Sam stayed close to the side of the building and waited near the back staff entrance. He was shrouded in darkness, keeping him hidden as he waited for someone to open the door.
Being in his mystic form put him at risk of discovery, but if no one came, he would be forced to shift back to let himself in.
The Lux Palace was a replica of the Umbra Palace, but where the Umbra Palace was all black and greys with silver accents, the Lux Palace was light, neutral colors tipped with gold. The staff wore the same uniforms, but instead of black, the Lux staff wore khaki and white.
The biggest difference was that the entire Lux Palace ran on essence and technology as opposed to the Umbra Palace, which lacked energy, save for Caius’ quarters.
They were the same, but not.
Once inside, he would shift the color of his fur to blend in with the walls to remain unseen. A maid who looked to be in her thirties hurried toward the entrance, mumbling to herself about being late, and Sam inwardly grinned at her flustered state.
She wore her mousy brown hair in a low bun, and her beigeuniform made her seem unremarkable. The woman was perfectly average in all aspects.
And very pretty, Sam noted when the essence light above the back entrance illuminated her face. She wouldn’t draw attention when she entered and would hopefully be too distracted to notice him slipping in beside her. He stepped away from the building, readying himself, but she halted with a gasp.
She bent over with a face-splitting grin, showcasing two dimples, and he caught a glimpse of herEidolonmystic mark. It must be frustrating for her at the palace because the walls and doors were infused with iron, rendering her ability useless.
“Aren’t you the cutest little thing?” she cooed. “What’s a sweet little cat like you doing out here all alone?” She picked him up as his tailed flicked furiously.
He considered scratching his way free but refrained. The last thing he needed was for the staff to be on the lookout for a rabid cat. She continued to pet him and murmur into his fur.
“Are you hungry? What’s your name? Do you have a home?”
Sam’s feline face was set in a disgruntled scowl as he bounced around in the maid’s arms with each step she took.He was inside the palace, at least.
The maid rounded the corner into the staff breakroom and held Sam up like a trophy. “Look what I found!” He thrashed around, vowing to bite people if she didn’t put him down. “Ope!” The maid giggled and brought him close to her chest again. “I’m sorry, little guy. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Against his better judgment, Sam stayed still. As irritated as he was, he wouldn’t risk hurting her. Chuffing, he tried to figure out how to extract himself safely from her arms and disappear into the palace without causing an uproar.
He should have shifted into a mouse.
“Where did you find that mangy thing, Stassi?” an older man’s voice asked, and Sam hissed, glaring around Stassi’s arm.
She hugged Sam closer. “He’s not mangy, Herb. You can’t even see that far.”
Herb mumbled under his breath as he walked away, and another hand joined Stassi’s on Sam’s fur. “He looks mean, Stass.”
Stassi nuzzled the top of his head. “You’re not mean, are you?”
He tried to growl, but it came out as a purr, further damaging his cause.
“See?” Stassi mumbled against his head. “I’m taking him home with me.”
“Sweetie,” the other woman said. “You know you can’t take anything outside of The Capital walls.”
Sam felt Stassi slump, and he would have felt sympathy for the girl if she wasn’t treating him like a common house cat.
“Even if it’s just a house cat?” she asked, making Sam’s scowl deepen. “Where is it going to live? It must have snuck in the gates somehow.”
The woman sighed. “You can ask, but be prepared for them to say no.”
Stassi gave Sam another squeeze. “I need somewhere to keep him until my shift is over.” If she stuck him in a cage, he would have to shift and blow his cover.
“I think I saw a box in the supply closet near the kitchens’ entrance,” another man offered.
“Thanks!” Stassi called over her shoulder as she left the breakroom with an extra bounce in her step.
He wondered what she would do if he peed on her because if she didn’t set him down, he would be forced to do it.
