Itry to ignore the stale scent of day-old fish wafting through the open window as I sit, bored to death, reading a book in the living room of our shared apartment. Tucked into the corner of the ratty couch, I sigh loudly, listening to the intermittentswatof darts hitting the drywall behind me, Madeline just as bored as I am.
Antoinette plops beside me on the couch, chewing on a mouthful of the sandwich she just made herself, the bread most likely stale and expired.
None of us have spoken in over an hour, wordlessly waiting for Zazel to come home from their shift at Animus. They’re the only one in the group that has a real job, the rest of us choosing to stick to the shadows and prey on the rich to support ourselves.
Petty theft is not for the weak.
Especially when the fridge has been empty for the past few days and there seem to be holes in every item of clothing I own.
It’s not like I’ve never been legally employed. I could be if I wanted to, but the thought of a boss overseeing my every move has my teeth clenching in aggravation. But I could never denymy nature. Pickpocketing is simply a part of who I am. I couldn’t suppress it even if I tried.
The front door finally flies open, and Zazel appears, ushering with them a refreshing burst of life into the vat of boredom we were all drowning in. I slam my book closed and twist my body to face Zazel as Madeline gives them a distracted wave, still focused on her dart game.
“Finally!” Antoinette chirps as she leaps up to greet Zazel, following them into the open kitchen. Hopping up and sitting on the counter beside the dirty sink, Antoinette peppers Zazel with leading questions about their night at the circus as they reach into the fridge for a stray beer.
Cracking the can open, Zazel rests their hip on the counter next to Antoinette and takes a large sip, eyeing her with a smirk. Their eyes are still lined in black, a rouge tint to their cheeks, but they’ve changed into a loose crop top and jeans.
“Bored, are we?” they quip.
Antoinette bursts out laughing and leans into her palms, which are resting on either side of her swinging legs. “It’s just not as fun when you’re not around.”
Madeline shoots Antoinette a deadpan look while blindly throwing a dart straight into the bullseye. “Thanks a lot.”
Antoinette snorts. “You know what I mean, Maddie. Veil, back me up.”
I quirk a smirk. “Actually, whatdoyou mean?”
She puffs a breath and rolls her eyes. “Everyone is so sensitive,” she mutters.
And it’s my turn to bark a laugh. My attention snags on Zazel, who seems to be observing me, lost in thought.
Something in their pensive expression makes the hair on my arms stand on end.
“What?” I ask.
They blink, as if focusing back on the three of us, and shrug a shoulder, trying to conceal a grin behind their beer can.
“What is it?” I press, saying the words slowly.
“You might have found yourself a secret admirer,” they say with levity.
But as they break eye contact and look away, I catch something much heavier lingering behind their gray eyes. Wariness? Uncertainty? It only lasts a split second, and it’s gone when they find my gaze again.
Dread trickles through my veins, an ominous chill sweeping over my skin, and I fight against a full-body shiver before asking, “What do you mean, a secret admirer?” My mind has latched on to the worrisome improbability that they’re referring to the monster in my nightmares, but I keep my tone light.
Impossible. Why would it be?—
“My boss came by tonight, asking about you.”
My heart pitches out of my chest, and my breathing slows, my vision blurring while I try to process what they just said.
He found me. He found me, and now he’s going to kill me.
“Gemini Foley?” I ask dumbly, already knowing the answer but needing Zazel to spell it out for me before I lose all sense of composure.
“The one and only,” they answer casually before taking another sip of their beer.
Antoinette hums in delight. “Oh, to marry into the ruling class,” she says, stars in her eyes, as if everyone in this damn city would be over the moon to discover that one of the heirs had their eye on them.
