Of course he's not being helpful out of the kindness of his heart as his foam-filled hands cover my neck and arms, roaming around until I'm just as bubbly as he is.

"Stop it, Ze." I giggle, moving my head from side to side to avoid getting foam on my face.

"You started this," he rasps, a playfulness in his voice unlike any I've heard before. "Do you surrender?"

"Never," I call out.

"Oh, you will." He chuckles, leaning down to rub his cheek against mine, transferring some of the bubbles from him to me.

I squeak aloud, a sharp noise that is half scream, half giggle.

He wraps his arms around my midriff as he continues to assault me with his foam-filled cheek until we're both two bubble warriors engaged in a spumy battle for supremacy.

His laughter echoes in my ear, a warm, fuzzy sound that I've started to crave more and more.

But as the sounds we make become louder and more intense, the door to my room suddenly bursts open, Thea, her mother, and father standing in the doorway and staring at us in shock.

Both Ze and I freeze, his body still wrapped around mine, our faces glued together—or, rather, bubbled up together.

"I... I thought something happened to you. There was a loud noise and..." Thea stammers.

"We should have knocked," Maros adds awkwardly.

They don't move, though, quietly staring at us.

"Maybe we should leave," Rhea murmurs quietly.

"I do agree, love." Maros nods.

"That would be for the best," Thea agrees robotically.

But no one makes an effort to move.

It's only when Ze gets his bearings together that he shuts the door in their faces with a flippant wave of his hand.

"I hate people," he mutters under his breath. But as his gaze meets mine, his eyes widen slightly. "Not you," he quickly amends. "You are not people."

"Really?" I ask, amused. "What am I then?"

"Mine," he answers simply, unflinchingly.

FIFTY-ONE

"You don't know either, Belinda?" I ask the cute cow as I brush her hide.

She nuzzles her snout in the crook of my neck, tickling me.

"Moo." She releases a low sound as she nestles closer to me.

"I'll take that as a no." I sigh.

After the foam incident, Ze simply disappeared, saying that he had something to take care of and he would reach out soon with the details about his plan for the temple.

But that was almost a week ago, and since then, there's been no sign of him. And to my dismay, I've realized that I've become rather used to him. Certainly enough to miss him when he's gone. The fact that Nikki has failed to appear in so long has only made my days bleaker.

"You miss your friends, don't you? I've read somewhere that cows form deep friendships and they get depressed when they're alone. Are you depressed, too, Belinda?"