Some people's magic comes upon them like a thunderstorm, complete with little bolts of lightning appearing around them. Some people's comes like an explosion of fairy glitter. Some people's magic shows no signs at all--and those are the ones you need to watch out for. Some people's magic shifts the light around them when they cast, a pretty effect ( Read more... )

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"Woman, you are a genius! Sriracha caramel apples? We won't be able to keep these in stock, they'll sell out so fast! Even some of the hipster humans may decide to make these popular. They don't taste half-bad, my roommate assures me. Of course, she makes a point of eating Thai once a week--and don't give me that look! Thai food, not Thai humans! ( Read more... )

When you surf the waves at Remotown, you carry a speargun, and you're part daredevil, part hero. The hero part comes with the chance that you'll be attacked by a voidfish and kill it. The damn things have destroyed all our attempts to set up a protected nursery for smaller, gentler fish. They'll even flop across the land for up to a quarter-mile, ( Read more... )

I got into the superhero business because I'm what I guess you might call a fish-whisperer. At least, you might call me that if you're desperate or stupid. Personally, I prefer Captain Lola. When most of the land can't grow safe, edible food, and the sea is only just now beginning to recover, it's a delicate dance to find fish, but sometimes they' ( Read more... )

Dinner was steamed wheat noodles with mole, mung bean, ogbono nut and chipmunk. He stared at it grimly. The mole would add some flavor, the nuts and mung beans were critical. After all mung beans were one of the best sprouts that they could manage even in the caves, without worrying that their harvest would be ruined by a ravager. The chipmunk... ( Read more... )

The scent of honey on her skin lured and repelled him at the same time. He knew what honey meant: sweetness in the death and starvation of other living creatures. He knew about women like him, who went to the gray market and sold their goods in places not regulated by common decency. He knew, even, where this specific woman lived, roughly, since he ( Read more... )

"What do you mean, discontinued?" Lena leaned forward over the counter and glared at the candy shop salesperson. Unperturbed, the man shrugged. "I'm sorry. It's not that we wouldn't order more if we could--it's been one of our most popular items!--but for some reason they are no longer willing to ship offworld. We've asked our supplier repeatedly, ( Read more... )

The sheep are friendly, open-faced, and inquisitive. They still have the rudimentary hands that they were given to allow them to crew during the voyage. The mutagen rate had dropped a lot more than expected, but they had formed their own odd society by the time the humans woke up from their long sleep in rad-hardened coffins frozen down to below ( Read more... )