around my waist. At first, he was afraid I’d fall, but when he saw I’m very adept at moving up here, he relaxed enough that the tail-hugging is just that. And I like it.)
—and watching the play itself. Which made me laugh, because he watches the cast perform in the same way a man watches dragonflies dance on the water: he finds them sort of pretty, but they’re still just bugs.
Gah, I love him.
As far as our production goes, the Gryfala are enchanted. Telling a story through choreographed movement and music is not something they’ve enjoyed before. They’re a society devoted to work, not play, so this is wondrous enough for them that we might be putting productions together in the future, like Gracie thought, and I hoped for. Excitement sings through me as I realize I might not be giving up the work I love after all. I’ll get to design sets like these people have never seen, dazzle them all and get to watch the wonder on their faces as they enjoy the unique experiences for the very first time.
(Although Mandi points out that for them, this is probably a little like watching animal performances at the zoo. And when you imagine our dancers in terms of aliens, which is what we are to the Gryfala—we could be up here doing hand puppets and they’d probably enjoy the show.)
But who cares if they see us as trained dolphins with legs? We’re having a blast. This is awesome.
Obviously, the aliens think it’s awesome too. As dancers float across the stage (to a powerful orchestral symphony led by Mandi’s musically-inclined group), hobs are riotously smitten. And then they’re horrified. Because every set change (to the sound of Gracie’s shouts filling up the backstage) Rakhii are slipping behind the curtain and stealing some of our dancers. Some because they are their mates. Others… because they’re about to be. We should have hired some security. By the time the play concludes, we’ve lost over half of the troupe we began with.
For the last act, it’s noticeable. You could say it’s really noticeable. “Where are my dancers?” Callie asks. She left for two seconds to check on Baskian, who was strapped in a carrier harness on his daddy.
“Umm,” Angie winces. “Apparently Rakhii have a thing for dancers. Who knew, right?”
The music cuts out.
“You’re losing more as we speak,” Ella tells her. “Literally. If you hurry, you can save the last six—oops. Make that five.” She wrinkles her nose in sympathy. “I recommend that you park Zadeon just off stage and have him at least hold his fellow aliens off til curtain calls.”
Hmm, I don’t know if they know this, but Zadeon is currently in the wings, his tail slithering towards Callie—stalking her. With his appendage two seconds away from shooting across the stage and snatching his own female, he’s not going to be any help.
“How the heck are we going to end this if we’ve got all of five dancers?” Callie exclaims, looking to Gracie, expecting her to look equally furious. Instead, Gracie is rubbing her hands together.
“What’s that look for?” Angie asks.
Gracie grins. “The kitty cat just took Mandi.”
Every dancer and stagehand who survived the Rakhii raids appreciatively ooohs.
CHAPTER 47
ISLA
“This was beautiful work,” Bash rumbles adoringly. “The forest backdrops you created were magnificent.”
“So were yours. And I love your alien waterfowl.”
His claw taps me on the nose. “You are kind and supportive.”
“I also mean it. Your birds were so showy. They complemented the dancers perfectly.” I point down below us to the stage where a dozen women were portraying swans. “You know how their skirts sort of look like feathers? Kelly said it was so realistic, she thought for a moment they were real swans.”
Bash looks at the very wooden bird-shaped cut-out before his eyes slide back to me, no expression on his very Rakhii face.
“Okay, I’ll let you off the hook. She was being dramatic, and I know it. They looked like humans jumping around in frills and tulle skirts doing intricate leg kicks. And no matter how pretty, the bird pieces are still two-dimensional set dressing. But they’re cool. This whole deal was cool.”
“The dancers were beautiful in their choreography, or synchrony, or however you’d pay them compliment,” Bash agrees.
I give him a wide smile and go in for a quick hug before scooting around him and beginning to close down the area. The rigging is going to stay up for tonight, but all the electronics are coming down. Someone