Chapter 1
“Either that’s snow falling, or Wyatt’s fed me one of his magic mushrooms again.” Blue leaned against the stone railing of the interior balcony, her long hair caught in the wind as scattered flecks of snow darted about.
I wrapped my oversized beige cardigan tightly around me, a chill racing up my spine. “I’ve lived in this city all my life. Nothing surprises me anymore, not even snow in October.”
Blue turned around and tucked her hands inside the pockets of her soft brown leather jacket. “You might eat your words once you see Gem’s reaction to snow. Come on. Let’s head inside before we turn into ice sculptures.”
A blast of icy wind whipped my black hair around as if to agree. We hustled toward one of the doors and entered a hall with arched ceilings, stone floors, and lanterns affixed to the walls—much like the rest of Keystone mansion.
“How are you settling in?” Blue asked, the heavy door closing behind us. “It’s been two weeks since your arrival, and I only ever see you at the dinner table. Niko said you stopped your sessions in the training room.”
As we passed by another window, I tucked a swath of hair behind my ear. “I guess I’ve been on edge after speaking with the Mageri. Viktor wanted to make sure they were aware of my existence so their Enforcers wouldn’t accidentally arrest me for not having a documented alias, but their knowing about my existence isn’t exactly helping me sleep at night. I didn’t go through all their ceremonial customs where they measure your gifts; Viktor was afraid they might catch on that I’m a crossbreed, and he wants to keep that a secret.”
“He’s a wise man.”
“I keep waiting for the Mageri Enforcers to come crashing through the doors with a warrant for my arrest. What’s to stop them? Their laws aren’t lenient, and the Mageri does what it wants where their own are concerned.”
“Viktor won’t let anything happen to you,” she said smoothly, not a thread of doubt woven in her reply. “He has close relationships with his connections, and we perform an invaluable service for them.” She lifted her chin as we turned a corner. “You would be surprised what they’ll do to protect us. They don’t want the public finding out that they’re paying a group of mercenaries.”
I paused at the staircase and rested my elbows on the balcony overlooking the lower floor. The areas within the mansion that were absent of windows usually had a few candles burning in the lanterns or candelabra.
“Do you miss living on the streets?” she asked.
“Like a hole in the head. I don’t miss sleeping in abandoned buildings, fighting juicers, wondering when my next meal will be, and smelling like an overripe banana. But… I miss the freedom.”
Her thick eyebrows gathered as she frowned. “This isn’t a jail.”
“I just mean if I want to go into the city, it’s a long walk or a cab ride. There’s a diner I like to eat at, and I miss the sound of honking horns. I’m sure you think that sounds a little loopy, but it’s hard to get used to silence. Sometimes I still hear the sirens in my sleep.”
Blue appeared to my right side and pushed herself up on the flat ledge, taking a seat on what was a perilous three-story drop. “The streets were your home, and the places we live become a part of who we are—for better or worse. It takes a little time to get used to new surroundings. We’ve all been in your shoes. Keystone will grow on you, especially once it’s your turn to do laundry.”
I laughed, remembering Christian’s morning visits to my hamper and all his grumblings. “I guess there’s no better way to get to know my housemates than to handle their dirty drawers.”
For the first few days, I had done my own laundry. But after a while, I surrendered to the idea of handing my panties over to someone else to clean. It seemed tedious to have an assigned laundry week and still be doing my own laundry all the time.
Blue’s phone vibrated and she slid off the railing, her boots stomping against the hard floor. “Viktor’s ready.”
“Has it been thirty minutes?”
Her grey feather earrings floated on the air as we moved briskly down the stairs. Blue was the other woman in the house and considerably different from Gem. It wasn’t just her maturity and straightforward way of speaking, but she was a tough lady. Sometimes you could see it in her eyes—a look I caught in my own reflection. She appeared to be more levelheaded than most everyone else in the house, and the most loyal to Viktor. Blue had a regal way about her that made me want to straighten my back whenever I was in her presence, yet she also had a strut that told everyone not to mess with her, especially considering the small hatchet on her hip.
Blue traced her finger along the wall. “So what would make you feel more settled?”
“I wouldn’t mind having a few personal things,” I admitted. “All I came in with were the clothes on my back, so my room still feels like a hotel.”
To complain about my living quarters would be like bitching about winning the lottery. I had a luxurious bathtub, my own fireplace, a scenic view, and privacy. But after my first paycheck, I began dreaming about sheets with a higher thread count, fresh blankets—anything to add personality to my otherwise Gothic living quarters. Maybe a few odds and ends would make the situation feel permanent.
Blue huffed out a breath when we reached the lower landing. “You can borrow Wyatt’s computer when he’s asleep and shop online.”
Where’s the fun in that?I thought to myself. “I’d rather go to the store. On second thought, maybe I’ll just put it off for now. I don’t really want to waste my money on a cab ride to the city. Why are you wearing your coat? Viktor just wanted us down for a meeting.”
Blue played with the zipper on her jacket. “I try to come prepared. Sometimes when he calls a meeting, he wants us to head out, and I hate having to hike all the way back upstairs.”
“Can’t you just flap your wings?” I quipped.
We turned right and strolled down a long hall that led to the dining and gathering room.
Blue managed to look elegant and formidable all at once with the way she walked. “Then I’d have to get dressed all over again.”
