Free Ice Planet Holiday by Ruby Dixon Page B

my mind. Besides, calling them cat-lizard-bird-things is tough, especially when my brain keeps trying to determine what part of the genetic jigsaw is what. ‘Bird’ just seems easiest. And tastiest.
    “Me?”
    She rolls her eyes. “No, the bird in your lap. Hey bird, are you giving out any presents today?”
    “I’m going to wallop you with this bird,” I tease her. “And…maybe.”
    “Ooooh. For Ereven?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “I’ve seen you two getting cozy a lot. And you eat him up with your eyes every time he comes around.”
    “I do not!” The hot blush on my cheeks says otherwise, though. Am I so obvious about the fact that I’m crazy-attracted to him? We’ve been keeping our fake relationship low key (except when Bek is around) but I’m oddly pleased that others have noticed. Truth is, I have been working on a gift for Ereven. I stayed up late last night to finish it. His cloak is warm but worn, and the hood on it is worn and tattered. I’ve made him a new one with a thick fur lining, cut-outs for his horns, and a bit of decorated stitching around the edge. It’s not much, but I don’t have much. I feel weird discussing it around Josie, so I change the subject back to her. “You get any presents?”
    “Me? No. Tiff’s busy racking up all the men in the tribe.” She grins. “I think at last count, her suitor list is up to four. Maybe five.”
    “Poor thing,” I drawl.
    Josie giggles. “Right? You’d think it’s the worst thing in the world the way she’s acting. She’s hiding out with Maylak right now, going out to pick herbs. Like we don’t have enough herbs?” She gestures at the overflowing bowl at her side. She’s right, we have more than enough. “It’s just so she can get out and hide for a few hours.”
    “What about Haeden?” I ask. I remember him knocking down Rokan in the soccer match.
    “Giving me a present? Girl, please.” Josie snorts and viciously rips another handful of feathers from her bird. “The only present I could see that man giving me is a bag of flaming poo. You know we hate each other, right?”
    “Mmmhmm.” They do seem quite vocal about it. Still, I think there’s something there. They profess to hate each other but seem to end up in the other’s company quite a bit.
    “Seriously. I hate the guy and he hates me.” She plucks another feather. “I think if we ended up resonating, it’d be the end of the world or something.”
    I say nothing, because I know that feeling. It’s how I feel when I think of what would happen if I resonated to Bek. I’m lucky that for whatever reason, my khui hasn’t kicked in and made me resonate. Maybe it’s just being choosier than most. Maybe it knows that Bek is bad for me.
    Maybe the darn thing’s better at relationships than I am. I denude my bird of feathers as Josie chatters on and on about how irritating Haeden is. I listen to her talk, murmuring an acknowledgment every now and then. I finish my bird, help her finish hers, and then we rub them down with fat, stuff them with herbs, and spit them over the fire pit to slow roast. By the time we’re done, we’re both messy and gross.
    “Ugh, I need soap,” Josie comments, wiping her hands on her dirty tunic. “And I’m out. Let me go check storage for some berries.”
    “I’ll wait here,” I tell her, slowly turning one of the spits so the birds can brown evenly on both sides. The sa-khui don’t care for cooked meat, but they’re curious about our holiday meals. There’s going to be so much scythe-beak that everyone’s going to get a taste. Nearby, Stacy is cooking root-latke after root-latke in her greased makeshift skillet. They must be good, because every so often, little Esha toddles in and asks for one.
    There’s no sign of Ereven in the caves, so he must be outside playing more soccer. I think about him, his sweaty hair clinging to his neck, and feel the oddest shiver of desire ripple through me. Wow. I haven’t had sex in