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They do stink.
I could not say it was necessarily one bad odor, but the blend of them… the commingling of so much scent was nauseating. The spicy, the sweet, the peppery, the musk.
Boys at the academy didn’t boast a smell I would describe asthick, not that they always smelled pleasant. But the air inThe Fogwas eye-watering.
Even if each breath was disgusting, all other factors seemed to play in our favor. Lights were low. Poor acoustics roughed up friendly banter, drowning our whispers beneath a noisy drone.
The space itself was not leaning toward cozy but utilitarian, peppered with amusements and random worn posters on the walls. A game of darts, some recreation involving a large table and two sticks used to hit small balls into six evenly spaced holes.
There were jovial spirits and cheerfulness while hazy beverages were sipped. Comradery and excitement when another friend might come through the door.
I had never seen males relaxed, had never heard them share in genial conversation. It made them far less intimidating than expected. In fact, they were not much different than the females in our dorm after the vault was sealed.
A good sign we had found the right place to move forward with our plan.
Men of all sizes were on display, out of uniform and laughing with compatriots, some loud, some quietly listening. Everyone enjoying themselves.
Even we began to relax, leaning against the wall to marvel and observe.
It did not take long for one to notice me.
Our eyes met, and a look of confusion crossed the stranger’s face.
I could only imagine his thoughts. A female in a male space who dared hold eye contact in a way that would have seen both of us beaten at the academy. Well,Iwould have been beaten. He might have been hanged.
Was I perceived as a dangerous intruder half-hidden by shadows?
Should I smile or wave to show him my intentions were good?
Awkward and unsure, I did nothing but watch him watching me.
Yet, without hesitation, he approached all the same and did so in such a way that it attracted no attention from his peers. One moment, he was part of the group; the next, he flowed to my side.
Dark hair styled short and tidy, he struck me as approachable and somewhat handsome. Even his expression was amiable, if not perplexed.
When the hybrid male was close enough to join us in our dark corner, a kind tone offered fair warning in a congenial voice. “You should not be here.”
This was the first male besides an instructor who had spoken directly to me in years.
Where he seemed easy, I was a jumbled mess of nerves.
Even so, there was something about him I liked. The syrupy-sweet scent that came with him was far better than the cloud of stink wafting about the place. Nice enough to note and lean into.
Eyes a shade of smoky-gray, lacking all trace of vorec-green, and hair dark as midnight, he was everything the opposite of the man who put me in this position in the first place.
He was slimmer in stature than General Cyderial and far less intimidating.
That was all I needed.
Offering a shy smile, I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I know I shouldn’t be here, but I’m looking for someone.”
Eyebrows darting up, the man replied, “Here? Who?”
I liked the look of his face, that he spoke gently.
I liked that this might be quickly done and forgotten.
Nervous, I licked my lower lip and felt my hearts racing. “What’s your name?”
