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He raised his hands in a placating gesture, frowning.
— Sorry. It's just... you really looked ready to deck that bastard.
— Because he fucking deserved it! — she threw her hands up, her voice once again ringing with that annoying, sugary tone. — Damn it, even when I'm pissed off, I sound like... — she bit her lip, cutting herself off.
Trevor nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.
— Like an anime heroine? Yeah, I noticed.
Aelin let out a frustrated snort.
— We've been stuck in this goddamn place for days, and we finally get out of that shitty forest, — she clenched her fists. — I was hoping we'd get some answers here, not... all this!
She gestured back toward the market, where whispers could still be heard in the distance.
Trevor glanced back, checking to see if anyone was following them. The crowd was beginning to thin out, but the stares lingered, even as they turned a corner.
— Listen, — his voice dropped lower, though it still carried that commanding weight. — We can't keep drawing this much attention. If this world really is... well, like a game, then it has its own rules. And it seems like it's not exactly... — his gaze flicked over her before he quickly looked away. — A place where girls like you are supposed to... make a scene.
— Girls like me? — Aelin narrowed her eyes, staring him down.
Trevor opened his mouth but then hesitated, caught by her glare.
That face... Damn it. It was still Josh.
Yeah, it looked feminine now, with delicate cheekbones, large eyes, and slightly pointed ears, but there was something in her expression, in the way she furrowed her brow and glared at him so stubbornly—it was painfully familiar.
— Look... — Trevor tried to soften his voice. — I get it. This is... weird. For me too.
— Weird? — Aelin arched a brow. — Dude, you look like you're straight off a fucking Heavy Metal album cover, and I... — she waved her hand furiously at herself.
Trevor took a deep breath, turning his head as if searching for the right words.
— Listen, Ae—...Josh... — he stumbled over the name but pushed through. — We don't know how this happened. Yeah, okay, we look like our game characters. But if this is really like our campaign, then we're in a world where there could be... you know, danger. Or quests. Or who the hell knows what else.
— Quests? — Aelin squinted, folding her arms under her chest—an action that only made things worse as it emphasized her figure. — Do you even hear yourself? This isn't a game, Trevor. I have real tits!
Trevor pretended not to hear that last part, focusing on the wall to his left instead.
— That's exactly why I'm saying we need to be careful. We need to act like... — he gestured vaguely. — Like we know what we're doing.
— Do you? — her voice dropped, tension tightening each word. — And what exactly have you figured out while I was busy dealing with that fat creep?
Trevor nodded, scanning their surroundings again.
— I talked to some guards by the fountain. They said if we have a 'magical nature,' the Mage's Guild might help us. The tower's over there, see?
Aelin followed his gaze. A marble tower rose above the other buildings, a banner with a staff and book symbol waving gently in the breeze.
— Great, — she muttered, crossing her arms again. — And do you have any idea how they're gonna see me in there?
Trevor frowned, clearly not following.
— See you as what?
— As a whore, Trevor! — her voice spiked, but she caught herself, lowering it when a cloaked man across the street turned his head and lingered a little too long. — Did you see how those guys were looking at me? That fat piece of shit back there? These assholes clearly think all elves are someone's property!
Trevor clenched his jaw, visibly holding himself back.
— Hey, don't panic. — His voice dropped to a calm, steady rumble. — We'll figure this out. Just... no more fights, alright?
— Easy for you to say, — she hissed, sweeping her eyes over him. Broad, muscled, towering—he looked like a damn barbarian warlord straight out of their last campaign. — You've got no problems here.
Trevor raised a brow.
— What do you mean?
Aelin let out a bitter laugh.
— I mean you look like a sword-and-sorcery hero. Intimidating, powerful... Like that knight from our last quest, remember? Everyone here fears you.
Trevor stayed quiet, his gaze drifting back to the Mage's Guild tower.
— And me? — Aelin clenched her teeth. — I look like... — she gestured angrily at her revealing top, the bare skin of her stomach, and the stupid silver belt with swirls and gems. — Like a cheap fantasy cover girl! I can't take two steps without getting ogled like—
She cut herself off, but Trevor nodded.
— Yeah, it sucks. But listen, we don't know the rules of this world yet. We need to get to that tower. Otherwise...
— Otherwise what? — she interrupted, voice sharp. — We get stuck here while I turn into the local attraction? No thanks! Damn it, back in the forest when we first got here, I thought things couldn't get worse... but now—
She took a step back, fists trembling as the emotions surged again.
— At least there, no one was staring at me like a piece of meat!
Trevor exhaled heavily.
— I get it, Josh... I mean, Aelin...
— Don't call me that! — she snapped, cutting him off with a sharp wave of her hand. — I don't even know who I am anymore!
Trevor dragged a hand down his face, clearly trying to keep his patience.
— Fine, — he said more quietly. — Look, I'm just trying to keep us safe, okay? I don't know what the hell this place is either. Yeah, I look like fucking Conan the Barbarian... and maybe... maybe I kinda like it.
Aelin snorted.
— Oh, no shit?!
— But that doesn't mean I want you to feel like... this, — he gestured vaguely at her, deliberately avoiding eye contact with her overly revealing outfit. — We'll find a way to fix this. But we have to stick together, alright?
She stared at him for a long moment, breathing hard, before finally giving a reluctant nod.
— Fine. Let's just... go to that damn tower. But if one more asshole tries to touch me, I swear—
— You'll deck him?
— Hell yes.
— Good.
They stepped back into the crowded streets, the stares continuing but dulling slightly under Trevor's looming presence. And despite her frustration, Aelin couldn't deny that with him beside her in this strange world, she felt... just a little safer.