Book Seven: Chapter 67

“That’s part of it, yes. I’m mostly referring to rigidity. Oh, and duration. How long do people shake hands in your society? Unless I’m with another woman, sex is usually over in a few minutes.” She sighed and languished on her back, gazing into the canopy above. “And that’s if we take our time.”

“You’re being surprisingly honest with me.” Mike moved to where Quetzalli was getting dressed.

“Something killed a lot of my people,” she explained while sinking back into the water, her voice now serious. “And I’ve quickly learned that everybody here seems to have an agenda beyond stopping it from happening again. The Captain demanded to be here when he heard you were coming. And the Order? They’ve been acting weird for months now, making moves that don’t make sense. I find myself in the middle of a mystery and genuinely don’t know who I can trust.”

“And you think that person is me?” Mike asked. “You probably shouldn’t. I have my own agenda as well.”

“Does your agen