READER SHOUT OUT: This chapter is dedicated to Kardelune because, Gahrye. *Insert laugh emoji here*

*****

GAHRYE

Gahrye couldn't stop looking behind him, back towards Elia, as they walked through the house to find something Kalle called the kar.

"I'm not sure I should—

"

"This is the only way we can find what we need to help her, Gahrye. Come on,

" Kalle said, tugging on his sleeve. His very crisp, very uncomfortable sleeve.

And so, he found himself walking out of the

"Big House

" as the Guardians called it, with the woman who set him aflame, thrown together by both duty and desire.

He couldn't decide whether to laugh, or weep.

Kalle led him out of what appeared to be the main doors, since there was a large, echoing area inside it, probably for greeting guests. Then they stepped through decorative double-doors into a large cobbled area and for the first time, Gahrye turned around and took a real look at the big house.

His jaw dropped.

Towering levels of sheer walls, glittering windows, a massive roof that peaked in several places… the place was so massive, Gahrye had never seen a building so large.

"What magic do you use to keep such a place from collapsing?

" he breathed.

Kalle tugged at his elbow and muttered,

"Trust me, it's not magic,

" then pulled him down the stairs and onto the cobbles, towards a much smaller, but still very large building on the other side.

Gahrye scanned the area, pleased to find so much grass, so many trees surrounding the house. It was a relief, despite their unnatural forms and straight lines. There were no other homes visible on this side—only trees and some kind of hard path leading away from the cobbled area. But then something began to rumble and Gahrye pulled Kalle back, putting himself between her and the… front wall of the smaller building that was slowly levering up, by itself, into the ceiling?

Kalle tsked,

"It's just the garage door,

" she said with a giggle.

"But that was very chivalrous of you, Gahrye, thank you,

" she said and patted his shoulder as she trotted around him towards the slowly rising

"door.

"

The thing was huge. Easily as big as the openings into the market back home, but solid. Three or four Anima could walk abreast into it. How did it move? And why did it make such noise?

Jaw slack and feeling slightly faint, Gahrye followed her warily into the dark area inside the building.

This building stank worse than every other place he'd found so far. So badly he coughed and wondered if he would be sick—he was overwhelmed with something sharp and medicinal, but there was a depth to the fumes that he'd never smelled before. But it rolled together with more—stronger—scents of the

"plastic

" Shaw had mentioned, and something that seemed to be slightly burned.

His nose wrinkled against the stench, and he began to breathe through his mouth.

Then Kalle walked to something massive in the middle of the floor of this horrible building. Something blue and shining and… it looked like there were seats inside.

What hideous room was this?

She walked to the other side of the thing and there was a large clunk then she swung a piece of the side open on a hinge like a door and beckoned him over.

"You'll probably need to put the seat back. It's usually just Grandma or Shaw in this seat, so it's probably too close to the dashboard for you.

" Then she caught the look on his face and her mouth dropped open.

"You've never see a car before, right?

"

Gahrye shook his head.

"What do we do here?

" he asked hoarsely.

"I, um, drive it and you ride inside and it will take us to the library in town. But you'll have to… you'll have to not look like that when we get out of it because it's still early enough that there will be people out at the university and they'll think you're… strange if you stare at cars like that.

"

He blinked and looked at her.

"They'll think I'm the strange one? And they all… ride in these things?

"

"Yes. Everyone. All the time.

"

He shook his head.

"It stinks. It's giving me a headache.

"

She pushed her lips thin and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry about that. I have some… a medicine you could take if that would help. But apparently you all and your sense of smell… I guess it will get better over time? The more time you spend out here the better it will get.

"

Gahrye huffed. He sincerely doubted that.

"I'm sorry, Gahrye, I know this has been a really hard day, but I really think you need to be there with me at the library. I'm afraid you'll notice a reference I'll miss or… or something. Plus, I know Grandma will want to meet you and she has to work tonight.

"

He met her green-brown gaze. She looked truly concerned. And he realized his mate thought she had to make things easier for him.

What kind of male was he if he kicked up a tantrum about a bad smell?

Muttering to himself he walked in his uncomfortable clothes, over to where she stood and peered into this horrible thing. She gestured into it and he slid into the seat, leaning down so he could get his head inside. A padded seat met him, along with some kind of stick or lever standing up between the two seats. And several dials and clocks. When he folded himself into it, his knees were bent up and pressed against the hard, flat, stinking—

"Oh! Sorry!

" she said and leaned down, her head near his knee as she reached between his shins. A moment later, there was a sharp clank, then the seat suddenly jerked backwards. Gahrye grabbed for the handle next to him, and the edge of the door, but the seat stopped sliding as suddenly as it had started, and Kalle straightened, her cheeks red again. This close he could smell her jasmine and sugar even over the awful odor of this… kar. His heart was pumping from the jolt of adrenalin, and hers was too, though he wasn't sure why.

"I should have warned you,

" she said, backing up and standing straight, then with a sigh, she leaned back in.

"Sorry, again, I just realized you need your seatbelt and you probably… anyway…

" She reached beside his shoulder and pulled down on some kind of strap with a metal and plastic fixing on it, then, as his heart sped even faster, she leaned over his lap and clicked it into something, the strap now pinned across his chest and lap.

He pulled at it and it gave.

"What is this for?

"

"If we… I mean, it's for safety.

"

Gahrye frowned at it, dubious. Safe how?

"Trust me,

" she said and his eyes snapped up to meet hers, only inches away.

"I do,

" he said breathlessly, unthinking. For a second, neither of them breathed.

"That's good,

" she said softly.

"You can. I want… I want to help you.

"

He nodded. Then she swallowed and backed up again, throwing the door closed behind her, shutting off her scent and leaving him stranded in this hellhole while she walked around, then casually got in the other side—to a seat that had a large wheel in front of it and all those dials.

She plugged a key into the shining metal lock under the wheel, then looked at him and smiled.

"Are you ready for your first car ride?

"

Gahrye took a deep breath, then cursed himself when his throat burned with the stench of this place.

"Sure, he said.

"

Kalle's smile turned wicked.

"You're going to love this,

" she said then turned the key and the entire world began to growl.