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Souess I should countborrowed clothes instead of sporting a broken leg As far as I know, I haven't been raped by any aliens, either So…lucky

Or hallucinating It's too weird to be true, and I worry that I' So weird and I sat too close to the It's a stretch, but then again, so is aliens

And ice planets

The big alien gestures impatiently at me "Time to leave"

I clutch the strange clothing tighter againstin an oversized tunic and pants, and the boots flop onthat I woke up naked? I'll take it I hesitate for a ive the alien , it's like I'ht at the top by another alien

The bitterly cold air practically sI whihtenmy waist murmurs "I promise this"

I look over at hi thing for so at us with i out I want to grab the vest of one of the out! You would be too!”

Instead, I just stare at the nice guy The alien down beloas dismissive and abrupt This one stares at me Hard He sets er, then rips his gaze away As he does, he rubs his chest I continue to watch hi at me These aliens are tall and muscular, as if they've never had a lazy day in their lives Everywhere I look, it's pectorals and delts and biceps and obliques, all so perfect they could be h the one up here was slightly paler than the others Large, curling horns frame their heads, and some arch into the air To a one, they have thick black hair, andnearby He's covered in furs, but the hand that brushed ers and a thumb

Oh, and they have tails, too, because of course they do Every good hallucination should have a tail, I think

"Over here, Nora," someone calls I don't know anyone's name yet, but I obediently head over to join the woht block out so wind that rips at my hair and clothes

As I step forward, my boots sink into the deep snow and I shudder It snows at home, but not like this At home, this would be a whiteout situation Here, the aliens are wearing loincloths and the occasional fur tossed over their chests as if it's just another day They haven't blinked an eye at the snow pouring froray skies It worries me that this is normal weather for this world, and if it is…yikes

Then again, it's not like I can leave, right? I screw up my face, determined not to scowl as I approach the other woood, after all I can be as upset as I want, but it won't change anything, so I

"Is everyone up here now?" Georgie asks as she approaches with the last of the stragglers "Is everyone warh? Does everyone have shoes?"

"What if we have shoes and fur and we're still freezing our tits off?" I ask

She giveslike she's trying not to let her teeth chatter "I'et the khuis"

Right The parasite that everyone says we absolutely have to get or we'll die I open irls near h, practically doubled over, and one of the big alien men races over to pick her up Okay,not to shoorry This is all a lot to take in A whole lot

Georgie counts heads, and as she does, the big, scary-looking alien she says is her mate comes to her side He puts a possessive hand on her shoulder "We o The sa-kohtsk is near"