Evening came soon, and after some hours of Ronan showing me around, I was officially starving.
Off to the food hall!
The smell hit me first, a blend of mostly roasted meat, herbs, and warm bread. My stomach twisted with both hunger and nerves as Calla guided me toward a bench near the back.
I should have been used to their constant staring and sniffing, but it still made me uncomfortable. As we sat down, a child, no older than six, suddenly pointed a tiny finger at me. "Mama, see! It's a human!" The mother gasped and quickly shushed him, whispering something about "manners" and shooting me an apologetic look.
I tried not to sink into my seat. Tried. "Do they always…" I gestured vaguely. "You know… sniff strangers like they're about to—"
"Yes," Calla interrupted cheerfully, biting into a piece of bread. "Get used to it. We're big on scents. They're like… fingerprints to us. Yours is unique. You smell… different."
I blinked. "Thanks? I think?"
