Chapter 44: Sorry about the smell
As Alex stepped deeper into the heart of Elaris Hold, the pungent odor that had merely lingered around Jusin before now surged forward in full force, enveloping him like an unseen tide.
It hit with startling intensity, a sour, organic stench that seemed to rise from the very stones beneath his feet.
The smell clawed its way up his nostrils and settled thickly in the back of his throat, an unholy mixture of damp, matted fur, churned soil, and the acrid musk of animals penned too close together for too long.
It was a heady blend of damp fur, churned earth, and the acrid tang of animal sweat, a smell so potent it seemed to coat the back of his throat.
Instinctively, his features contorted in a grimace, his face scrunching as the overpowering stench assaulted his senses.
His nose wrinkled sharply, twitching in protest as he fought the urge to gag, and he attempted, almost comically, to seal his nostrils without the aid of his hands, drawing his upper lip tight and flaring his cheeks in a desperate, subtle defense.
It was a futile gesture, a childlike reflex more than a strategy, but the instinct to shield himself from the offensive air was too strong to ignore.
His eyes watered slightly, and he pressed his lips into a thin line, hoping to block out the worst of it.
The effort was subtle, but not subtle enough.
Jusin caught the movement, his keen eyes flicking to Alex’s contorted expression.
A loud, booming chuckle erupted from him, the sound bouncing off the high stone walls of the compound like a drumroll.