“We’re gone, too.”Irad began.“Linda and I are going to go catch some wind.”
“Unless you want us to wait for you.”Linda lifted a brow.
Morlie didn’t miss how the other young woman glanced from her and back to Eilidh, her gaze filled with question.
“No.I’ll catch you all on another night,” Eilidh said as she stepped closer to Morlie.“I promised Mckenna to get Morlie back to his suites safely.”
She didn’t know what catching wind meant, and they hadn’t invited her along after they’d all seemed to enjoy her company as they danced and laughed.But Morlie didn’t want to seem pushy.Her only friend had been Kai for many reasons.This group seemed close.She didn’t want to assume they automatically desired to add her to the bunch just because they had shared a meal and a handful of dances with her.
Not wanting to be the buzz kill, Morlie started, “Look, I can make it upstairs by myself.If you want to go with your friends—”
“It’s fine.”Eilidh waved her words away.“I can catch up with them another time.”She steered them toward the back exit.
“I’ll hang out here and wait for you, Eilidh.”Fafner had his hands shoved deep in his pants pockets, and his vest showed off toned muscles with a soft-blue glow.
Morlie noticed the blush on the cheeks of the tall girl beside her and the matching color of the markings that ran down Eilidh’s arms.
But Eilidh only nodded and kept walking away.
Hm.Morlie saw the attraction between the two.It didn’t seem over the top like with Saphira and Anguis or many other couples that Morlie hadn’t missed kissing and touching.Her parents showed affection to each other in their underground apartment, and it was widespread knowledge that people hooked up to make babies for the stipend.Hell, she was sure if she hadn’t been so ill, someone would have propositioned her to go half on a baby for the money.Legally, a young woman only had to be seventeen to qualify for the money.
It wasn’t even a lot of money.Typically, the couple only got it until the baby was born.But it was something.If a person saved well, it would last longer.After the birth, the man would go to another, and the woman would try again as soon as possible.It was life in the Dispatch, living hand to mouth, hustling for every dollar and crumb.Often, small apartments ended up packed with more bodies than they could feed, and the children started working younger and younger.
But, all of that procreating never looked like the heated passion Morlie had witnessed tonight.The couples didn’t appear to be intimate for survival but lust—pure animal lust for one another.Seeing it all made her feel antsy, and her body warmed in new places.She hadn’t missed the glances from different men in the room, but none approached her.
Part of her felt grateful, while another part wanted to experience desire.Specifically when even Kai was affected by it.The attraction between Kai and Aodh to Morlie had been apparent across the room.She would have felt bad for Kai having to sacrifice herself for her if Kai didn’t seem to want the leader of this area as much as he couldn’t keep his eyes and hands off Kai.Morlie liked that her sister had a bit of joy, something for herself.
As she followed beside Eilidh, Morlie couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder, seeing the few people still mingling around the space, and wondering if someone here was in the cards for her.
“Are you glad you came down?”Eilidh’s question pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Yes.Tonight was so much fun.”She nodded as they started up the stairs.
“It was.There’s music and dancing most evenings, but I think it was a good time because of the addition of your company.”Eilidh smiled at her.
Morlie returned it.
“Besides having meals and music, it is a way for the thunder to stay close.”
Thunder?Morlie decided to file that away for another time.Something may have been different with her since she awakened, but there were many strange things about the people of this area—in size and appearance.
“You’re lucky to have it.I haven’t heard music in so long and never live.”
“What?How is that possible?”Eilidh paused on the stairs.
Since she had continued walking before turning to face her new friend, while Eilidh stopped, Morlie was at eye level with the taller girl.Eilidh wasn’t as huge as Aodh, but she had more than a few inches on Morlie.“In the Dispatch District, people don’t have time to play music, especially not dance.Work.Work.Work to live, or you die.”
Eilidh frowned.“That seems like a sad life.”
The girl had no clue, Morlie thought to herself.“It’s not all purplish skies and tall green trees, I’ll say that.”
“Well, you and your sister are here now, Morlie.The Mckenna have made you all one of us.”
That may be true for Kai, but Morlie wasn’t sure if the same could be said about her.Remaining silent, she continued up the few big stairs.It took all her concentration not to fall up or down them.Everything in this place was huge.
Morlie traversed the last few steps beside the much taller Eilidh.At the top, she glanced right and wondered about Kai on the other side of the door.She hoped her sister was all right.Continuing, she turned left toward the other door on the upper level.
“Thanks for coming up with me.I should be good from here.”Morlie placed two hands on the handle and pushed the heavy door.
