Devi's Distraction

Devi's Distraction is the seventh book in the Icehome series. The main characters are Devi and N'dek.

## Synopsis

"It's hard to make friends with the other women at the Icehome camp when you'd rather be dissecting the local fauna. Which is why I'm surprised when one of the big, brawny islanders asks me to help him make a prosthetic leg. I don't know N'dek, but since I'm a scientist, he wants my help. ***And while I'm more into dinosaurs than anatomy, I love a challenge!***

As we work together, I come to see that N'dek's not just clever and determined, he's also protective and sweet. ***And he kisses like a fiend!***

He's a distraction I don't need... but he might be everything I've ever wanted. ***Too bad he says he's going to resonate to someone else..."***

## Plot

At first, Devi wasn't too sure how she felt being stuck on an ice planet, but she quickly realized this was a scientist dream. She studies evolutionary trees, and this place is ripe for study. It doesn't make her the most popular girl - no one wants to hang out with her while she dissecting things on the beach after all - so she is surprised when N'dek comes to her asking for help.

N'dek has been miserable since he lost the lower portion of his leg, but watching Flordeliza joke about building horns of her own had given him an idea - maybe he can build a replacement leg. But he is at a loss as to who to turn to for help. He decides on the cleverest human, the one he thinks can keep a secret, the slightly odd Devi. Devi agrees to help him, in exchange for a place to keep the leathers with her findings on them.

Around this time the planning of much talked about games begins. This makes it easy for Devi to get the materials needed to create a prototype prosthetic secretly as everyone is distracted. The games haven't completely alleviated the tension though. During an argument with A'tam, Bridget suggests that she might resonate to N'dek. While N'dek doesn't feel drawn to her, he doesn't rule out the possibility.

That night N'dek and Devi meet up and test out the prosthetic. He shares he thinks he will resonate soon. They also agree that she will teach him about human women and he will teach her about local fauna. The next day teams are chosen. S'bren, Devi, N'dek and Bridget all end up on a team together, each having chosen the next one in line. Their team wins the first game and during the celebration S'bren promises to show Devi the location of the vertebrae he made a plate out of, making N'dek jealous.

Devi and N'dek met again that night. N'dek shares he thinks he might resonate to Bridget. They practice kissing. The next morning S'bren and Devi head out, but he isn't able to find the cave with the bones in it. Devi lets S'bren know she isn't interested in a relationship with him. Later that day there was a wrestling match, N'dek and A'tam fight, N'dek winning.

Devi and N'dek spent the next night together. The following day, when Devi goes to get her things before she stays with N'dek again, she runs into Bridget crying. Bridget reveals that she doesn't hate A'tam, she only wanted people to thing she was the problem. In reality, it was a poor sexual experience that she is afraid will repeat that drove her away from him. Now A'tam has left camp even though Old Grandfather, the sky-claw, is still around.

The next day both Devi and Sam are injured in the three legged race, causing Sam to panic. That night N'dek is increasingly sure he is going to resonate soon. The next morning S'bren tells Devi he has remembered the location of the cave. They head there only to discover it wasn't the right cave, that this cave is the home of a tidewater Kaari. The two of them get trapped inside.

N'dek awakens and panicked when he realizes that Devi is missing with S'bren. After figuring out what way they went he, J'shel, K'thar, and Gren follow. They find the cave and attack the kaari. Devi is saved, and on the beach, they resonate to each other.

At the news of yet another large creature lingering around the beach, R'jaal decides the games need to end. A'tam has also returned to camp.

A month later N'dek and Devi are living happy in a new hut closest to the beach.