SarienThe festival lights were warmer than I liked.They softened edges and had a strange effect of making people careless. Music rolled through the lower quad in steady waves, illusion lanterns drifting overhead like patient stars while students pretended the last week hadn't nearly torn a hole through the island.I stood above it all along the outer terrace, one hip resting lightly against the stone railing, a crystal tumbler balanced in my fingers. I hadn't taken a sip in several minutes.Tight black shorts that left very little to the imagination and absolutely did not apologize for it. A fitted white tank that clung in all the right places, cut just low enough to make people look twice and then pretend they hadn't. Over it, a cropped half-jacket in matte black leather, sleeves pushed up to my elbows.No heels tonight. I was not above wearing them when I needed the advantage, but tonight I preferred to move. Knee-high boots, flat-soled and polished — more functional than stylish, though they still looked good. My hair fell loose, glossy in controlled chaos. I knew exactly what I looked like under the lantern light.And I knew who was looking.The fourth man in twenty minutes approached like he'd just convinced himself he had a chance.I didn't wear jewelry beyond a single silver ring. The outfit was flashier than I usually preferred, but showing up in straight leathers would have drawn even more attention. This way I just looked like an attractive twenty-something with a perpetual scowl. I could live with that. If I was going to be watched, I preferred to control how — and there was no doubt about it, I was being watched.It was like the men at this celebration had never seen a woman before."Enjoying the celebration?" he asked, leaning in just slightly too far.I let him finish before turning."I'm studying it," I replied.He blinked. "Studying what?" (...)