The interior of the Serenity Hotel felt like a different world entirely.
Outside, the badlands street was subdued and almost eerily quiet. Inside, the lobby was overflowing, packed shoulder to shoulder with people who only moments ago had been lost in the singer's mesmerizing performance. The sudden clash between Ethan and the woman on stage had shattered that spell like glass, and the backlash was immediate. Hostile stares rolled toward him in waves, sharp and unwelcoming, filled with the kind of malice that came from wounded pride rather than drunken bravado.
"Looking to die?" someone snarled.
"Causing trouble in the Serenity of all places?" another voice barked.
Several more joined in, overlapping threats and curses, but despite the fury in the air, no one actually stepped forward. These were not street punks looking for a quick fight. Every person here was seasoned, cautious, and fully aware of how quickly things could spiral out of control.
