“This is a small town,” Kade answered. “And someone is always watching. But more to the point, food is plentiful here. There is no need to steal.”
Aurora took that in as she gazed at the overflowing bins of unfamiliar fruit.
“Do you know what all of this is?” she asked him.
“I don’t,” he admitted with a smile. “But I’m sure the shopkeep will help us.”
Just then, the man reappeared with two wooden crates of eggs and milk. The eggs were larger that she was used to, and the milk had a slight pinkish tint. She didn’t recall seeing any chickens or cows anywhere.
“You can choose from these,” Gar panted.
“We’ll take them all,” Kade said firmly.
“You have a very lucky family,” the man said, nodding to Aurora.
“And we would love your help with produce,” Kade said, before Aurora could correct the man’s assumption.
Gar beamed at them and jumped right into a thorough tour of the store.
He pulled a small knife from his pocket at intervals, breaking open the fruits and vegetables to slice them off a sample.
There were tiny spicy fruits with a peppery kick, big bread-like spheres with tangy seeds, and melons of every shape and size. Vegetables on stalks, in pods, and in root form with bitter leaves for salads filled the bins and lined the tables as well.
Aurora forgot to worry about who she was and what she was on Clotho to do, and allowed herself to enjoy the delicious offerings and the enthusiasm of their host.
By the end of the tour there was juice dripping down her chin and even baby Lyra had sampled the flag melon juice.
She hung back while Kade pointed to everything they wanted.
“Can you hold Lyra?” he asked her, heading over. “I’m going to help Gar load up.”
Aurora had the sudden instinct to run, but instead, she gamely opened her arms.
Kade placed Lyra in them and strode back to where Gar and Narlin were stacking crates of food.
Lyra’s weight was warm and satisfying. She was heavier than she looked.
“Hello,” Aurora said softly.
Lyra eyed her suspiciously.
“I know,” Aurora said. “This is kind of weird, being thrown together and all. But I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
Lyra’s lower lip pouted out.
“Hey, you want to go for a walk?” Aurora offered.
Lyra stared at her, unblinking.
Aurora began walking slowly among the bins of fruit and vegetables, ignoring the baby in her arms.
She felt Lyra relax against her after a few minutes.
So babies were like most people, they didn’t like a lot of pressure to interact with someone new.
Aurora was feeling more confident by the minute.
“Ready to go?” Kade called to her.
“Sure,” she said.
Lyra began to whimper and kick as soon as she saw the big golden warrior.
“I think she wants to go to you,” Aurora said.
Kade looked torn, but Aurora was not.
“Here you go,” she said, handing her over.
Kade smiled down at the baby, and Lyra smiled back and smacked him on the cheek with a chubby little hand.
Aurora was amazed to feel her heart twinge at the baby’s lovely smile. Watching the solemn child’s eyes go twinkly was like seeing a rainbow after a storm.
They were climbing back into the coach when the breeze changed, carrying a strange, unpleasant scent with it, like meat left in the sun too long.
Aurora turned to see three men in uniform with a huge wolf-like creature on a leash. They approached Gar with the confidence that came from power.
“How may I help you, gentlemen?” Gar asked politely.
Aurora could detect the high note of anxiety in his voice.
She had heard it before back on Terra-4, when the Cerulean guards were about to beat up some poor fool who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“We’re here to pick up your donation,” the tallest one said in a low, nasty voice.
“I-I paid you at lunchtime,” Gar said. “That’s my usual time.”
“Your usual time, eh?” the man sneered.
“Yes, sir,” Gar replied. “I would normally have closed up shop by now, but I had one last customer.”
“Yeah, and it looks like it was one hell of a sale,” another of the uniformed men piped up. This one was short and stout. “I think you can make another donation if you’re staying open late hours.”
Gar’s face fell. “Sure, of course,” he said quietly. “Let me get my till.”
The men nodded at each other in satisfaction as Gar disappeared into the building.
Aurora’s face grew so hot that is felt like her makeshift scarf might catch fire. Standing idly by and watching this happen was impossible.
But she was supposed to keep a low profile, be a good mother and a mild-manner citizen on this moon.
She pleaded with herself inwardly, and lost.
“But this is not okay,” she murmured out loud through clenched teeth.
She was about to do something very stupid.
But before she had a chance, her scarf blew slightly against her face from movement in the coach.
Kade had leapt out with baby Lyra still on his hip.
“I don’t think so,” he said, striding right up to the three uniformed men and the big hairy animal at the end of the silver leash.
They turned to him, stunned expressions on their faces.
Except for the animal, which Aurora had thought looked like a wolf. It was actually more like a badger, but much, much larger.
It narrowed its yellow eyes at Kade and a low, terrifying growl emerged from its throat.
Aurora’s mouth dropped open and she moved swiftly to flank Kade.
But Kade didn’t even blink at the nightmarish creature. He was focused on the men, his shoulders down, posture laid-back and confident.
“Butt out,” the short, stout one said.
“No, I don’t think I will,” Kade said calmly. “It’s time for you to move along.”
“What did you just say?” the tallest guy asked.
“It’s time for you to move along,” Kade repeated pleasantly. “I’m sure you’re eager to complete your rounds.”
Instead of answering, the tallest man swung at Kade without warning. Aurora had seen, and even done, her share of dirty fighting in her time, but sucker-punching someone holding a baby was on a whole new level.
With the ease of swatting a fly, Kade parried the incoming fist and stepped backward, helping the man to stumble to the dusty ground under the tent.
The stout one barreled up to Kade, as if his treatment of his friend had made him wild with fury.
Kade despatched with him as well, deflecting his blow and using his own momentum to send him flying.
Aurora gazed at him in wonder.
Lyra, still on his hip, shoved her little fist in her mouth and looked around with an unimpressed expression.
Only the thinnest of the uniformed men, the one holding the end of the silver leash, hadn’t made a move yet.
“Wyla,” he said now, in a low voice to the creature.
Instantly it was lunging for Kade, hackles up, tiny, razor sharp teeth bared.
Kade closed his eyes for a split second, then opened them again to reveal blazing golden irises with an obsidian slit in the middle.