“Ours.” I echo the word, and it clangs around my psyche like a gong on D-day. “Does Aurelia know that?”Aurelia.It’s my first time saying her name out loud.
“Of course.”
“Tell me everything that happened,” I demand. “Starting with the day she got here.”
Thorin shrugs, but feigning indifference has never been a talent of his. The tension in his shoulders always gives him away. “Nothing to tell really. After you split, we questioned her to see if she was one of Isaac’s, found out who she really is, and decided to keep her around for a while in case she was lying.”
“And now that you know that she’s not?”
Thorin’s jaw clenches. “We told you. She wants to stay.”
“Just like that?” I whisper sharply. Do they take me for a fool?
“It’s complicated,” Thorin sighs, “but it was her choice, Zeke. We didn’t force her to make it.”
But there it is…the quick look they give each other that leaves me pushing past the hurt of knowing my brothers are lying to me and focusing on getting the truth one way or another.
And if they won’t tell me…
I’m on my feet and at Thorin’s door before either of them can react.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Khalil barks.
I hear him rising to his feet, so I pause only long enough to say, “I’m going to ask her myself.”
I push open the door of Thorin’s room to their combined shouts. “Zeke!”
I don’t consider the repercussions of barging into a room without knocking until I’m already inside. I throw my shoulder against the door to shut it just as the hard bodies of my best friends slam into it from the other side. Thorin and Khalil’s chorus of pained groans filters through the door as I quickly lock it, but I immediately regret it when I turn to see oneverynaked girl staring back at me through equally surprised eyes.
“Fuck!” I slap my hand over my eyes and turn around to face the door again. “Shit. Sorry. Ah. Sorry. I didn’t mean to…sorry.”
Thorin and Khalil start pounding on the door—the rhythm in sync with my racing heart.
“That’s okay,” she says, sounding amused. “But do you mind telling me why those two sound like they’re about to have a heart attack?”
I expected screaming and hysteria from my barging in. Instead, the light and lyrical sound of her giggling at my expense has me lowering my hand as I cautiously peek over my shoulder. Aurelia’s covered now with a yellow silk robe that makes her glow that much brighter.
I look away again before I can get caught in a trance.
“Sorry about that,” I say as I stare at the floor. “I should have knocked.”
“Stop apologizing, Seth. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”
My teeth clench a second before I correct her. “Zeke.”
Aurelia winces, and I immediately feel like a dick. It wasn’t a slight. She’ll obviously need to acclimate to me being back. “Right…right. Sorry. I…I’ve never known anyone with DID before, and Seth is the only alter I’ve met so far. Please tell methere’s a learning curve?” She bowls on, shaking off her fumble before I can reply. “Hi, Zeke. Nice to meet you…again. I’m Aurelia…again.”
I peek at her curiously through the strands of my hair that Seth let get too long. He’s usually more particular about his appearance, but haircuts are a sore spot for him. A few more inches and our hair will be long enough for those douchey topknots that Thorin wears. “So…you know about me? About…us?”
“Mm-hmm.” She tucks her lips while nodding like she wants to say more but no longer trusts herself to say the right thing. “Yuuuup.”
“And…” I frown. “You’re not afraid?”
“Not to get competitive, but between the two of us I’m pretty sure I’m scarier.” I take an involuntary step back, and she slaps her forehead with her palm. “Fuck.Zero for two.” When I force myself to get a grip, she offers me a wobbly smile. “I keep putting my foot in my mouth, huh?”
I take a few moments to practice the breathing techniques Khalil helped me with until the worst of my anxiety passes and I no longer feel like fleeing. “It’s not your fault, Aurelia.” She winces at the sound of her name, but I don’t fixate on why. “I should probably unclench.”
“I didn’t exactly leave you with a great first impression. And I’m sorry about that kiss earlier. If I’d known it was you…”
