Besides being hella built, even by supe standards, Zig was fairly unassuming in Earthling form. Thanks to his adorable freckles and fresh-faced good looks—plus the ski lodge-inspired outfits we were both rocking—nothing about my man overtly screamed “danger.”
Except that weapon between his legs—ayoooo!
All jokes aside, Ziggylookedyounger than me, thanks to the age of his chosen skinsuit. That, combined with his lack of Space Daddy armor, made my protective instincts buzz beneath the surface alongside my enthusiasm.
They better not try to hurt my mate.
Or attempt to take Pedro away from us…
“You are welcome in our city,Earthlings,”one Eki spoke from the depths of their wizard robe. “Assuming you come here in good faith.”
To illustrate we’d better not fuck around, the Eki waved a velvety black hand toward the lava encircling us, causing it to dance over the edge of its designated aqueduct in a mesmerizing display.
I amsoimpressed right now!
Of course I’d seen supes command fire before, but it was my understanding that spark was generated from within. Thereweresome who influenced the weather, while others could cause earthquakes or tidal waves, but these powers were still specific to what they could directly control.
My brother Isaiah, for example, could physically connect to the Earth’s core andshockit into causing earthquakes or tidal waves—like a defibrillator restarting a heart. Unfortunately, once the quake or wave had started, he no longer had control.
And Izzy is known for leaving a trail of destruction in his wake…
But what the Eki was doing with the lava wasn’t chaos. It was easeful control, despite there being no direct line between the manipulator and the matter manipulated.
Suddenly remembering our host’swelcomingwords, I smiled warmly and respectfully bowed my head again.
Playinghispart of helpless human, Ziggy mirrored my actions while replying for both of us. “Our purpose here is to simply learn from you and?—”
Before my man could finish his sentence, the Eki flicked their wrist, creating a wall of lava between us they immediately threw in our direction.
JESUS!
Instead of reacting as a Stellarian—by either unleashing his tendrils or star hopping us away—Ziggy placed his vulnerable Earthling body in front of mine, fully prepared to take the brunt of the attack to keep up appearances.
Not on my watch, you don’t.
Before his murder freckles could get murdered, I surrounded my little family—including SWOL-E—with an impenetrable shield. Then, I glared at our not-so-gracious hosts.
“We told you we came in peace!” I hollered, knowing I should probably watch my tone but being too pissed off to care. “Why would you endanger my mate and my…”
My stolen nanny bot and questionably adopted child.
“We simply wished to test the truth of the manifest you provided,” the Eki on my shit list calmly replied. “And determine which one of you possessed the supposedly similar powers.”
I huffed, annoyed to find I respected their caution, if not their methods. “We have no reason to lie. If you had justaskedwhich one of us had powers like yours, I would have told you it was me.”
Unsurprisingly, the Eki were as unapologetic as any alien or supe who shot first and asked questions later.
And since I clearly passed their little test?—
My petulant thoughts were cut short as another Eki stepped forward and touched my shield, dissolving it instantly.
Jk.
“You are failing to pull enough varied particles from the air,” they nonchalantly remarked as I gaped.
“Good to know,” I muttered, sufficiently humbled.
Duly fucking noted, murder wizard.
