Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
She went on, listing off activities she had planned for Abbey and Solon so that they could explore Tengulan culture thoroughly. Abbey, who loved new experiences, was thrilled—if a bit overwhelmed.
“Your Majesty, it’s so extremely kind of you to make all these arrangements for us,” she said to the Empress. “But I hope it’s not too much trouble.”
“Oh nonsense!” the Empress exclaimed. “We want to be sure to make a good impression on our guests. We want the Monstrum Kindred to know we’d be a good trading partner.”
“I’m certain that’s what I’ll be reporting to my Commanding Officer, Commander Rarev,” Solon told her. “Your kindness and hospitality are beyond words, Your Majesty.”
The Empress laughed in a pleased-sounding way and thanked him for the compliment. Then one of the servers came to help her up from the table and she bid them goodnight and reminded them that if they wanted a snack, they only had to consult the menu cards and call the kitchen.
At last, Solon helped Abbey up as well and they were able to make their way back to their room.
“Well, that was quite an experience,” he rumbled as Abbey held his arm and they walked down the long marble hallway. “How did you like it?”
“Like it—I loved it!” she exclaimed, smiling up at him.
“Even smelling the less desirable menu items?” he asked and his voice sounded like he might be laughing.
“Even that,” Abbey said firmly. “I love new experiences but they’re hard to come by when you’re blind. If you’re not careful, your world can shrink to such a small place because it’s difficult to get out and do new things when you can’t see.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he remarked as they came to a stop in front of their door.
Abbey stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Her lips met his cheek and then he turned his head and found her mouth instead.
“Mmmm…” The soft, rumbling growl that came from his deep chest was full of desire. “What was that for?” he asked when she pulled back at last.
“For broadening my world,” Abbey told him. “I was kind of stuck in a rut before you came. And now, look at us…” She spread her arms, smiling up at him. “We’re on a whole new planet and we have so many exciting plans! New places to go and new things to do and new foods to try! I feel like I’m on the most exciting, exotic vacation ever. And it’s all thanks to you!”
“Well, it’s really thanks to Commander Rarev—it was kind of him to choose us for this mission,” he rumbled. “But please believe me when I tell you, Abbey—as much as you think I’ve broadened your world, you’ve made mine a hundred times better. There is no one I would rather be with—everything is more beautiful and perfect with you as the center of my universe.”
“Oh, Solon…” Abbey reached for him again and he swept her into his arms.
“Come on—let me show you how much I love you,” he growled softly in her ear.
Abbey felt a shiver of pure lust run through her.
“Yes, show me,” she murmured.
She knew it was going to be a wonderful night.
33
ABBEY
The next two weeks were a magical time for Abbey. Every day she and Solon went somewhere new. They visited several art museums filled with paintings that were meant to be touched. The Tengulans used a thick kind of paint that dried in deep grooves. The idea was to touch the painting as your Eye-pet explained what you were feeling.
“That’s the lady’s face,” Spex would squeak in her ear as she traced the lines the artist had made. “And that’s her shoulder and arm…” he continued as Abbey’s fingers moved down.
There were sculptures to feel too, but those weren’t the only kinds of museums to visit. The Tengulans believed strongly in all kinds of art. There were many different Scent Museums as well. Some collected only the scents of certain types of flowers while others specialized in different foods or even childhood experiences like the smells of school and playgrounds.
There were texture museums too where all kinds of surfaces and fabrics and furs could be stroked and touched. Abbey especially enjoyed the museum devoted to different kinds of animals. She wished they had museums like this on Earth—the closest she had ever come to anything similar was a children’s museum where the exhibits were supposed to be touched. But the displays there were always simplistic. The Tengulan museums were meant for blind adults and had more detailed explanations of the art.
But there was more to do than just visit museums. They went swimming in the warm waters of the singing sea—so named because there were buoys every few yards which announced your position in a soft, lilting trill and told you how to get back to shore if you needed to.