I know a rowboat might not sound like a big deal, but it led to a serious discussion about safety. And when I say discussion, I mean a huge, emotional fight.


    Khanna took the canoe back to shore while I worked the oars on the rowboat.


    We pulled onto the beach to find Holly and Billie waiting for us there.


    “You guys were gone forever!” Billie complained. “What happened. What did you see? Where in the fuck did you get that rowboat? And did you find coffee? Tell me you found coffee.”


    “We ran out of time,” I said. “I’ll tell you everything at home.”


    The rowboat was heavy, but I’d dragged a bus through a rainforest, so it was no big deal for me to carry it up the beach. I set the boat next to the rope ladder.


    Holly was strangely quiet, and Khanna never spoke much around the other girls.


    That left Billie to do all the talking. “So, we’re all going tomorrow, right? I want to go to the skyscrapers. Hanging out here all day long without was fucked. I love the professor, but she was sick with worry. I was too. So, tomorrow, right?”


    It was like Billie was a little dog, barking up a storm.


    “Let’s discuss that over a dinner.”


    We had the mutton from the octosheep, and it was good, but I was starting to miss spices…a little garlic, a little salt, a little pepper. It really adds to a meal.


    At least we had some soda, thanks to the Twankinian convenience store, though the Happy Grape Mouth Explosion flavor made my teeth ache because it was so sugary. I had to cut it with some water.


    A storm had rolled in, and the rain was falling in sheets as I told them about our ocean adventure. We sat on bus seats, around the central fireplace, which I’d created using cast-off stones and the Twankinian concrete. Our Marusian mattresses worked so much better than the bus seats.


    Holly’s face got darker and darker. I’d thought Billie would be the most difficult to deal with, but in some sense, she was far easier. If Billie was thinking or feeling it, she was saying it. Holly, though, tried to keep all those emotions to herself, and they could come out at the worst times.


    Khanna listened. I tried to keep my language simple, so she would understand.


    In the end, Billie had a thousand questions. “You got to ride a flying otter? I’m so jealous! But wait, the shark men didn’t attack you after you killed their leader guy, but instead literally ate the dead?”


    “Yeah,” I said.


    “Literally,” Khanna muttered in English. Then, in ancient Arkadian, she added, “Yellow-haired bitch say what happened. Does not need that word.”


    I shot the huntress a glance.


    “Bil-lie,” she said softly.


    “What?” the cheerleader asked.


    Khanna was quick on her feet. “Bil-lie have good words.”


    Billie brightened. “Thank you.”


    It was such a lie. But sometimes a little lying can smooth things over.


    I sipped more of the grape soda. It was a mouth explosion all right. I spent most of the time telling them about what I’d seen in the Fodoron Obelisk.


    “This is great news!” Billie shouted. “We know where Sector X is. Maybe the ice dragons are nice.”


    “Maybe.” I paused to look at Holly. “My real question is about pairing Opal to the Obelisk. I’m pretty sure the 10X crystal will work in the Dinosaur Swamp’s obelisk. What do you think, Holly?”


    “I think this is all terrible news. I hate that you can’t charge Opal to 100% using power crystals. And if several of the Fodoron Obelisks have stopped working, the Dinosaur Swamp Obelisk might fail. Then we could hit by a Ravana Storm. In a sense, we are no closer to understanding this place than we were this morning.”


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Damn. Talk about a doom and gloom attitude.


    “We got into the Obelisk,” I countered. “We have a map of K’Shaul. Also, there''s a good chance that once Opal pairs with the Obelisk, we''ll get a lot more information. The very fact that pairing is possible is a good sign.”


    Billie giggled for a second before sobering. Then she gave Holly a ton of attitude. “I think he has you, Professor. This is great news. And it’s not like we can’t rebuild if the Ravana Storm does hit us. I think we should risk connecting Opal to the Obelisk. Fuck it. Let’s live dangerously.”


    Khanna eyes were on the Professor. The Huntress didn’t understand every word, but she seemed to understand that Khanna was siding with me.


    The Professor’s eyes turned into slits. “Don''t be a child. What do you think we''ve been doing these past weeks? We live in constant danger. Risking Opal is the very essence of stupidity.”


    “Are you calling me stupid?” Billie asked.


    I wasn''t going to let things spiral out of control. “That’s enough. No one is stupid. We are ending this conversation. We don''t have to make any decisions as far as the Fodoron Obelisk goes. The bottom line is that pairing Opal with the obelisk without her being at 100% charge is a bad idea. She admits she’s in an error state. I say we table this whole conversation until we reach the Foiros Waystation.”


    Billie was still solidly in brat mode. “But she called me stupid.”


    “I didn’t call you stupid,” Holly returned. “I merely critiqued your argument.”


