Page 13

Ada had expected me, and Rhenn said I was where I needed to be.

Rhenn…

My entire body shudders when I think of him.

Rhenn is a man forged from my darkest fantasy. Sharp features, a mouth that looks like it’s never smiled, and a jaw carved out of warning signs. He’s every instinct screaming danger. Unnervingly handsome in a way that shouldn’t be real.

Oh, and did I mention psychotic? The unstable grouch bit me.

“And that’s Harlow Bridge,” Vera continues her charade of conversation I hadn’t been listening to, pointing to an arc of stone that stretches across a shallow dip in the land. “And to your right, the diner in question.” She skips to the door, swinging it open and motioning me inside.

Cool air greets me when I enter, followed immediately by a smell I don’t recognize. My eyes drift to my left, pinpointing its source.

Two large men sit at the table nearest the door, each stabbing their utensils into a heaping mound of steaming…mush.

“Hi there, welcome to Four Cauldrons. Take a seat anywhere and I’ll be right with you,” a voice calls from behind the counter, where a girl, seemingly close to my age, rings up a family of four.

I glance around the diner once more. The walls are a pale, almost muted gray tone. There are no pictures on display, but rather old, rustic chains and creepy shadowboxes showcasing thick cobwebs and antique dishware. Each table holds a small vase with one singular flower, their bright petals adding a touch of color to the otherwise dim space.

An elderly couple sits by the window, sharing a slice of pie and exchanging quiet smiles. A group of teenagers occupies a booth in the back, each one laughing. At another table, a man in a worn-out jacket nurses a cup of coffee, staring pensively out the window as if lost in thought.

It all seems so…normal.

“Man, this place has really gone downhill since y’all lost that fiery waitress.” Vera chuckles, and the girl behind the counter looks in our direction, a grin spreading across her face. She finishes with the group at the register, then makes her way toward us. Her light brown hair falls over one shoulder, the elastic meant to hold it back coming loose.

“I’d call it an upgrade, but I’m actually dying here without you. Miss me so much you decided to come get your job back?”

“Better. I’ve found the perfect replacement.” Vera nudges me with her elbow. “This is…” She stops to look at me.

“Sumner,” I finish for her.

“Ah, yes. Sumner.” Vera nods. “And this is Liya. Second best waitress this town has ever seen.”

“Second only to you.” She laughs, then faces me, her blue eyes catching in the diner’s natural light. “So, do you have any experience?”

“Kind of. I mean, I worked at a small coffee shop for a while. But we served pastries and sandwiches.”

“Good enough.” Liya shrugs. “The timing is actually perfect, thanks to someone leaving us for a shorter commute.” She shoots Vera a look before hooking her arm around mine. “Trial starts now. Hope you didn’t have any plans for the rest of your day.”

I stand there, waiting for my feet to move. My chest feels so heavy, squeezing around an aching sense of displacement. Everything is so wrong. I sought out an explanation, a way out. What I found was doubt and a blundering storm of disappointment.

Apart from her confusing riddles, the baker provided no real solution. The only hope I have rests on a form of travel I can’t even begin to comprehend. It’s also something I can’t afford.

There’s no walking out of this, no easy way home. But getting a job? It feels so permanent.

I’m still waiting to wake up, or for someone to tell me this is all some elaborate joke.

I’d spent the last three hours following around a girl I just met and washing dishes. I’m mentally drained and the day is still going. I am lost and alone. Confusion doesn’t even scratch the surface of what I’m feeling.

I push all that away for now—because what else can I do—and finally walk up the steps to his house, grinding my teeth when I knock on the door. It opens after only a moment. The man standing before me makes my stomach quiver. Rhenn leans against the doorframe, eyes scanning me over. I know I’m a mess. I haven’t showered in two days, and my clothes are in desperate need of a wash.

“What?” His tone is bored as he looks me up and down.

Asking for handouts is at the very bottom of things I’m comfortable with. I’ve always made my own way. It’s like I don’t even know where to start here. I have nothing. So, I push through my pride and take a steadying breath. “Can I stay here again tonight? In the guest house, I mean.”

“Where did you go today?”

The way he asks it has my guard raising. It wasn’t just a question of curiosity, but like he’s about to lecture me for leaving. I may need his help right now, but I’m not going to be controlled. I’ll come and go as I damn well please.