I used to barter sex with the Draax for juice.”
“Um, isn’t that illegal?” Inara said.
“Oh yeah, but I was desperate,” Candy said. “Roden was worth the risk of going to prison.”
“Why didn’t you just join the breeding program?” I said.
“I tried. I’m breeding incompatible,” Candy said. “Anyway, a friend got enough juice to heal Roden and that same friend helped me get the job here on Draax. Which, even if it is just housecleaning, I love it. I was a lower back on Earth and barely scraping by. Here, I have a nice place to live, food for Roden, as much gallberry juice as we want to drink, and a weekly paycheque.”
“They are pretty generous with the juice.” I took another drink, relishing the sweet taste. My intense cravings for it had ended once my cancer was healed, but I still drank at least three bottles of the stuff a day. “So, are you planning to stay after your year of work is up, Candy?”
“Probably,” she said. “I like it here and so does Roden. Mind you, he hasn’t been enrolled in an actual school yet.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Is he too young?”
“No, but Sabrina thought it would be best if he and the other two kids are kept separate for a while. This new work program is still in the testing stages and very few Draax outside of the castle know about it. Sabrina hired a teacher, Luka, to live in the castle and tutor them. Once the year contract is up and as long as the program works out, Sabrina said we can enroll the kids in regular school. Roden likes Luka but he’s a pretty social kid and now that he can move and breathe without issues, he likes participating in sports, that sort of thing. I’m just hoping that the Draax kids aren’t mean to the human kids.”
“They won’t be,” Inara said. “All of them are half-human themselves.”
“I know, but they’re also green or purple and have tails. Roden will stick out like a raisin in a chocolate chip cookie.”
“Ooh, I should make cookies this weekend,” Inara said.
Candy laughed and I took another drink of juice. “So, are you going to date a Draax now that you’re allowed to socialize with them?”
Candy shook her head. “No. I’m over the just bang them and walk away thing. I did enough of that on Earth, and while there are plenty of Draax who are cool with just having sex, the ones who are looking for a relationship, are looking for a breeding compatible mate. They want kids, you know?”
“There’s some who don’t,” Inara said. “Laos told me that the head of the King’s Guard isn’t looking for someone who can breed. Crap, what’s his name…”
“Galan,” I said through weirdly numb lips. “His name is Galan.”
Inara snapped her fingers. “Right. I see him all the time in the sparring room. He’s hot. You should go for him, Candy-girl.”
“How does Laos know he doesn’t want kids?” I said.
Inara shrugged. “I don’t know, I didn’t ask.”
“So, he could want kids,” I said. “Which means he wouldn’t work for you, Candy.”
Candy studied me and I could feel my cheeks heating up. “I mean, if it isn’t true that he doesn’t want kids. If it’s true, then you could totally mate with him.”
“His living quarters are right there,” Inara pointed to the wall of the kitchenette, “why don’t you pop by and say hello.”
“Hmm, tempting… but no,” Candy said with a grin.
“He isn’t there anyway,” Inara said. “He’s always in the sparring room in the afternoon.”
I stared at the wall like I’d never seen it before. Galan was right on the other side of it? Holy fucking shit.
“Are you serious? Galan lives right there?” I pointed to the wall.
Inara picked at a hangnail. “Yup. I was mopping the hallway floor, not two weeks ago and he walked out. I remember because I’d left the bucket right in front of his door and he tripped over it. Water went all over his boots and pants. He had to go back into his apartment and change. I felt terrible but he was super sweet about it. Said it was his fault.”
She finished off her juice. “You know, the Draax have better technology than us. You’d think they have auto-brooms and auto-mops like we do on Earth. Not that I’m complaining. If they did, I wouldn’t have a job, right?”
I didn’t reply. I was still staring at the kitchen wall like it was the first goddamn