“Nona?”
The female looked my way and smiled when I reached her. She was beautiful, so much so it made me suddenly feel self-conscious. She had pin-straight, shoulder-length burgundy hair. Burgundy. When the light hit it, the purple hue seemed to glow. I had never seen a hair colour like it; it was stunning. She was tall, and she was slim. She did not have large breasts or wide hips, but she did have a tiny waist. She was sleek all over. Her grey skin looked smooth to touch, and her ice-blue eyes stood out against the dark lashes framing them.
Her ensemble was one I had never seen before either. Mostly, we had two pieces of clothing to wear that were made to fit each human woman’s body. A lot of our skin was usually exposed in a tasteful way. This female had on an outfit that looked like a bodysuit, but the fabric was loose around the arms and lower legs. It was a little sheer, so it moved like waves when the breeze caught it. She looked like a goddess that had come to life.
“Hello, beautiful female.”
I felt heat scorch its way up my neck and onto my cheeks at her compliment.
“Hi,” I waved. “I … I was just wondering if you could help me?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you, nona.” I willed my blush away. “Do you know which path I should take to reach Sector Two? I’m on berry-picking duty, and I’m afraid I’m lost. I missed my transport to the sector.”
I looked around, wondering if I would get in trouble. I had walked so far that I was now on the outskirts of Royal City.
“I’ve told my mate that signs need to be implemented because you humans don’t have comms yet to give you automated directions.” She clicked her tongue. “I would get the task done quicker if I just did it myself.”
A giggle bubbled up my throat.
“I will take you to Sector Two,” she winked. “I have to take that path anyway. I wish to visit Kuat’s Basin.”
I knew that Kuat’s Basin was the name of the huge purple lagoon that I often saw off in the distance, but I had yet to visit it. I had heard many terrifying stories from Hilah about it. She had recently told me that a woman was gobbled up by a monster from the lagoon’s depths and I was positively terrified until Nuni told me that Hilah was teasing me.
Even though no human woman was eaten, I was still wary of the lagoon. All of the water on Ealra was purple and freshwater, which meant none of it was safe to swim in because of the creatures that lived below its surface. I had been studying the wildlife of Ealra, and though the wilderness that surrounded Royal City was a gorgeous backdrop, it was filled with incredibly dangerous creatures.
“Are you on your way for berry-picking duty too by any chance, nona?”
The female tittered. “No. I’m just out walking.”
“Oh, well, that’s nice.”
“I’m not really supposed to be out here on my own.”
She whispered as if telling me a hidden secret.
“Really?” I blinked as we walked. “How come?”
I knew that females weren’t allowed to venture beyond the outer sectors without an escort, but the path we were on was open and close to the training yards for the males. It was safe …. or safe enough.
“My mate is rather protective of me.” Nona grinned. “He is my moons and stars, but Thanas, sometimes I like taking a walk by myself to enjoy my own company.”
I smiled. “Taking a walk by myself is something I enjoy very much too.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?” the female beamed. “To be alone with nature? It is a favourite pastime of mine, but one my mate dislikes greatly.”
“Maji males are very …”
“Much?” she finished with a smile. “They are many wonderful things, but they’re very much sometimes.”
I chuckled. “You’d know better than me, nona. Have you been mated very long?”
“Three hundred and five years now.”
My jaw dropped. “Holy … I’m sorry, I forgot about the aging system here. You look so young.”
“Thank you.” She beamed. “I feel quite young.”
We walked and talked for a long while, and when I glanced over my shoulder, Royal City looked far away in the distance. I began to worry then because we were near a section of the Endless Forest and I knew that no females were allowed near the forest without an armed male to escort them. When I was about to voice my concern to my female companion, a gust of wind blew into me, making me stumble a little. A shadow fell upon the land, which made me look up. What was a clear sky just minutes ago was now filled with angry dark blue and black clouds. I could smell rain in the air too.