Chapter 23: I am not Alone

Carmella transformed the broth into a luscious vegetable stew. She and Bilal sat at the butcher block kitchen table and had it with the fresh baked bread.

Carmella watched as Bilal spooned soup into his mouth. "How did you …" She gestured to his body.

"Become human," Bilal said.

She grimaced. He wasn't human because he had some man's body. What about that crazy skin? When he was sick it had a distinct gray undertone, and now it was purple and pink like a soft bruise beneath the more normal looking bronze.

He noted her distaste but didn't allow it to bother him. Despite her obvious disdain, he knew she would not be sitting across from him if he was in his old body. He gripped his spoon. "It's complicated, more complicated than I could explain to you. But essentially I linked to the mother ship and allowed it to alter my physical makeup."

She let her mind digest that for a while. "So, can you become Centaurian again?"

"No."