Page 59 of Lost in the Fog

Pandora laughed brightly and walked to the front door at a measured pace.

She got her keys out of her pocket and started her car. It sounded a little rough but nothing untoward.

Humming to herself, she pulled out to the main drive and headed for the gate. Pandora didn’t know how the gate opened, but it did. She was on the main road and heading for the city a few moments later.

The sky was lightening as she joined the line of cars heading for downtown. She had two days to get the final costumes done for the event.

The cupcakes were retrieved and delivered. Kay had coffee ready, and there was only part of one costume to finish. “Hey, Pandora. How is mated life?”

“Uh, strange. You did all this by hand?” The designs were all together on a rack, and Pandora flipped through them, looking at the exquisite embroidery.

“Sure. I grew up doing handwork.” Kay smiled.

“Where was that?”

Kay repositioned the fabric and kept working. “A foster home is the best term, I suppose. Some of my father’s friends took me in.”

“I had no idea. Your parents are dead?”

Kay quirked her lips as her fingers moved, stitching a gold pattern into black silk. “When I went into care, my mother was dead, and my father was unable to care for me. I was taken away and educated as best as my caregivers could. It was pretty thorough.”

“Why didn’t I ask you about this before?” Pandora watched the pattern bloom under Kay’s fingertips.

“You were getting used to living your life, and now you are getting used to the idea of a family. It’s good. You should be happy and grow.”

“How did you know that?”

“You smell like two alphas. The nature ones have a specific tang to their scents.”

“You can tell?”

“Oh, yeah. A weird beta trait of mine.”

Something rushed back. “What were you doing at the Stronghold?”

“Holding back the dark mages. Persistent little buggers, but the Elite of the Stronghold called for help, and I went in to stop them from being able to assist. They had no part in what happened.” Kay smiled grimly. “Their fate will be their own doing.”

“What are you, Kay? Are you an elf omega?”

“Elf? Oh, no, Pandora. Not an elf.” She laughed.

Pandora stared. “Then, what the hell are you?”

Kay just started laughing and kept giggling throughout the rest of the morning as she set up the mannequins with the different zodiacs for a photoshoot.

“You have the list of who is wearing what?”

Pandora had spent the morning making calls, so she had all six of her models and their escorts. “I’ve got them. How did you get all this finished?”

“I don’t crochet, but I do sew, and my embroidery kicks ass. So, you have twelve costumes, male and female options, plus an emergency set if one of the other teams needs a superhero at the last minute.” Kay checked her watch. “You had better get changed. Your ride will be here in fifteen minutes.”

“Oh, shit.” Pandora sent a text as she scrambled to the back to get into the flowing black trousers, white shirt, and wide metallic belt. She felt terribly grown up, but she kept the sneakers.

When she was dressed and had silenced her alarm, she walked to the front of the shop and smiled. “Come with me, Kay.”

“No, I couldn’t.”

“Flip the closed sign, lock up, and come with me.”

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