AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How do I say I ended up here?” Maybe Kaden was right. I wasn’t ready for this loony bin.
Cookie glanced at Dice.
He pointed to me, as if he’d had some stroke of brilliance. “Lie and say I recruited you,” he said. “Now come on. Get going. We’re going to be late.”
I was only halfway through the firstMatrixand now I was going to have to get up and go to a party that at least one person didn’t want me to go to. Kaden was going to be pissed when he saw me walk in, Iknewit, and I wasn’t in the mood for a fight tonight. This was a lick-my-wounds kind of night. Not to mention Antoinette…
I got off the couch, finally finding my motivation.
“Give me twenty minutes,” I said, thinking Alaric would surely be there too. He might be an untapped well of knowledge. Why hadn’t I asked him if he knew a way out of this situation?
“Wear something that shows off your ass, too,” Cookie yelled as I walked out of the room.
“Yeah, I don’t want people saying our new crew member is dumpy,” Dice screamed. “Then I’ll have to make Connor kick someone’s ass, and he really doesn’t know his own strength.”
“Fine. Nothing dumpy. Now please shut up so I can get ready,” I yelled back, heading for the shower.
They’d all said I should go. Said it would be fine—no,required. Yet as I walked into the crowded room at the place called The Deep, right on a bustling corner of Nowhere, I couldn’t help feeling like I was doing something wrong. The place would’ve looked like any regular bar or restaurant Topside if it didn’t have gaslights and some of its customers didn’t have scales, or leather, or—fangs. I’d assumed all tinkers looked human, but maybe not.
“I’ll be right back,” Cookie said, then waved to someone and melted into the crowd.
The place was packed, and yet as I scanned the room, taking in all the different-looking people, I spotted Kaden almost immediately. His gaze had already been locked on me, as if he’d spotted me the second I walked in. He was standing near the bar with a group of people I didn’t recognize, but his attention was solely focused on me.
He hadn’t wanted me here. I’d convinced myself otherwise, that maybe he was really worried I’d be uncomfortable, but his cool gaze told me otherwise. If his attention had felt chilly, Antoinette, who was standing beside him, was arctic. I nodded, and then inched my chin up higher. I was a tinker now. I had every right to be here too, even if I felt like I was going to get dragged out by a bouncer at any moment.
Dice leaned in, drawing my attention to him. “Don’t forget, anyone asks, you tell them I recruited you. No mentioning that other word.”
“Don’t worry. I got it,” I said, wishing I wasn’t here at all. “Where’s Connor?”
There were only a handful of people I knew. One was glaring at me. One had disappeared already and another hadn’t even shown up yet. I needed some numbers.
“He’s getting laid, but he’ll get here,” Dice said.
The entire place seemed to be realizing someone new was in their midst. It felt like every single set of eyes was on me in judging perusal.
Why had I come? Because Kaden hurt my feelings when Antoinette talked about the party? So here I was, in a room where I wasn’t wanted, and for what? To prove I could? I was the sideshow attraction at the circus. All I needed was a beard and a third eye.
Kaden wasn’t the only one who’d caught sight of me fast. Alaric was heading across the room, straight for me.
“I was hoping to see you here,” he said. “You didn’t call, but I’m hoping you’re still considering my offer.”
“Unlikely to happen, buddy,” Dice said, smiling. “She’s quite happy with her current position in our organization.”
The warmth in Alaric’s smile chilled as it was turned toward Dice. “I’m glad she’s got you by her side to express her every thought. How convenient to not have to speak.”
“She’ll tell you herself if you don’t believe me. She’s not shy,” Dice said.
Dice was right. I wasn’t shy, but Iwaspreoccupied. The attention in the room seemed centered solely on me. Kaden’s glare was burning a hole in my back.
“That’s a great idea. She can tell me as I show her the fountains.” Alaric took my hand, putting it in the crook of his arm.
Dice puffed out his chest as I raised my other hand in his direction. “I’m fine. It’s good if we talk for a moment,” I said, letting Dice take that as he would.
I would’ve let Alaric take me on a tour of the dumpsters if that got me away from all the eyes.
Alaric steered me through the room, and it was becoming almost as painful as staying and letting everyone look their fill. Having the competition walking me through the room was drawing even more attention. By the time we made it to the outdoor area, breathing was becoming a labor.
I dragged in a deep breath of the crisp air outside. There were people outside as well, but only stragglers compared to the crush inside. The fountains he’d spoken of were all around the grounds, and the water wasn’t normal but glittering, as if liquid diamonds ran through it. Other than that, it looked like any garden I might’ve found Topside, with scattered benches and tables intermingled between the trees and bushes.
