It was the morning of the day the Sekvens would come to visit us. There was still no light when I got up. Tariel slept peacefully, a faint smile on her lips — but I knew how easily that could change.

  “Good morning, Jazzia. Notify me if Tariel shows any alteration. I want to be there if she wakes up frightened.”

  “It was the calmest night so far. She woke up only twice. Shoros has sent the data you requested.”

  “Please…”

  “Several observers follow the Seliums across the entire planet. Of the three remaining human cities, one is dead. Its inhabitants are migrating to Bona Vista. The same should happen to Litéia in the coming years. There are about two thousand people there.”

  The data appeared on the display as Jazzia continued:

  “Twenty-six thousand one hundred and two people live in Bona Vista. Of these, three hundred and two are Selium slaves — all females.”

  “Any specific reason?”

  “Only speculation: Selium males are physically stronger.”

  Another piece of data caught my attention. Three of the slaves were children. In the Selium village there were eleven more children; among the humans, forty-four.

  I walked toward the exit of the ship. The door had remained open during the night — Jazzia never closed it while on land. Outside, darkness still ruled, and the cold was sharp. Even open, nothing crossed that barrier without permission: not wind, nor scent, nor danger.

  I stepped out. The light pajamas were not enough for the temperature. I shivered as the night air filled my lungs and a thin line of light announced dawn.

  “Nine degrees outside,” Jazzia warned, but not to me.

  Tariel appeared like a shadow, wrapping her arms around me from behind, her chin on my shoulder. I touched her arm, and the sensation was different. A very fine, soft carpet, even smoother than the wing of a bat — on Earth, children would rescue them when they were hurt on stormy nights.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “I wanted to feel Donna. The decisions today will seal the destiny of the peoples of this planet,” she said, as I turned to her.

  Tariel was even paler than usual; her fur was already white, but even her skin seemed lighter. I looked for her lips, and she offered them without hesitation.

  “Let’s go inside… before I freeze,” I complained.

  Jazzia had returned to the wide green fields of Donna. In the previous days, she had taught Tariel and Anastácia the basics of the Known Universe: customs, relationships, and balances among the species.

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  We passed by Ana and Anastácia’s room to watch them sleep. There were no doors on the ship — a habit inherited from the Sekvens, who never hid anything from each other.

  Anastácia had told us stories about the Seliums, nothing really relevant. She was anxious to meet the Xerantos, although she had been startled when she saw them on the display.

  Ana, on the other hand, after an entire day in silence, had transformed. She ran around the ship and across the fields, talking nonstop — more than all of us together.

  “Mirtis is approaching,” Jazzia announced.

  “Greetings. This is the Shoros ship Mirtis. We will be aboard in thirty minutes.”

  My heart raced. Tariel was quicker: she ran to wake the others.

  A little later:

  “They’re here!”

  Aninha appeared like lightning, interrupting us in the middle of changing clothes. She stopped before Tariel, who got scared and fell sitting on the bed.

  “So pretty! I wanted to see you like this, all naked!” Aninha shouted, circling her and observing every detail of Tariel.

  Another fairy appeared right behind her.

  “She really is beautiful,” she added.

  “You I already know,” Aninha said, stopping before me. “You grew a bit.”

  “And you didn’t,” I smiled.

  “I’ll always be the same. Beautiful forever.”

  She leaned close to my ear.

  “Nice partner you chose. But you know… she’s not only yours.”

  “I know.”

  Aninha said this and that just to tease me. Among the fairies, she was the one who interacted the most with humans; she knew very well that sharing was “different” for us. She succeeded without effort. My chest tightened at the thought of sharing Tariel.

  It wasn’t the time. It was the affection, the thoughts, the love, the closeness, the passions, the eternity.

  I didn’t know what that would be like, but the fear of finding out terrified me.

  “I can’t! Touching you now would be dangerous,” Aninha refused Tariel’s hand. “But I really want to hug you, like Willian does…” — and she shot me a sideways look with a mischievous smile.

  Soon there were six fairies flying around the ship, drawing laughter from everyone — including Jazzia and AX. The commotion eased the tension of the imminent meeting. It was a needed relief.

  “Can you fly inside here?” I asked.

  “Near the ships, yes,” answered Fofinho.

  “I remember you. Aninha’s partner.”

  “Today I’m Betinha’s. Tomorrow… maybe.”

  Unlike the Sekvens, who are born “married” and remain so forever, fairies change partners right after waking up. The partnership, in both species, is nature’s way to ensure they multiply, since the union of minds brings them much greater pleasure than sex.

  Sekvens and fairies wake up in love every day. For fairies, that takes about five minutes — time they use to switch partners. Yes, they are promiscuous.

  With the “help” of the little fliers, we were ready to receive the Mirtis delegation. Donna’s atmosphere had less oxygen than Antéia; therefore, we waited inside the ship, in Jazzia’s largest room — where the regenerating capsule was.

  We sat on the floor. Soon Melissa, Sacha, and Kane arrived, guided by the fairies and escorted by the Xerantos: Zircon, Julis, and Armer. They exuded a sweet scent, a happiness almost tangible. It was impossible not to smile around them.

  “Hey,” I said, pulling Ana by the hand.

  I held Anastácia’s hand — still stiff, paralyzed by the novelty.

  “I’ll help,” Julis approached and sat beside Tariel. “You can hold on to me.”

  Zircon sat next to Anastácia and took her other hand.

  “I don’t bite,” he joked.

  Melissa bit her lip as she stared at Tariel. The fur on her body bristled, as if the cold had pierced the room.

  “Have you been well, my love?” Melissa asked. “Has Willian taken good care of you?”

  “Very…” Tariel answered, squeezing Julis’ hand, like a child holding a mother’s hand.

  “And you, Anastácia?” Sacha smiled. “Are you uncomfortable?”

  “Yeah… it’s weird.”

  “The first time usually is,” Sacha explained. “The body doesn’t yet understand what is happening.”

  We talked for a while about love, energy, and physical reactions.

  “AX, apply the regenerator to their hearts,” Kane requested.

  The conversation was shifting in tone. Tariel, Anastácia, and Ana would need reinforcement to withstand what would come next.