Page 38 of It Varies
Jennika smiled at thebreakfast that Vine had laid out.“What is all this?”
“Xiroth and Xao are coming for breakfast.Xletl is coming for dinner, and I have already started the slow-roasted ribs.Pull them out at one, and put them in the fridge.I will grill them for dinner, or if I drown, ask Xiroth to finish them on the grill.”
“Drown?”
“That is what I will be doing with Kazuya.His other form is ocean-based.So, I am going swimming this morning.I already ate just in case the one-hour rule is an actual thing.”
Jennika stared at her.“You are actually going?”
“Despite what folks rumour about, I don’t like pain.I pulled my courage together five months ago, and it didn’t pan out.This time, he doesn’t promise a cure but a slow treatment.I can work with that.”She shrugged.“The worst thing is that I go swimming.I used to like swimming.”
Jennika was face-first in a waffle with strawberries and cream.Her tea was standing by.“This is amazing.”
“Yeah.Well, I didn’t sleep.All I could think about was waffles.”
“You were outgoing last night.”
“Well, I have met more of our people.It makes me cocky and gives me ideas for more enchantments.Tuvel needs better sound filters.She’s getting more confident, and it takes a toll on her filters.”
“Uh-huh.So, we didn’t talk about it last night, but you and Win were talking about something, and I think it deserves to be discussed.”
“Oh.I ended up in the shadow realm.The shadow mages were attracted to power in pain.They pulled me from the garage floor and into their realm.Moving broken limbs to make room was painful, but I didn’t even notice the assault for a while.I was told about it when I was back in the emergency room.After they left me, I screamed for help, and the vines came.They wrapped around me, protected me, and helped me move.I found their archive, and the wood of the building welcomed me and hid me when they came looking.I read their magic texts and learned what I could, which, it turns out, was quite a lot.When I could make a portal, I went home, put myself outside the locked garage where they had left me, started the car, and tried to remember how driving worked, but the car took over and drove to the police department for me.I loosened the vines around me and screamed in the parking lot until they came to get me.”She shrugged.“I learned about the assaults after the fact.When you are in that much pain, it all blurs together.”
“And there were no effects?”
“No.Thankfully.I wasn’t in heat, so it didn’t take.That would not have been great.”
Jennika looked at her and sighed.“That would not have been great.I have seen photos.”
“Yeah?”
“You were small, even for an omega.”
“Yup.”She held up a hand.“The shadow mages who hurt me met the vines.They can get in anywhere and just break things apart, you know.Strong and determined for something that is made of delicate materials.It can still kill, despite its life starting as a delicate little shoot that drops and then climbs again.”
“Which is why you chose it as a name.”
“It’s my legal name now.Vine Lane.”
“What about Apricot?”
“My colour at birth.They thought it was cute.”
Jennika rubbed her bump.
“Don’t worry.He’s going to be human-coloured until he’s an adult.”
Jennika exhaled.“Oh, thanks for that.I didn’t want to insult Xiroth by asking.The wings, too?”
“If he gets them, he will have them around thirty.”
“Nice.What are you thinking for names?”Jennika laughed.
Vine checked her phone for her car service’s arrival.“If he looks like his father?Xerox.”
Jennika laughed, they hugged, and Vine headed out to her car.“Call me if you need me for anything; Kazuya’s number is on my fridge.”
Jenn said, “So, this is business.”
