Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Brooke and Taushen's seed cakes are, of course, tasty. They're a perfect blend of texture flavored with a little bit of salty meat and fat. It's not something I thought I would enjoy prior to landing here, but it's quickly become one of my favorites. "Really good," I say, smiling at them as I lick my fingers. "Really, really good."
"My mother's recipe," the sa-khui hunter says proudly, and Brooke rubs his arm in an affectionate touch.
I'm smiling as I move on to the next station, and it's R'jaal and I'rec. Their meal doesn't look like any stew I've ever had, and I quickly realize that the reason why it's so funny to everyone is that it's clear that these alien men aren't cooks. "Um…do you want to tell me about it?"
I can hear people giggling in the background. R'jaal lifts his chin, but he's taking it all in good-natured stride. "I would like to tell you that back on Tall Horn beach, we did not 'cook.' We ate our fish raw like strong hunters."
"We did at Shadow Cat as well," I'rec adds. He flicks an impatient hand at the bowl in front of them. "This is stew."
I feel as if there should be a question mark there. I wince as I hold my plate out and they slop a large portion onto my plate. Like, a really large portion. I blanch as I see a fish-head in the mix. "Oh…boy."
"We eat everything," I'rec says. "All food is good food. No bite is wasted."
There's a lot of laughter on the beach, but I actually feel bad for them. I know what it's like to be pushed into something out of your element and have to take the chuckles of others with grace. I know these two don't like each other. but they both want to win the knife and so they're trying hard to get along. Gamely, I poke at an unpeeled chunk of root and a bit of meat that has fish-bone sticking out of it. It looks hideous, but I want to like it, for their sakes. So I take a big bite of root, chew quickly, and then take a bite of fish and pull the bones out of my mouth.
It's awful. The fish is raw in the middle, the root is undercooked and bitter, and my throat works, hard. I give them a thumbs-up and both of their faces brighten, even as the crowd erupts into more laughter. "It's a very hearty stew," I say when I can finally swallow.
There's lots of good-natured ribbing and calls of “liar!” amidst the laughter. R'jaal and I'rec look pleased, though, and I quickly move over to Bek and Elly, avoiding the rest of the stew on my plate.
Elly gives me the shyest smile ever, and I just want to hug her. She's such a delicate, fragile thing, with big eyes and a quiet nature. Bek hovers over her constantly, and I would find that absolutely and completely overbearing, but Elly loves it. I never see them separated, and I think they're a really happy pairing. Even now, Bek strokes Elly's slender arm as she turns over a sizzling piece of meat with carved bone tongs.
"Do you want to tell us about it, guys?" Lauren asks, and her tone is gentle and kind. It's like we all take baby steps around Elly, because she's just that fragile.
Elly bites her lip and looks at her mate, who gives her an encouraging, proud look. She turns back to me. "If you boil a small amount of hraku seeds with dried fruit and add it to not-potato, the root takes on a sweetness. I made a glaze and…" She gestures at the meat. "Barbecue."
"Sa-khui bar-buh-cue," Bek says. "It is Stay-see's invention, but my Ell-ee puts her own ways into it."
I take a strip of meat and sniff it. It's a little sticky, but it smells slightly sweet, like jam. I take a bite, and even though the meat is a little tough and gamey, like a lot of the dvisti meat, the flavor is perfection. I bite back a little sigh of pleasure and cram the entire strip into my mouth. "Can I have seconds?"
Her smile lights up, but she shakes her head.
"There is just enough for the game," Bek says, speaking for his mate. He touches her hair and gives her a look of such achingly sweet pride that I want to cry. Why can't A'tam be more like this?
"All right," Lauren says brightly, steering me back to the front of the group. "Now, which one is number one?"
Oh god. I stare out at the group of eager faces. "Um…Bek and Elly."
There's a cheer and a smattering of applause, as if I've picked what everyone was expecting.
"And second?"
I swallow hard. Who to pick? Brooke and Taushen's food was good and they should be second, but I find myself oddly sympathetic for R'jaal and I'rec. "Um…the fish stew."