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down, he just might miss a step on his way to courting his alien.
     
     
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Rhoda put her hands on her hips and stared around her workroom. Three more canvases were complete, and she had gotten to sleep far after the moons had reached their zenith.
    Sealing her pictures was always a key step. When she first started, one of her clients had another artist paint in the image of her preferred mate. It had caused a lawsuit that was only ratified when Rhoda hired a Reader to examine the original painting to expose the tampering.
    The noble had been shamed, Rhoda had spent her savings and she had to work non-stop on a selection of clients that she normally would not have allowed anywhere near her home just to keep her bribery fund healthy.
    Now, she was struggling as each demand for funds increased the amount that the officers, magistrates and governors were ordering her to pay.
    Rhoda looked up at the sky via the window and wondered if she would ever earn enough to get her off the surface and onto a friendlier world in the Nyal Imperium. Drehl or not, destiny would have to wait. She was being bled dry.
    She finished sealing the portraits and set them aside to dry, leaving the image of Drehl centred in her studio.
    Her stomach growled, and she entered her kitchen, rummaging through the snacks that his highness had provided until she found the fruit that had been her staple since she arrived.
    Bell fruit had the texture of a pear and the peculiar combination of apple and chicken in the flavour. It had enough nutrients to keep her alive, and it satisfied most cravings at a reasonable price. It was free. The tree outside provided a steady supply during the four-month harvest season.
    As she often did, she looked around her small home and the incredible view offered by the windows. It was amazing that none of the locals wanted to live on the windy hilltop, but she felt a sense of relieved awe as she looked out over the endless vistas every time she went outside.
    Sure, the entire house shuddered every time the wind blew. It was still better than being in a dim, cramped apartment in the city. Studio space was hard to find.
    “I think a walk is in order.” She checked her body for paint and took a shower before she changed her clothing.
    Her hair dried as she walked down the path that took her through the public park and into the suburbs of the nearest city. The farmer’s market was always a fun place to explore new foods and examine the locals. Despite the fact that her portraits paid for everything and her lifestyle, she really enjoyed painting scenes of ancient cities as she imagined they had been. It was a hobby that she rarely got to indulge in.
    She met a few vendors, smiled at some of the children who came to ask her what she was and she picked up some necessities before she turned toward home.
    Prince Drehl was walking down the street toward her, and he had a scowl on his handsome face.
    Rhoda sighed and lifted the bag with her purchases on one hip. “Good afternoon, Your Highness.”
    “Rhoda. Are you here alone?”
    She smiled. “Of course. What brings you here?”
    “I thought that you might enjoy having me sit for a second session.”
    She looked into his red and black eyes. “Once was enough. I was just heading home if you would like to come with me.”
    “Certainly. Where is your vehicle?”
    “I walked. I don’t have a vehicle. I had to give it up three months ago.”
    He took the bag from her and walked beside her. “How can you live so far from the city without having a vehicle?”
    “I had one until I had to sell it. The bribes are growing exponentially. I am guessing that someone out there wants me off this world.” She shrugged. “They will eventually be successful. I can’t keep this up indefinitely.”
    His lips tightened as they walked. Finally, he said, “That is unacceptable. We are destined to be together. I will not have us parted before that comes to pass.”
    Rhoda