“I always meant to give this to you,” she said, bringing out a large book that looked impossibly old, and smelled fiercely of chemicals used to ward off pests—chemicals that Lina was pretty sure had been banned some time ago.
“It’s my copy of the Book of Origin,” Mentor said, “I’ve been saving it for you. You’re right, I am getting on in years, and as much as I hate to admit it, my mind is slipping. I thought it best that you have it before I forget where I hid it.”
Lena heaved a sigh, looking at the old, forbidden book. Another buffeting boom shook the boat as if an omen. Lina refused to touch the book, lest somehow Mentor would see it as her acknowledgment of this perfectly inappropriate gift on an otherwise wonderfully nostalgic journey. But it made sense of her day in a strange sort of way. Being this far from shore, Mentor had ensured that at least Lina couldn’t go running off at the sight of it.
Lina sighed.
“I don’t expect you’ll read it right away,” Mentor said. “But perhaps someday, when you begin to ask more questions about why things are the way they are.”
Lina rolled her eyes. She looked at the picnic basket, picked up another fruit, and then set it down again. Lina cursed her luck for running into her mentor in the first place. She was going to be stuck out here all day while the old woman prattled on about ancient stories. Stories that weren’t even true as far as she was concerned—and especially not as far as the queen was concerned—the whole reason that book of tall tales had been banned in the first place.
“Have you ever read the part that tells the stories of the ancient cities below the clouds?” Mentor said. “It really is fascinating. To think about how far we’ve come…”
Lina turned to stare off along the horizon. After a rough start, it had turned into an enjoyable day, and now this—this talk of The Ancients, The Origin. “That’s a just a myth,” Lina said, “made up by mentors everywhere, to entertain the children in their charge.”
“Perhaps.” Mentor paused. “Then why does it have you so agitated, my dear?”
“Because I’m not a child anymore.” Lina folded her arms across her chest and frowned.
“I’m sorry I’ve upset you.” Lina’s mentor said. She was scenting calm and caring now, in heavy amounts.
Lina tried her best to ignore it.
No more words were exchanged other than those necessary to get the cloud skimmer turned around to drift back toward the colony. And after the craft was pulled back into the storage dock, Lina grumbled a hasty goodbye and found the nearest refuse receptacle in which to stash the old book.
Chapter 4: The Queen’s Gala
And though the colony had called this place home for far longer than any one of their kind could remember, over the course of recent days, the lands had become barren and the fruit of the sacred tree grown bitter. So it was, when the Wise Queen gathered up her children to watch the great ships sailing against the night sky. With their silver sails unfurled, the sleeping young queens set out in search of a new home. A home once again overflowing with the gifts of milk and honey.
—Selected passages from The Book of the Origin by Bella Aurelius Nobilis, Modern Language Translation
* * * *
Lina stood outside the door to Arabel’s apartment, bouncing on her toes while waiting for Arabel to answer. She had been day-dreaming all week at work, thinking of this very moment. Tonight was the Queen’s Fertility Gala, the one night of the year that the palace was open to the entire colony, and only the third year Lina was old enough to attend the Royal Wine Making.
Arabel had promised Lina that she would provide them with some unique, handmade costumes for the event, something that no one else would be wearing. Impatiently, Lina pushed the door open just a crack. “Arabel?”
Arabel’s face suddenly appeared in the crack of the door and Lina’s body jerked as she jumped back. Arabel had painted her nose and cheeks with bio-luminescent ink again, but not the tribal patterns of before. This was something more organic.
“Wait!” Arabel hissed, causing Lina to back away further. She then broke out into a huge smile, causing the designs on her face to dance. Lina caught a slight whiff of mating pheromone as well.
“What are you up to in there?”
“Count to three and then come in. I want to make a proper entrance.”
Before Lina could respond, Arabel shut the door and Lina heard her muffled footfalls, running away.
“Okay!” Arabel shouted from inside.
Lina smirked and slowly pressed inward on the door. “Aaarabelll…?” she called in a sing-song voice, “Baby, did you get your tree flower back? You’re acting kind of odd.”
Lina scanned the tiny apartment. “Aaarabelll. Where are—?”
“Ta-dah!” Arabel burst forth from behind one of the myriad potted plants in her apartment. Lina saw a grinning face with two arms extended and hands fluttering with fingers spread wide. It was hard to miss. Every bit of skin on display was glowing with painted-on designs in bio-luminescent ink. It was the rest of Arabel that took a moment to find.
Lina pulled her gaze away from the bright designs long enough to see that Arabel’s costume for the evening seemed to consist of nothing more than woven vines and some strategically placed leaves.
“Looking good.” Lina grinned and reached out.
“Don’t touch though,” Arabel said, backing away. “It kind of falls apart when you touch it.” Arabel frowned.
Lina reached out to lay a finger on the back of Arabel’s neck, near her scent gland. It was far enough away that the gesture could be considered consoling, but close enough to be obvious that Lina thought she might look better without her costume. Lina inhaled deeply and Arabel
