Page 64 of Dark Princess Emerging
They had complained that the gods hadn't allowed them access to education, but then humans didn't study in the gods' institutions of higher learning either. They had developed their own.
Or maybe not.
Maybe it had been started by the rebel gods and then continued by Annani, who had undertaken her father's mission.
"Would you like to see the Perfect Match machines at work?" Kaia asked. "We have an entire section of the old village dedicated to the enterprise. I can continue the tour there."
"Can you?" Morelle's interest was piqued. "I'd love to see them, but I don't want to keep you from your important work."
Kaia waved a dismissive hand. "I need a break." She smiled at her mate. "Am I right to assume that you don't want to join us?"
William shook his head. "I wish I could, love, but you go ahead."
Kaia blew him an air kiss and headed toward the elevators. "Two houses contain the machines themselves, one in each bedroom. The third house serves as office space. Toven and Mia work there, along with their ever-expanding crew. Now that Margo and Frankie have moved to the village, they've joined the Perfect Match team. Soon, we will need to dedicate another house to the enterprise."
"Or build a new office building," Brandon grumbled. "The village already looks like a patchwork of unplanned communities. Kian's vision for the place didn't anticipate Kalugal and his crew joining us, then the Kra-ell, and then Toven deciding that he wanted to buy Perfect Match and run it from the village. We should probably start looking for a new location."
Morelle wondered if his sudden sour mood was because of what he'd talked with William about while she was touring the lab with Kaia, or because she was excited about trying out a Perfect Match adventure while he seemed reluctant to do so.
After last night, she'd expected him to be walking on a cloud, and in the morning he had been, but now he seemed to be walking underneath it, and instead of a fluffy white one, it was dark and gloomy.
Morelle didn't like it.
It made her stomach feel uneasy as if she was expecting something bad to happen.
Was that normal?
Was it natural for couples to be so sensitive to each other's moods?
Brandon's frown deepened. "We don't have much time. Morelle has an appointment with Gertrude at the gym at one o'clock this afternoon."
"The whole tour won't take more than an hour," Kaia assured him. "We'll even have time for lunch at the café before that."
Morelle touched Brandon's arm. "I'd really like to see the Perfect Match operation. Margo, Frankie, and Jasmine talked about it so much during Jasmine's party."
He softened immediately under her touch, as she'd known he would. "Whatever pleases you, my princess."
His smile and term of endearment immediately resolved the knot of anxiety in her stomach, and even though it was a relief not to feel it, she didn't like that he had such a strong effect on her.
It shouldn't be like that.
As they stepped out of the glass pavilion, Brandon started toward one of the carts parked in the front, but Kaia shook her head. "It's a five-minute walk."
"Morelle is still recuperating." He continued to the vehicle.
"I'd rather walk." Morelle stayed next to Kaia. "It's a beautiful day, and I feel strong."
She loved walking through the village, feeling the sun and the breeze on her face. Brandon had insisted on taking the cart from Annani's house earlier, and while the open-air ride had been pleasant enough, she preferred using her own legs.
Soon, Morelle hoped to be strong enough to run. She'd seen people running through the village path just to enjoy the activity, and not because they needed to get somewhere fast or get away from something in a rush.
The idea appealed to her, and she wanted to try it.
There were so many things she wanted to try, and she wouldn't let anything or anyone stand in her way.
She was proud of how she'd managed to break through Brandon's stubborn resistance last night and give him pleasure as he'd given her.
And then that bite...