“What happened to your ankle?” Daria asks, but she and Honey come on either side of me and help me hobble down the hall.
We enter the spacious bathroom. There’s a lounge area next to the stalls, and I drop into one of the chairs.
“Tell us everything,” Daria demands.
I feel warm and fuzzy facing them. Once I dropped out of college and started working here, my life became nothing but sleeping and double shifts with a side of babysitting for Margot. I’ve been too tired to do anything for myself, much less chase the friends I made in college.
I never meant for my co-workers to become my closest friends, but that’s how life goes. Where you spend your time becomes your home. The people around you become your community. Once I made the choice to work at Inferno, all the other choices cascaded from here, and my destiny was set.
But looking at Daria and Honey, I realize how much I need their friendship. We share gossip and blister pads and complain about long shifts and stingy tippers. Their support is all I have, and because of that, it means the world.
So I tell them my story, starting with St. James’ offer and ending with the shopping spree, but I keep my freak-out over the ring to myself. The ladies ooh and ahh at appropriate places, and when I’m done, Daria’s tapping her chin, deep in thought.
“St. James doesn’t make that offer to just anyone,” she says. “Not to any waitresses or dancers, at least, because one of them would talk, and I would’ve found out. That means Jaeger singled you out.”
Honey gasps. “Because he wants you. You’ve been chosen.” She gives me a dazzling smile.
“What?” I ask.
“You know, one of them,” Honey says and then adds in a whisper, “Anelita.”
I glance at Daria, but neither of us has any idea what Honey’s talking about.
“What’s anelita?” Daria folds her arms in front of her chest.
“One of the chosen.” Honey sees our confusion and rolls her eyes. “You guys have to start paying attention.”
“Paying attention can get us killed,” Daria grumbles, and I concur.
“Whatever,” Honey says. “Remember Odette?”
The name sounds familiar, but I don’t remember her until Daria says, “The dancer? She worked here for, like, a hot second.”
“Right. And now she only comes in on the arm of that big guy with the neck tattoo. The one with jewels in his ring,” Honey lowers her voice again. “One of the Seven.”
I don’t know what she means by ‘one of the Seven,’ and I don’t want to know. But I remember Odette. “She came in a few weeks ago with him,” I say slowly. “She was wearing a black ribbon around her throat with a blue jewel on it.”
“Right, to match his ring.” Honey rolls her hands in a “ta-da” gesture and sighs when we still look confused. “She’s an initiate. That’s what you become before the ceremony when you’re claimed.”
Ceremony? I have so many questions, but I feel like I’ve been tromping through the woods, only to come to a fence covered in barbed wire and aNo Trespassingsign.
Daria looks skeptical. “How do you know so much about this?”
Honey flushes and examines her French manicure. “I just do.”
“Okay,” I say, “So what? Some of the Fraternitas claim their elite?—”
“Elita. OrElectus, if they’re male,” Honey corrects and sticks her tongue out at Daria, who’s shaking her head.
“Elita.” I can’t shake the feeling of dread like I shouldn’t know this term. “What does that have to do with Jaeger?”
“Everything.” Honey crouches in front of me and takes my hands in hers. “The reason you’re here—in a booth and not working the floor—is because Jaeger wants to claim you.”
“He can’t claim me. I’m not, not…” My brain is blanking like it did when I tried on the ring.Danger! Turn back!“This isn’t like that.”
“He brought you here to show you off in front of Fraternitas. He wants to claim you as hiselita.”
“What would that entail?” Daria asks.
