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Chapter 7

Zorin

My Earth mate could speak but only when it came to completely practical matters.

So we discussed practical matters…in extensive detail until our meetings arrived and we moved to separate. That was an unexpected frustration. Even Raxius did not appreciate being temporarily removed from our mate, but he was tempted by discussing building techniques with one of the older humans.

I would have had strong words for giving in to his temptation if one of the other people of Earth had not admitted to being a teacher and another having studied a variety of Earth cultures.

Being as tempted as Raxius had been was also frustrating, but our human mate seemed to find it humorous if I was reading his facial expressions correctly. “I’m going to see you right after our meetings and you’re going to help me make dinner, right?”

As we walked to the door, he glanced over at the counter where our heating elements would appear when needed. “The stove isn’t supposed to disappear. Nothing in a kitchen is supposed to disappear, but I’ll get used to it.”

Not anytime soon if I was understanding the meaning of his words, tone, and expression as he combined the two forms of their language.

Raxius was even watching our mate with confusion, so I knew I was not the only one who did not understand our mate’s worries.

Something like worries.

“It keeps children safe.” Raxius seemed to decide to share the most factual information he could with our mate. “Their magic is not strong enough or steady enough to work the…the stove until they are old enough to understand danger.”

Shiloh nodded slowly and stood taller as he reached for the panel that would open the door. “Like those cover things that were on older stoves. Just magic. That makes sense.”

I wasn’t sure what kind of cover thing he was talking about because I had no object in my language knowledge to pair with that wording, but it made Shiloh happier, so I approved of the explanation. “Children are very curious here. Are they the same on Earth?”

I hoped it would be an easy question and I was confirmed right when Shiloh performed his head nod movement and smiled. “Oh, goodness. Kids are the same way everywhere, I guess. I have a cousin who’s a bit older than me and his kid keeps hiding in the house because making everyone panic to find him was really funny the first time.”

That did not sound funny but I had met children who would do similar things.

Raxius gave Shiloh the human sigh and performed a nod as well as we moved out into the hall and did the human movement of pointing to show Shiloh which way to go. “I can see that happening here as well.”

“They’ve got a tracking spell they put on his clothes now, but his parents hadn’t thought to do that until the third time.” Shiloh’s expression was almost a frown. “Some people just aren’t that bright.”

We must have both looked confused because his face became pink as his arms moved oddly. “Um, that side of my family isn’t very smart. They’re very nice but they don’t always think of practical things.”

Ah.

“Intelligence comes in many forms.” I had been taught to repeat that phrase to make others content and it worked on Shiloh.

“He does not believe that.” Raxius performed the Earth behavior of tattling. “He is trying to be nice since they are related to you.”

“I was nice.” I learned that lesson very clearly. “I have to pretend it is factual and I did that.”

Shiloh was blinking oddly as he glanced between us but he did not stop speaking again. “We have social rules like that, so I’m glad you know how to be polite too. But…but we can make a rule that we don’t have to be polite about other people when it’s just us. If you want?”

Did I want?

Raxius made the Earth sigh sound. “He’s confused.”

“I am thinking about how to answer our mate.” I was not confused. “I need to decide what answer will please him.”

That was not confusion.

Glancing between us as we started walking again, Shiloh took a few seconds to respond. “It’s going to take us a while to figure out how to communicate with each other, but I promise I don’t want you to tell me what you think will make me happy.”

I could still try.

“Eventually our bond is going to get strong enough for us to know the…the facts of whatever we were going to originally say.” Shiloh paused but I did not have the right response, so I stayed as silent as Raxius. “We’ll figure it out.”