Cosmic Bounty by Unknown Page A

on Yuv and Tev’s clothing. She made a mental note to ask them about it later.
    “Apologies, we were merely curious.” He turned back to look at Kat, the hunger still evident in his gaze. Kat shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. “I can do a fitting and make clothing worthy of your loveliness.”
    Unsure, Kat glanced at Yuv and Tev . “If it is what you need, daughter.” Her adopting fathers smiled with genuine warmth.
    “Yes, it’s what I need. I feel like a sore thumb in this.” She motioned to her yellow dress.
    Tev frowned in concern. “You have injured your finger?”
    Kat giggled. “No, it means I stand out—just a human expression. We have many silly sayings.”
    The men relaxed. “Give her anything she wishes,” Yuv commanded the clothing merchants.
    The men nodded.
    With Yuv and Tev watching, the clothing merchants quickly measured her, proclaiming she would soon have new clothing, worthy of her beauty. The only clothing Kat took was a light cloak in a deep red color, to cover her yellow dress, wanting something to help her to blend in. Yuv escorted her back out into the market street, while Tev paid for the purchases.
    “You will need suitable moonush to tread in.”
    “ Moonush ?”
    Yuv pointed to her feet.
    Kat grinned. “Shoes.”
    “Shoes,” Tev repeated in English, watching his lips match the word.
    “Your language is musical. I shall enjoy learning it. Our family specializes in alien languages.”
    “I’m more than happy to help. There is so much I still have to learn. But I’m still not sure what I am expected to do on your planet.”
    “You will soon be declared a Demos female. You are not expected to do anything, other than provide sons and a daughter.”
    Tev rejoined them and they resumed a leisurely pace past other market stalls. She paid little attention to the strange wares, thinking about what her fathers told her.
    “So, in other words, my men want to keep me barefoot and pregnant?” she asked, after a moment’s silence.
    “You do not have to go without ‘shoes’,” Yuv said from her other side.
    Kat huffed out an annoyed breath. “What if I wish to learn an occupation on Galafrax ? Will I be allowed to work? I am not used to being idle.”
    The brothers exchanged glances above her head. “I think it best you discuss it with your quads, once you are claimed.”
    Before she could ask another question, a loud trumpeting sound suddenly blasted through the market, hurting Kat’s ears. She watched, amazed as the crowed parted, clearing the street. Her fathers pulled her back near the entrance of a bustling bar.
    Yuv bent down closer to her ear. “You will find this interesting, Kat. It is a formal procession to the right of claiming.”
    Kat saw an open, hover jellybean coming down the street. Within it, a Demos woman sat with four males. The woman smiled smugly, as it cruised past. Behind, at a brisk pace, marched sixteen men, four sets of proud-looking quads, each one decked out like a gladiator in straps of leather.
    “Behind the air cruiser are the quads who wish to lay claim to the female. They are heading for the Center Qyi , Grand Palace of the High Lords and rulers of Galafrax . Inside the palace is the arena where they will battle, proving their worth to claiming the chosen female.”
    Tev pointed to the huge, central pyramid in the middle of the city. The massive building loomed over every other structure.
    “Will that have to happen to me, too?”
    “Every Demos female goes through this right. Yes, you will have to do this also; it is a great honor, and the more quads which follow to do battle, the higher the honor.”
    Kat didn’t like the idea of being paraded through the street, but would endure anything to be with her set of quads. She missed them, wishing they were at the markets with her, helping and teaching her to learn about their world. Something odd struck her as she studied the men and women around her.
    “ Yuv , what happens if one