Page 85 of Dark Awakening: Hidden Currents

Julian opened another cabinet and pulled out a strange-looking hat. "Put it on." He handed it to Ell-rom. "You need to shield your eyes from the glare of the sun, and I don't have another pair of sunglasses to give you."

Ell-rom examined the hat for a moment before figuring out which side was the front and which was the back. "Like that?" he asked.

"Perfect." Julian led him out of the clinic toward the elevator. "First stop is the lobby. If anyone gapes at you, just smile and keep walking as if you own the place."

"Why would they gape at me?"

Julian snorted. "They just do. Humans love beauty as much as the gods do, and you and I are better looking than most of their males, so they stare. I don't want you to get scared or offended by it. That's why I'm warning you."

Thankfully, there weren't many people in the lobby, and the guards didn't gawk at them or even pay them much attention after Julian waved at them and said a few words of greeting.

The lobby was massive, with soaring ceilings and huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows. When they neared the doors, they slid open automatically, and then they were outside, on the sidewalk.

Ell-rom was immediately assaulted by a cacophony of sensations. The sounds hit him first: vehicle engines, a distant siren, and the chatter of passersby who indeed gawked a little at him and Julian.

Then came the smells.

The air was thick with a mixture of fumes, the enticing aroma of the grass and trees in front of the building, and the artificial flowery and woodsy scents that the passerby left behind.

Ell-rom blinked, his eyes adjusting to the bright morning sunlight reflecting off glass and metal surfaces. The sidewalk beneath his feet vibrated slightly with the passing of a big vehicle, and he instinctively reached out to steady himself against a lamppost.

An elderly human couple ambled along arm in arm, walking into the building they had just left, and the female smiled at him before disappearing behind the self-closing doors.

As they began to walk, Ell-rom found himself marveling at the sheer diversity of the people around him. He hadn't known that humans came in so many shapes, sizes, and colors, and watching them was fascinating to him. It struck him how limited his world had been until now, even with all he had learned since awakening from stasis.

In a way, humans were lucky to be imperfect. Their imperfections were what made each of them unique.

They paused at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, and Ell-rom watched in fascination as vehicles whizzed by, marveling at their speed and variety. He had seen vehicles from the penthouse of course, but being this close to them, feeling the rush of air as they passed, was exhilarating.

"Watch this," Julian said, gesturing to the crossing signal. As the light changed, a chorus of beeps accompanied the visual signal. "The auditory signal is to help visually impaired people know when it's safe to cross."

Ell-rom nodded, impressed by this considerate design.

Jasmine had explained that humans were much more vulnerable than Kra-ell and immortals. They suffered from all kinds of ailments and disabilities, but they were making great strides in curing them. She was optimistic about the future of their medicine and believed that in a few decades, everything would be easily curable.

"You can lean on me," Julian offered as they crossed the road. "You can put your hand on my shoulder, or I can wrap my arm around you."

"I'm fine," Ell-rom said, and it wasn't a lie.

He felt energized by being outside. He felt alive.

"Let's sit on that bench over there." Julian pointed to a little green corner where bushes and trees surrounded a lone bench. "We can engage in people-watching while you rest."

That sounded lovely.

61

ROB

Mia opened the door and stepped outside, holding it open for Rob. "The best way to get to know everyone is to hang out in the café." She smiled apologetically. "I don't feel like cooking when Toven is not home. Usually, I go to my grandparents, who live right over there," she pointed at the next house over, "But they are not back from their weekend in the city, so that leaves the café."

"I don't expect you to cook for me, Mia. I feel bad enough about staying with you and Toven." He frowned as the rest of what she'd said registered. "Your grandparents moved with you into the immortals' village?"

"Of course." She closed the door behind him. "After all they have done for me, I couldn't just leave them. They like to spend time with their friends, though, so on the weekends, they usually go to their old house."

Following her down the winding path, he shook his head. "If your grandparents can get to know about immortals and join you in the village, why didn't Margo tell me about what had really happened to her instead of making up a story aboutwitnessing a mafia crime and being in the witness protection program?"

Mia smiled another apologetic smile. "It wasn't a story. Not all of it anyway, and she couldn't tell you anything as long as you were with Lynda. Also, Margo's transition was very recent, and mine happened more than a year ago. I've had much more time to process everything and make arrangements for my grandparents to move into the village. But my biggest advantage over Margo is Toven. Aside from being a powerful compeller, he's also the Clan Mother's cousin, and he took responsibility for my grandparents."