Intermix Nation

Behind her are three u

The large metal doors in front of her openand Adamek Morgen enters. He looks almost exactly the way Nazirahknows him. Guests all around stop their conversations. Femalesstare longingly as he makes his way across the room. Adamek stopshalfway across the room to pet a tiger, shaking his head inamusement. Nazirah’s heart catches in her throat when his gazepierces through her. She immediately turns to run, but he walksstraight past. Nazirah tells herself to grow a backbone. This iswhat she asked for, after all.

Adamek speaks quietly to a woman who’sobviously his mother. Not much is known about Victoria Morgen. Shetends to keep to herself because of her illness. She is, however,known for throwing lavish galas that are the talk of Renatus.Nazirah has seen photographs before, in the papers back home, butphotographs don’t do Victoria justice. She is absolutely stu

Nazirah walks over to them, listening totheir conversation. “You’ve outdone yourself, mother,” Adamek says.“But you could have warned me that I’d be walking into thistonight.”

Adamek does seem informally dressed for theoccasion, even by Nazirah’s amateur appraisal. He’s in simple blackpants and a dark shirt. His hands casually rest in the pockets of ablack leather jacket. On anyone else, the outfit would seem out ofplace in this highfalutin zoo. But on Adamek, it’s refined. Likeeveryone else is just gaudy. Which might actually be the case.

Victoria sets her flute of blue champagnedown on a nearby table. She smiles at him, but Nazirah thinks it’snot a genuine smile. It’s reserved, borderline restrained. Victoriastraightens her back, linking her gloved hands in front of her. Theemeralds that are woven into her gown glitter.

“My dear Damek,” she says airily. “My world,my earth. I told you about this charity gala weeks ago. You’reincredibly late. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t take yourcomplaint to heart.”

Nazirah smirks.

“And what pointless fundraiser are youthrowing tonight?” Adamek asks. “Bikinis for the Eridians again?Fur stoles for the Zimans? Hut decor for the intermix?”

“Your arrogance does not suit you, Damek,”Victoria says tersely. “I do what little I can with my hands tied.I have to appeal to certain tastes, certain expectations.Sometimes, you are just like your father.”

“Most people would see that as acompliment.”

“I’m not most people,” she says softly. “I’myour mother. But speaking of Gabirel, where is he? It’s rude forthe Chancellor to keep his guests waiting.”

They’re distracted by a group of young girlsgiggling nearby. The girls point at Adamek, obviously infatuated.He clearly hears them, but doesn’t move.

“You could stand to learn a few ma

Adamek turns around slowly, nodding his headin greeting at the girls. “Father is in his study,” he says toVictoria. “I’ve just finished speaking with him, after I came back.He’s in an especially rank mood, but should be down shortly.”

Victoria’s entire body tenses, beforerelaxing in what’s clearly a forced gesture. “Come back?” she asks,voice strained. “I did not realize you were away.”

Adamek is nonchalant. “Just a minor threatto security that needed addressing,” he says. “I didn’t want toworry you.”

Mother and son exchange a significant look,leaving Nazirah hopelessly lost. Victoria grabs Adamek’s arms,sliding them out of his pockets. Nothing strikes Nazirah asunusual, except that Adamek is wearing black fingerless gloves.Victoria, however, seems fixated. She stares at them for a long,uncomfortable moment. “You should change, Damek,” she says, hervoice flat. “You’re a mess.” Victoria picks up her champagne andstalks away.

Adamek doesn’t move from his spot forseveral seconds. Without warning, he turns and begins weaving hisway through the crowd. Nazirah follows him nimbly. Adamek stopsonly to greet someone here and there, shake a few proffered hands,and kiss several gloved wrists. It seems he’s brushing up on hisetiquette.

Why is Nazirah wasting her time with this,anyway? Just so she could glimpse a lifestyle she’ll never knowotherwise? Does Adamek replay these memories, regretting hisdecision to leave the luxury of Mediah behind?

Nazirah follows him through several hallwaysoverflowing with sculptures and paintings. She stares in wonder ateverything she comes across, trying to memorize the artwork that’sso incredibly breathtaking. Intermix aren’t allowed inside museums.Nazirah imagines Adamek probably took all this for granted, growingup.

Adamek eventually opens a door and Nazirahfollows him inside.

Nazirah suddenly feels like she’s completelytrespassing on his personal space. She’s clearly standing in hisbedroom, which is large, full of dark woods, modern lines, andshades of gray and navy. It’s masculine and clean, perfectlysuiting him. A large, wooden four-poster bed stands in the centerof the room. The thought of Adamek sleeping there makes Nazirahclear her throat. She clamps her hand over her mouth and looks athim until she remembers he ca

Adamek’s furniture, though, is nothingcompared to his view. Like the grand room, the back wall of hisbedroom is made entirely of glass. Nazirah walks over to it,mesmerized by the Median skyline at night. They are thousands offeet up in the air. Nazirah realizes the Morgens must live on topof one of the tallest skytowers in Renatus. She stares down in aweat the miniature traffic, whizzing through the city at varyingaltitudes.

Nazirah eventually turns around. She findsAdamek similarly mesmerized, but by a fresco on his wall. She comesbeside him, looking at the mural too, because he seems so absorbedin it. Hundreds of people, barely clothed, are scattered amidst alight blue background. The base of it is cut off, like the paintingshould be much larger. Nazirah finds that difficult to imagine.Compared to the other artwork around the penthouse, it’s antiquatedand broken, cracked in spots.

Nazirah doesn’t understand it, but she can’ttake her eyes off Adamek. Like Nazirah, only in solitude does heremove the mask of lies he shows to the world. Looking at him now,Nazirah feels like she’s really seeing him for the first time.Adamek reaches a gloved hand out, slowly tracing the brush strokes.Deep sadness and longing plague his face.

Adamek wrenches his hand away, removing hisgloves and shaking his head. He sits down on the bed, untying hisboots and replacing them with formal black shoes. He stands up,pulling his shirt over his head and revealing his bare torso.Nazirah flushes as she stares at his toned chest. She’s obviouslyseen shirtless boys before … she lived on the beach her entirelife! She has no idea why this particular boy has such an effect onher. Nazirah looks at him in a way she would never allow herself tonormally, because this is only a memory.

And she’s taking risks today.

Adamek stretches his arms above his head,yawning and revealing the Medi tattoo on his forearm. Nazirah triesto get a better look, ignoring his state of undress.

The tattoo’s different from that day in thelibrary. It looks textbook perfect.