Loret

  Loret had ventured out in search of the general store on his own. He knew it was cowardly but his normal discomfort around people skyrocketed with the beautiful woman who continued to insist on touching him. The problem wasn’t that it was uncomfortable for her to touch him. Quite the opposite. And though she thought he was scared of her he really wasn’t.

  Honestly, she was rather warranted to smack Lonic around for aimlessly shooting around people. And the thought of being scared of someone simply because they could do something out of what he preserved as ordinary.

  Loret huffed at the idea.

  And really Sharvos had treated the woman as if she hadn’t been helpful to them. She’d taken the time to listen to their side of things. Looked to individuals probably far more trusted to her then them to see if there had been a misunderstanding. And when everything was said and done. They were no longer a hostile party in her mind and she’d treated them kindly.

  Loret slumped. He really wished he would have spoken up. Even now though that he trusted their team more then anything in the world he found it difficult to argue when they all stood together. And they all had been cautious of the woman who commanded shadows.

  Lonic, Loret thought with a sudden jealousy was very good at arguing. Lonic could stick himself to an argument and not let up or falter if one of them didn’t pull him away. Even if often later he’d come back and admit he’d probably been wrong.

  Loret sighed and wanted not for the first time to take some of Lonic’s confidence for some of his own reasoning.

  Loret jumped when something landed with a thump next to him. He turned and blinked at the woman that was wrapped around almost all his thoughts standing there the frog Atlas on her shoulder. He realized with a flush that he knew the frogs name but not hers.

  She frowned at him and Loret blinked when she looked hurt.

  “I was supposed to help you find the general store.” She pointed out. Loret opened and closed his mouth. How the Hell was he supposed to respond to hurt? “I thought we agreed that we’re going to be friends.” She pushed. He noticed others that passed and waved to her and called out the name Azie.

  Her name was Azie.

  She inclined her head, but her attention was on him. He found himself breathing.

  “Don’t you have a lot of friends?”

  She looked surprised then tilted her head and seemed to consider that.

  “I would not consider many persons my friends.” She offered. “Ara. Mama Bennet.” She frowned at the ground, and he blinked. “Other persons are too difficult to interact with. They either don’t know enough about me, are cautious of me or just aren’t interesting.” Azie offered. Loret laughed.

  “And I’m interesting?” He asked. He couldn’t think of anyone seeing him as interesting. At least no one who looked twice but Azie nodded her head.

  “I have never seen one who shimmers.” She told him reaching out and touching his hair. Loret flushed. “Or anyone whose face turns red.” She added furrowing her brows. “I don’t know why it happens. If you aren’t scared of me.” Azie informed. He realized she really didn’t understand it.

  “I’m embarrassed.” He admitted. She tilted her head and looked even more confused.

  “This is a person thing?” She asked. Loret didn’t know how to answer that, and the question gave him a few of his own. She pulled him to the side as a large metal trolly moved huffing along.

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  “How do I fix it?” She asked. Loret blinked.

  “Fix what?” He asked.

  “The embarrassment. I know how to fix fear, you make yourself small and unintimidating and you offer gifts and treats.” She informed him. Loret pulled out the candies in his pocket.

  “These were so I wouldn’t be scared of you?” He asked her. Azie nodded. That was actually kind of sweet.

  He hadn’t found a general store on his own, but he saw a stand with little chocolates, and he’d bought some. Loret hesitantly pulled out the bag and held them out to her.

  “Proof we’re friends.” He offered. Azie smiled and stepped forward and kissed his cheek.

  Loret stood stone still took shocked to even be embarrassed. He looked down at her she beamed.

  “You aren’t red anymore.” She stated. No, he was far too busy trying to find a reaction to even react like he normally would.

  “What was that?” He asked her softly. Knowing that she’d have a reason that at least made sense to her.

  “It’s a thank you. People kiss my cheek when they thank me. It was started when I was little.” She offered popping a chocolate in her mouth. She furrowed her brow and stared at it. “It’s sweet but not fruit.” She stated and he thought she was pulling them away from the subject but then she stated. “I don’t normally kiss anyone else’s cheeks but with you and Dorner I thought it seemed good.” She told him.

  Loret didn’t know what the feeling was that came with being individualized in a way but also matched with Dorner.

  “So where are we going to try to find the general store.” He asked making the decision to be brave even if he had to hide in his room and regret it later. She took his hand and pulled him along. She weaved through people, and they called after her with greetings and she called back but he noticed that some people she didn’t call by anything. Some she called by the thing that they did like ‘Hello the baker.’ But she called no one by name.

  When she stopped, he had to catch himself not to run her over. Then she turned pulling him into what looked like a mechanics shop. Not the type of place where you brought things to be fixed but you bought the supplies.

  A man lifted his bald head and looked at the flaps that were almost like fins. Loret realized they were fins and there were more on the man’s arms and on his neck were gills.

  “Azielle.” The man stated. He was the first to call her that.

  “Pontilesh Ziki.” She responded bowing. “What is a general store and where might we find one?” She asked him. Loret wasn’t sure how to react. The man nodded.

  “It is a store that holds many things and has no set purpose.” He told her. “Atlas.” The man commanded and the frog blipped to him. Pontilesh Ziki pressed a finger to the frog’s forehead and then the frog was back on Azie’s shoulder and Azie was tugging him out. Atlas was quickly on his shoulder.

  “Atlas is going to show you. It startled the Goggles.” She stated. The frog’s tongue splatted to his cheek and images flooded his mind and suddenly not only did he know how to get to the stores that were similar to general stores, but he knew who ran them and he knew that he could navigate to them. The frog released him and reappeared on her shoulder. Loret blinked then grinned looking down at Atlas.

  “Well, aren’t you clever?” He asked. Atlas croaked and Azie chuckled.

  “Atlas’s kind are the memory of this world. They don’t forget things.” Azie informed. “Pontilesh Ziki is the memory keeper. He’s one of the most powerful creatures on this world.” Azie offered. Loret popped his mouth open remembering how she bowed.

  “Should I have bowed?” He asked her. Azie furrowed her brows.

  “Why you aren’t from this world.” She offered. He opened his mouth to ask if she was, but they reached the general store. She tugged him sharply before something flew over the doors opened and it skirted through.

  Loret glanced down and decided to try pressing his lips to her cheek. She turned up to speak though and he kissed her. He actually kissed her. He pulled back opening his mouth to apologized but she touched her lips, and he couldn’t find the words.

  Her eyes were wide and they sparkled.

  “Huh.” She whispered. “I wondered why persons did that.” She muttered. Then she pulled him into the store.

  He kept trying to think of what to say but then as he grabbed things, she kept asking him questions of why he needed that or what was this for. Some of the things he knew had to be common here. Loret didn’t know how a place that was so full of everything could hold someone who knows so little about it all.

  His questions were nibbling at him when he was heading outside still answering her questions in short murmurs.

  “Thank you, not everyone likes when I ask so many things.” She breathedwith a soft delighted sincerity. Then she popped up and kissed him. Not the one on the cheek but on his lips. His heart pounded in a shattering severity when he heard.

  “What the Hell are you doing?”