    “By calling it stupid.”


    Khanna was eating the roasted mutton like it was popcorn. She was clearly enjoying the drama.


    I waded into the fight. “We have a plan. We don’t need to fight about this. Professor, I’d like you to apologize to Billie. You did call her argument the essence of stupidity. That was going to far.”


    Holly opened her mouth to protest. But I think she then knew I was right. “Okay. Billie, I’m sorry for what I said. Today was a terrible day, as you well know. Not knowing where you were, Sid, was intolerable.”


    “I agree,” Billie said. “We have a rowboat now. Tomorrow, we will all go to the skyscrapers. Opal can scan for more shark people, right?”


    I knew once I found the rowboat I wouldn’t be able stop them from coming. For a second, I thought about not taking it back, but it was so much more comfortable than the homemade canoe that Billie and I had made.


    I put another stick on the fire. “We’re going to turn around if Opal sensing anything, okay? I’m not risking your lives. Khanna saw firsthand how dangerous it was.”


    “Dangerous,” Khanna agreed in English. “Kill shark people.” She thought for a minute. “Shark people kill.”


    The hunters gave me a wicked smile. In ancient Arkadian she added, “Then Khanna not have to share Sid Marshall with yellow-haired bitch.”


    “Wrong attitude,” I said. “Sid Marshall would be sad if he lost yellow-haired bitch.”


    Billie laughed. “He’s talking about us, Professor. We’re hunchas.”


    Holly stood up. “I’ll take watch. I need some time alone to think. I am glad that we’re going to San Submerged together. I’ve been so very curious. Thank you, Sid, for not insisting on going alone.”


    “We’re in this together, Professor.”


    “It’s Holly. No need to be formal. Colorado Mesa University is so very far away and such a long time ago.


    She left us.


    Khanna didn’t seem a bit worried about any of that.


    Billie, though, frowned. “She did call me stupid, right? Or was I just being sensitive?”


    “She was upset,” I said. “I really don''t think she meant anything by it. How was she today?”


    “Bad,” Billie said. “I mean, she pretended not to be, right? But that’s what she does.”


    “Shows a strong face but has a fragile heart.” I stared into Billie’s face. “You’re kind of the opposite. You seem to have a fragile heart, but you don’t. You’re strong, far stronger than I would’ve thought, especially those first few days.”


    Billie smiled, a blush on her face. “I lost my shit, all right. I still can get so emotional, but I’m feeling more solid inside myself. A lot of that is thanks to you.”


    Billie and I shared a moment. The rain pattered on the roof of our little house. I took some pride in the construction, since the wood, the pitch, and the ferns we laid over the top had proved surprisingly waterproof. We were warm, safe, and dry.


    Khanna shoved me. “Enough talking to yellow-haired bitch. Sid Marshall talk to Khanna now, and look at her with love, like you look at yellow-haired bitch.”


    Billie addressed the Huntress. “You don’t have to be jealous.” Her voice was soft. “We’re sharing him. It’s okay, I know he loves you. No, he adores you.”


    “Love,” Khanna said in English. Her whole demeanor had softened. “Khanna love Sid Marshall. Billie love Sid Marshall.”


    I felt time stop. What would Billie say to that? I knew how I felt toward Khanna. She had become the most important person in my life. If I had found a portal back to Earth in the Obelisk, I would’ve sent Holly and Billie home, and I would’ve stayed in K’Shaul with the Huntress. Or maybe I could take Khanna back with me. I still couldn’t picture her sitting in a Taco Bell.


    Billie stood up to avoid commenting. “Uh, wow, look at the time. We should, uh, get more wood. Or something. I’ll go and check on the professor.”


    Billie went to the door, turned, and seemed to get even more embarrassed. “Sid, you know I care about you, right?”


    “I do,” I said.


    “Love is just…dangerous.” She seemed torn in half right then. Part of her wanted to say she loved me. Another part was scared.


    Khanna furrowed her brow. ‘Love not dangerous for Khanna and Sid. Love is big.”


    “For me it’s dangerous,” Billie said. “Maybe someday, I’ll brave enough for love. Thanks for rubbing it in Khanna.”


    She turned.


    Khanna looked confused. In Arkadian, she asked. “What does Bil-lie mean by rubbing? Does she go to play with herself?”


    “No.” I had to be honest. “She thinks you were trying to make her feel bad by talking about our love.”


    Khanna was shocked. “No. The English is hard for Khanna. She not understand. But in her heart, she knows she feels love for you, Sid Marshall. Like Khanna, who will always love you. Always momachecha.”


    She kissed me.


    For a second, I thought about having sex with her right there, in front of the fire, but that wouldn’t be fair to either Billie or Holly.


    Besides, we had to get some sleep. The next day was important.