“Good evening, Sherriff,” one calls. I glance behind me to see Otis salute them with a grin. Arlo and Jax beside him, also wave.
Clearly, everyone knows everyone here.
“This is the east quarter of level one,” Sammy explains as we walk on. “It’s the residential area closest to the markets.”
“Where do you and Arlo live?”
“To the west, on the outskirts. We like it further out; it’s quieter there, and we have more space, and a proper garden, which is rare.”
“How do you keep a whole garden alive?”
“Lots of lumen lights.”
“Are you happy?” I look at her smiling, relaxed profile and already have my answer.
“I am so happy, and you will be too, Clem.” She squeezes my arm. “The Labyrinth is very different to what we’re used to, but life feels lighter here than it ever did in Sparkle. You’re going to love living here.”
“I don’t know how long I’m staying.”
“You can’t go back to Sparkle. Not ever.” She squeezes my arm even tighter. “I won’t let you, and neither will Jax. There are bad things happening up there, Clem. Besides, why would you want to? Everyone is so lovely, so welcoming and accepting. Even though they’ve had shit piled on them from humansfor centuries, no-one judges me for being human. They’ve welcomed me with open arms as Arlo’s partner.”
“That’s so lovely.” I sigh.
She side-eyes me. “What do you think of Otis?”
I hesitate, pick my words carefully. “He seems nice. Once I got used to his tusks.”
“Quite hunky, don’t you think?” Sammy snickers close to my ear.
I turn my head and pop my eyes at her. “Sammy Buggins, don’t you dare start…”
Her eyes dance. “Just sayin’… I mean, don’t let his grumpy exterior put you off. He’s soft as butter inside.”
I nod, pin my lips shut. Truth is, far from being put off, I’m finding Otis’s appearance very appealing. I like the sheen of his smooth green skin, the way his short dark green hair spikes on his head, the way his tusks curve out the side of his mouth…
I like his red eyes, so different from human eyes. There are so many nuances of expression flitting through their depths.
I like his huge arms and massive chest. It looks as though he’ll burst the seams of his clothing if he flexes his muscles even slightly.
I don’t admit any of this to Sammy. I’ll never hear the last of it if I tell her I’ve got a case of insta lust for my new boss.
“He seems like a… real gentleman,” I say finally, “And he bakes great cookies,” I add.
“Oh, does he ever! His cookies and cakes are to die for.” Sammy sighs theatrically.
Suddenly the sounds around us amplify, as if echoing from a large arena. I hear laughter and shouting, a babbling mix of languages. “Gosh, what’s going on?” I ask.
“That’ll just be folks at the markets, it’s late trading tonight,” Sammy explains, “You’ll see any moment now.”
As we round a bend, a huge cave opens up before us. This area is more brightly lit than the alleyways, with myriad sconces, and the ceiling is much higher than the tunnels we’ve been walking through. The domed rock above is strung with even more sparkling lights. There are rows of stalls everywhere, laid out with fruit and vegetables, pots of jam, and baked goods that smell divine. Other stalls sell hardware, pots and pans, and still others display swathes of brightly colored material, and silver and gold jewelry.
I gape at the monsters of all shapes and sizes milling around the stalls.
There are lizards with iridescent scales, bird-headed animals with lions’ bodies, small dragon-like beings with wings, a few minotaurs, and some creatures that look almost human except for their facial features being flatter, or the color of their skin being different, or the bottom of their body resembling the hind legs of a horse. Scales, wings, horns, tails all mingle harmoniously.
I grind to a halt, wide-eyed.
Sammy laughs. “What d’you reckon?”
