Tempest’s Legacy by Nicole Peeler

walked back into the abandoned lab, I’d found Anyan sniffing at the corner I’d just abandoned. Walking toward him, I had indulged in a wild fantasy of him taking a moment to sniff
me
.
    I didn’t think Julian wanted to know
that
information any more than he did the boring facts of my day-to-day life.
Although
, I figured,
this is as good a time as any…
    “So how are
you
doing?” I asked, turning the tables on my fellow halfling.
    Julian blinked. “Me? I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
    “Well, I think this must be a lot for you. Going from the Territory, where halflings are treated pretty shitty, to here, where they rule.”
    Julian looked away from me, then took off his glasses, nervously cleaning them with the bottom of his T-shirt.
    “It’s interesting, that’s certain.”
    “Interesting?” I asked incredulously, giving him my best gimlet eye.
    “All right,” he acceded very quietly. “It’s fucking
awesome
.”
    I giggled. “I know.”
    “I mean, those women last night…”
    “So foxy!”
    “Huh?”
    “They’re
so
foxy!”
    Julian blinked at me. “I meant how strong they were. And confident.”
    “Oh,” I said. “Yes. They are strong and confident. For sure. And they’re so
foxy
!”
    “I suppose,” he said, frowning at me.
    “You’re not much into the females, are you?” I asked, grinning up at him.
    “No, not so much,” he replied with a laugh. “What gave it away?”
    “Julian, those women last night were seriously hot. Even
I
was a little turned on. You? Couldn’t care less. But I’ve noticed that when a hot male is around…” I waggled my eyebrows as Julian blushed shyly. “Especially one male in particular,” I teased, letting my eyes slide across the room to where Anyan stood talking with a local technician. I’d already noticed that the barghest was filling out his jeans particularly well that day. I’d also noticed Julian noticing earlier.
    My fellow halfling’s eyes widened and I thought he was going to protest, but instead he shook his head ruefully.
    “Well, I’m not the only one who enjoys the view,” he said, eyeing me pointedly. Just like him, I was about to protest, when I realized it would do no good.
    “It’s true. You’ve got me.” I giggled. “I can’t help it.”
    “I know. Those thighs.”
    “Oh, the thighs.” I groaned in agreement. “And that keister.”
    “Oh, yes,” Julian murmured as we both turned to stare with appreciative eyes at Anyan. “And let’s not forget that…”
    “Package!” came a loud shout from the doorway, causing Julian and me nearly to jump out of our skins. We looked at each other with wild eyes.
    “Package! I’m here to collect a package?” the voice shouted again, revealing a woman standing in the doorway and wearing some sort of delivery-service uniform.
    Julian and I looked from her, to each other, to Anyan, before bursting into hysterical laughter.
    “Brilliant,” I said, wiping the tears from my eyes as our giggles finally subsided. “Just brilliant. Package,” I said again, snorting my unladylike snort of amusement one last time.
    “Too good,” Julian agreed, chuckling still. “Almost as good as the man himself.”
    “Almost as good as powerful halflings?” I queried.
    Julian’s face fell at that comment, and my own heart missed a beat at the look in his eyes. He looked so heartsore and despondent, even as I thought I saw a glimmer of something hopeful.
    “No, nothing’s that good,” he replied, his voice urgent, his expression beseeching. “Jane, I really don’t know what I…”
    “Hey, Julian?” Ryu called from the other side of the room.
    I watched with sadness as Julian wiped all emotion from his face, replacing it with the sedate, blandexpression I now realized was the mask with which he confronted his existence.
    “Yes, sir?” he called, turning toward Ryu.
    “Can you come help us with this?”
    Julian nodded at me, then headed to where a knot of technicians