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Lie again,my instincts practically screamed.
I’d never really played well with others.
I didn’t need to lie, though. My nickname—which I did actually go by, ninety-nine percent of the time—was enough.
“Ari. What about you?”
Considering the power of names, I felt like I needed to ask, not just assume she would give it to me.
“Mare, if we’re only swapping nicknames.” She gave me a quick wink. “I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your full name quiet. The only person I told mine to was Ana, but she’s been running this place for five years now.”
Five years?
I glanced back at her. “I thought you said the unseelie take you after five years.”
“They do. I’ll be leaving tonight,” Ana admitted, her expression a bit stiff.
Damn, no wonder she was so angry.
Or maybe that was just her personality. I wouldn’t blame her either way.
“How are the unseelies different?” I asked.
“We don’t really know.” Mare shrugged on the couch. “We try not to talk to the fae guys very often, so we don’t give them the wrong idea, but we haven’t met the unseelies.”
“How many of you are there?” I checked, looking around the room. No one else was hiding, as far as I could see.
“Five, right now. The fae are getting anxious about it, too. Usually one of them finds a mate every two or three years—we made it five. Looks like you’re going to break the streak.” Ana didn’t sound thrilled about that, either.
“Where are the others?”
“Dots and Sunny are setting up for my funeral. North is asleep, probably. She keeps weird hours, and avoids us.” Ana shrugged. “Things are pretty chill here. Or they were, until you showed up.”
So this would’ve been a helluva place to be, if Calian hadn’t touched me and told me his full name.
Great.
Just my fucking luck.
“You won’t have a room until Ana leaves, but you can borrow mine to shower in,” Mare offered. “You don’t want to miss it when the unseelie show up, but you have an hour or two, I’d guess.”
I glanced down at myself.
Shit, I had forgotten what bad shape I was in. I was a damned wreck.
I looked back up and jerked my head in a nod.
“That would be great, thanks.”
“I’m at the end of the hallway, on the left. Door has my name on it, can’t miss it.” She winked at me.
I nodded again, stepping up and slipping down the hall.
Damn, my brain was spinning.
Four
I spent longerin the shower than I probably should’ve, but it was the first time since I’d been out of juvie that I didn’t need to rush through a shower at the cheap gym I’d joined for that purpose. I hadn’t realized how much anxiety had revolved around showering until I was behind a locked door, my shoulders relaxing under the hot stream.
