“I’m sorry.”
I glanced at the broken pot that held a seedling. I broke another one. My inner fire came in spurts, usually when I was experiencing powerful emotions. No one had started teaching me to control it yet because I wasn’t particularly strong, and I already had so much going on.
“How are you?” she asked.
I started to clean up the mess I’d made and answered, “Better, though not great.”
“That, I believe, makes sense. I have been researching your situation, and the human medical texts have not provided a satisfactory result. You do not have body dysmorphic disorder in the traditional sense nor do you have body dysphoria. Then again, I lack the credentialing or experience to make an official diagnosis.”
“Ghosts don’t go into brain-dead bodies on Earth as far as I’m aware,” I remarked.
“True. That is why I searched for another species that might have something similar to you.”
I paused, shards of pottery falling to the ground. “Did you find something?”
“The Mosvoye of Mauute. They have a ritual to trade bodies. The consciousness leaves one body and enters another. It is done when they mate. They believe that you can only be truly one if you live in your chosen mate’s body. They trade every year for the rest of their lives. Elderly mosvoye have documented they often forget which body they started in.”
An urge to whip out my tablet and research them raced through me. I wanted to see their planet, live among them, and figure out exactly what made them tick. “Did they have good advice for me?”
“Yes and no,” Edith replied. “This is a natural phenomenon for their species that pre-dates technology or written recordings. But they do extensively talk about the first switch, and how overwhelming it can be. I have already collected the information and sent it to you.”
Tears burned the backs of my eyes, and I wiped them away, heedless of the dirt I was spreading. “Thanks.”
“I wish to help,” she replied quietly.
“I know, and I appreciate your friendship.”
A huge grin crossed her face. “We are friends.”
“We are.”
The door rang, and I waved goodbye to Edith, who gave me a cheeky wink. Fyn had assured me no one from the Ranks or the Council of Seekers would bother me, and I trusted him, so I wasn’t concerned about whoever was on the other side.
“Kal.” I glanced around him. “Where’s Seth?”
“He’s with Wyn and Urgg today.”
I could finally meet Urgg. I should’ve thought about it earlier. Iknewwe would be great friends.
“You said you likedStar Trek.”
“I do.”
“I have everything Edith got from Earth. Shall we watch it together?”
It was an offer of friendship, one I appreciated, but Kal had hated me since I’d gotten this body, and I needed to know why. “Why?”
“We both like it,” he answered, tail flicking.
“I mean, why don’t you like me anymore? You’ve been distant. You were nice before. Was it because I wasn’t really here?” Shit, I sounded needy, but I refused to take the words back.
Kal ran a hand through his silvery-blue hair. “It’s not that I didn’t or rather don’t like you, Caleb. I do. You are my mate-brother.”
I blinked at the word. I hadn’t heard it before. I assumed it meant something similar to an in-law.
“I am very protective of Zoltilvoxfyn and all of my siblings.”
I knew this.
