---
Then his gaze slid past John to Orna and Edda standing behind him.
Fizz inhaled.
Fizz's ears rose.
Fizz's whiskers quivered.
Fizz's mouth opened slowly like a man discovering a tragic truth.
"You," Fizz whispered, pointing a paw at John. "You smell… like romance and bad decisions."
John's stomach fell.
Gael's eyes flicked once between them —quick, not rude— and then he set his bundles down with the patience of a man who had raised miners and knew exactly what young people did when left alone for more than five minutes.
Kel cleared his throat and looked at the ceiling as if he had just become religious.
John forced his voice steady. "We were… practicing the gravity skill."
Fizz stared at him with the full disbelief of a spirit who had watched him kiss one woman before and had since suspected he was incapable of speed.
"Practicing," Fizz repeated. "Yes. Practicing. Maybe with hugging. And… advanced kissing exercises."
