Nix, Amador, and Lucas sat near a table where breakfast had been served. I was so late, I’d missed most of it. From her seat, Nix heard me coming and looked up from a plate of sliced mango. Nix’s dark eyes brightened when she noticed me, and she smiled.For once, she looked well-rested. This trip was at least doing her some favors, and I was grateful she could have a break. I, on the other hand, felt absolutely miserable. My stomach churned when I thought about eating anything.
“MJ!” Nix said. “You’re awake!”
“Yeah,” I said, trying to smile.
My eyes drifted to Lucas and Amador, who was lounging on one of the rattan deck chairs, her blue-black hair pooling across her shoulders. She wore a bikini and a large sun hat with equally large sunglasses, really bringing the concept ofvacationto the vacation home. She didn’t acknowledge me, even though she knew I was there.
Lucas was standing behind her, his arms folded tightly across his chest. I couldn’t help but notice that he was dressed casually, too, in a loose tunic and linen pants, but his dagger was seemingly permanently attached to his hip. Even though we were on a retreat, he didn’t seem relaxed. I wondered if he’d also heard talk about the monster and was taking extra precautions. His gaze was firmly fixed on the sipa match, his brow furrowed.
Something pricked my heart when I saw him, but I took a deep breath and went to Nix.
“Did you sleep okay?” Nix asked, setting down her plate.
“Yeah! Really good,” I said, and Nix’s eyes narrowed slightly. I swiftly changed the subject. “Sorry I missed breakfast. I’m glad you all didn’t wait for me.”
“Of course, we want the queen to get as much beauty rest as possible,” Amador said from her spot on the deck chair. The insultwas more than obvious—even Lucas scowled, but he didn’t stick up for me, either, and somehow that hurt even more.
I bit my tongue and turned my attention back to the table of food, piling a plate for myself with what was left over, even though I wasn’t hungry. The garlic rice set the hair on the back of my neck on end, so I avoided it.
“I’m glad to see Qian is enjoying himself,” I said to Nix. “Hopefully that puts him in a good mood to talk about you staying with us.”
Nix wasn’t buying the topic change. She inspected me with a critical eye that I forced myself to ignore. If I pretended like everything was fine, then maybe it would be.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
“I’m good!” When Nix gave me a doubtful frown, I added, “I’m just feeling a little under the weather, that’s all.”
Nix was the absolute last person I should have said that to. She pinched her lips, and concern drew her brows together. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing!”
She snatched the plate of food out of my hand and set it back on the table, then grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me into the house. I was too tired to protest, and she led me into the salt room, closing the door behind us for privacy.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered. “Tell me.”
I wanted to tell her it was nothing, that I could handle it, but it was no use. I couldn’t keep this up forever. She would know I was lying, no matter how many times I told her I wasn’t.
I let out a strangled sigh and sat down on one of the carved salt chairs, then immediately leapt up with a yelp. The parts of my skin that had touched the salt felt like they were on fire.
Nix let out a strangled cry and rushed to me, grabbing my arm and turning it toward her. “It’s burned!” My skin was sizzling like I’d placed it on a hot iron, but with each passing second, the pain faded, and so did the welt. “How did…” She stared at my injuries for a second and then at me.
I should have known. Salt is used to ward off manananggals. The urge to cry pricked my nose.
I didn’t know where to start. The last thing I wanted was for her to run screaming away from me or not believe me. I wasn’t sure which would be worse.
But this was Nix. I had to trust her.
“I haven’t been honest with you,” I said, finally meeting her gaze. “Something’s happening to me, and I don’t know why.”
Nix’s expression morphed from frustration to confusion. She tugged my other arm toward her, and I instinctively flinched back, afraid that something bad might happen. “MJ,” she pleaded. Her grip was confident and unafraid, and she brought her hands down the lengths of my arms and wrapped her fingers around my wrists. She traced my pulse, and the concern in her brow deepened.
“Your heart rate is elevated, blood pressure up, increased levels of stress hormones in your cerebral cortex…You’re afraid.”
I clenched my jaw and let her take my vitals, but I was so afraid to tell her, my hands shook. She clasped them both in her hands and leveled her eyes with mine. “MJ, what is going on with you?”
“For the past few days…” I started, but stopped myself, likeI was walking up to a cliff where I knew, once I jumped, I could never change my mind. I licked my lips and found comfort in her face. “For the past few nights, rather, I’ve been…changing.”
“Changing?”
