already slipped out of sight amongst the buildings. But he did spot Violet coming towards them, along with Tamiyo and a tall woman in a simple gown. And she had hooves.

  “Hey,” Aurania murmured. “Come stand on the other side of me.”

  “What’s up?” Soren asked as he complied.

  “Violet said Amaryn might have had some rough run-ins with the men in town. You might make her uncomfortable.”

  “Oh, right. I can leave if you want.”

  “No,” Aurania watched the trio approach them. “I don’t think that’s necessary yet. But maybe stay quiet.”

  “Will do.”

  Violet waved as she approached, a carefully measured air of lightness around her. Tamiyo followed at her side while the third figure walked just behind, watching the ground. Her eyes flicked up only once as they neared, then quickly dropped again.

  Soren didn’t speak, keeping his body relaxed and his gaze anywhere but her.

  “Hey Aura,” Violet said. “I wanted to introduce you to Amaryn.”

  “Thank you, Violet,” Aurania responded.

  Violet turned and said, “Amaryn, this is War-Chieftess Aurania Enderchild. She’s one of the leaders of our village back home.”

  Amaryn looked up, wide-eyed. Even amongst lacravida, Aurania was towering. “Hello, ma’am,” the woman said, her voice barely audible.

  “Please,” Aurania said gently. “Just Aurania. Or Aura. No need for formality.”

  There was a pause. Amaryn looked up again, this time lingering. Her eyes briefly darted briefly to Soren, then back, visibly tense.

  Aurania didn’t push. She simply offered a calm smile and folded her hands in front of her. “Violet tells me you've survived on your own for the past several years. It takes a great deal of strength to do that.”

  Amaryn looked uncertain how to respond, but her shoulders eased a little.

  Aurania glanced at Violet, then back. “While we are here, please feel free to seek any one of us out, for anything you need. I understand you were not raised among lacravida, but that does not make you any less one of us. We are sisters.” Aurania’s voice was both commanding and gentle at the same time.

  “You don’t have to answer now,” Aurania continued. “Or even anytime soon. But when we leave this place, there will be space for you on our ship—if you’d like it.”

  Silence followed, but it wasn’t heavy.

  Amaryn finally murmured, “Thank you.” Her eyes were down again, but the words sounded real.

  Violet lightly touched her back. “We should get going. I want to introduce you to my goofball sister, gods know what she’s up to.”

  They turned and headed off together.

  Tamiyo’s eyes scanned both Soren and Aurania up and down, then one eyebrow quirked up. She wiggled her fingers at them with a smile, then fell into step behind Violet and Amaryn without a word. Amaryn glanced back at Aurania, then faced forward and kept walking.

  Soren exhaled and felt the tension in his shoulders bleed out. “That was really kind of you. You handled it well.”

  “She’s not mine to handle,” Aurania said quietly.

  Soren studied her face. “Still. The way you talked reminded me of your sister. All three of you have an amazing way of influencing people.”

  Aurania was silent.

  Soren added: “Felt like you were holding something back though.”

  “Violet has taken Amaryn under her protection. The girl is hers to care for, and it’s not my place to step between that.”

  Soren nodded, then looked out toward the fence again. He spent several minutes thinking about how his interactions with the woman next to him had evolved over the past several months. From their violent beginning, to their shared connection, to now starting to feel somewhat like friends. Hopefully more, eventually.

  “Nice of you to let her call you Aura,” he casually noted.

  “The girl needed softness,” she responded, not taking the bait.

  “So can I call you Aura?”

  “Nope.”

  “Oh, come on.”

  She genuinely smiled at him, eyes gleaming, and stifling a laugh.

  The sun had nearly touched the horizon, and the bram were still grazing. The repaired fence cast long, unbroken shadows across the pasture. Aurania pushed off the fence and began to walk back into town, her hips swaying as she went. She looked back over her shoulder and said, “Come on, Little Boy. Let’s get some food and check on the rest of our people.”

  He couldn’t help but smile as he hopped after her.

  “Yes, ma’am.”