I'm just not that mean.
There's a very good reason I blend in with humans so well, and why I've pretended to be one for years. While I'm technically a legacy and I do have an inner animal, I'm so far down on the totem pole of strength that there are plenty of humans who are stronger, tougher, and far more legacy-ish than I will ever be.
There have been a lot of positive changes to the world ever since the Entity was destroyed—but even though the new legacy-human government is trying to makeculling the weakno longer a thing, it's going to take time to catch on. Meaning anyone currently looking for their matches probably still wants a quintet of strong, fearless, kick-butt legacies.
I'm more of a sit-on-my-butt legacy. I like binge-watching trashy human TV shows, baking every recipe I can get my hands on, decorating my house over-the-top for every single holiday, traveling, and hanging out with friends.
At least, I did before I was dragged into the Nether. A lot's changed since then.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to be in a quintet just yet," I hedge.
He frowns. "Why not?"
Just thinking about all those intense emotions burying me alive makes me queasy. And with my current condition, if I got any matches, they'd be forced to feel everything I'm feeling with every touch. That might make them hesitant to get close to me, and just thinking about that kind of slow-burn, tepid rejection…
I put on a smile to hide my grimace. "I think a boyfriend is more my speed for now."
Preferably one who's decent in bed and doesn't mind cuddles.
Gods, I'm so touch-starved, it hurts.
"A boyfriend?" Everett repeats. He's repeatedly adjusting one of his trenchcoat sleeves, which tells me he's still anxious about Maven, but he gives me his full attention. "Look, I won't tell you what to do, but you should at least consider going to the Seeking."
"Why, so I can be as constantly and completely and blissfully consumed with my future keeper's entire existence as you are?" I joke.
He remains dead serious. "Trust me, there's no better feeling. And even if the others annoy the hell out of me and I sometimes want to freeze Baelfire's head to get him to shut up, our quintet is everything I never allowed myself to want before."
I smile, pleased as always to see how drastically better he is now compared to our childhood. "Complain about your quintet members all you want, but I've never seen you so happy."
"I wantyouto be this happy." Everett gives me an earnest look. "The Decimuses are putting together the biggest Seeking that Everbound has ever seen. Maybe your mate or mates will be there, looking for you."
Mates.
That word makes my inner animal perk up ever so slightly. Still, as usual, she's so contented and docile that she's only curious, nothing more.
"Whoever fate has in mind for you, you know they'll feel incomplete until you turn up, right?" Everett tacks on, clearly trying his best to be persuasive without being bossy.
I know my brother means well, but the mere possibility of me being a disappointment to my future matches makes me want to curl up in the fetal position. As much as something deep inside me craves the kind of intimacy and wholeness I've only felt around other quintets for myself, it's better if I leave them be for now and meet them later on at the next Seeking.
Besides, it's not like I'm needed to complete a quintet and break curses now, anyway.
"Maybe, but I just…" I start to hedge in reply.
But then my attention catches on someone who just wandered into this tunnel.
At first, I think the strangely-dressed stranger is just another fae in the excavation team. Then I realize he's slightly translucent as he glares at the fae excavators all around as if they've personally offended him. He's wearing bloodstained purple robes that look a bit like the robes priests wear. His ears are pointed, his long dark blue hair pulled back from his face.
When the perfectly clear, not-blurry-at-all ghost sees me staring at him, his face lights up, and he moves toward us.
Crap. I didn't want these ghosts to know I can see them.
"Heidi?" Everett checks gently. "What is it? Are you sensing the sleepers in that direction?"
I focus on him. "Hmm? Um…no, I think we're still headed the right way."
The ghost approaches me. “Is e vos! Ahn videthis emi?”
From context, it's clear that he's asking if I can see him. I pretend I can't as a few of the fae excavators call out in excitement and wave Silas over. The blood fae necromancer hasn't noticed this new ghost yet, and Everett is right behind him as they go to see what all the excitement up ahead is about.
