“The couch!”
Everything in me wanted to stand my ground, but my instincts had me retreating to the living room before I could grasp the resolution to continue arguing. Alarm bells rang in my head that this wasn’t an equally matched fight. Something was distinctly inhuman about him in that moment, and I needed to get away from it. Fuck claws, fangs, and scales—the hostility in his voice wasterrifying.
I sat on the couch blankly, wondering what I was supposed to do. My options were limited, and I wasn’t in any shape to be running off into the unknown. As a rescued animal wholly dependent on my generous new owner, I realized I needed to prioritize food and shelter for the time being. That meant staying on Graysen’s good side. I could handle his temper in the short term. Now that I knew something was off with my rescuer—very, very off—I was prepared. I could hold my own against him, and would do that while I regained my strength and started working with the cards handed to me.
My heart raced. Saying I was out of my element would be the understatement of the century. How could I regain some of my autonomy? I didn’t want to rely on Graysen; he simply didn’t seem stable. I looked in the direction of the door I had just unlocked. There were people out there. People with features I didn’t recognize, but people all the same. Someone would help me. I needed to learn how to navigate this strange world and build connections. Maybe if I could manage that, I would find a way to get out of the mess I found myself in. I wouldn’t let myself become a house pet.
The floorboards creaked behind me, and I allowed my anger to quell the impending anxiety of his return. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was ready.
“I amsosorry, Faeryn.”
Oh, right, he named his pet.Faeryn.
He stepped into view, bending at his belted waist—brown to match the leather of his shoes—and slowly lowered himself to sit on the edge of the armchair. He leaned forward, closing the space between us just enough to cause me to scoot back on the couch. His hands flexed, then his fingers snapped against his palm three times before locking together in a strained fist.
“That has to have been very alarming for you.” He swallowed thickly.
“No shit,” I huffed. “Are you going to explain it?”
He kept his eyes glued to the floor. His lips parted softly as if to regulate his breathing. “People around here don’t have yellow hair.”
I blinked. That was the big issue? The color of myhair? “And?”
“Right,” he swallowed. “To the extent that it would be quite bizarre to see someone with yellow hair. It might come across as unusual and concerning to the locals.”
“So you threw me to the ground because I’mblonde? Is that what you’re telling me? What about yesterday? I was blonde then.”
“I was distracted… a lot was going on.” His head bowed. “And the streets were much less busy. Today is market day.”
“So, what, you don’t want me to leave the house on market days?”
He cringed under his dark mop of hair, his head twisting to the side as if to hide the expression further from my view.
“You aren’t about to say I can’t leave the houseat all, right?” My stomach twisted with anxiety at the implication. Lockdown would make me more dependent than I was comfortable with.
The silent pause had my heart racing. “Of course not,” he said without much conviction. “But I wouldstronglyrecommend we change its color. The ash from my fires is very fine and—” He turned his head back towards me, his forehead creasing, but his eyes lacking the anger I had been exposed to moments before.
“Graysen.” My voice became deep and pointed. “Iknowyou aren’t telling me you want to change how I look. I’m missing from someone. Looking like myself is one of the only ways I can find my way home.” I spoke slowly and clearly, my tone a warning. Thoughts of missing posters flashed in my mind. Maybe this wasn’t Earth, but wasn’t it still possible to be recognized? I needed to increase my odds by any means necessary. I couldn’t be unidentifiable.
“I know that asking a female to change her appearance is frowned upon at best.” He pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes and closed them tightly. “But it’s a genuine safety issue. I’m not asking you to stay inside, but I do ask that you take this single step to blend in. Your hair will grow back.”
I hated that he had any reasonable argument for this obscure demand, especially after his explosive reaction in the doorway. I had no sense of identity or past. My appearance was all I had to hold on to right now. Besides, if blonde was so uncommon, maybe that could work in my favor. But, as images of the townspeople flashed through my mind—clawed and fanged—I found myself wishing to avoid as much unwanted attention as possible. I wasn’t about to give up the fight so easily, but I could feel my resolution slipping.
“And if I say no?”
“Then I won’t let you go outside.” His voice was infuriatingly calm and factual.
“Ex-fucking-scuse-me!” I laughed humorlessly. “If keeping me locked in your house is part of your rescue plan, then I’ll find somewhere else to stay. I’m not your newpet.” I could no longer hold in the label of how I felt, having more than enough evidence to bolster my conclusion of attempted ownership.
“Pet?!” For the first time since sitting down, his posture shifted. He sat up and gripped the arms of the chair on eitherside of him. “Where did that come from?!” The emblem on his neck glowed. For a moment, I thought his teeth looked sharper.
A chill of apprehension ran up my spine, but I tried to keep my composure. I could handle him. “I’m just saying, given the amount of trauma I’m going through, you seemed pretty unbothered when we got here. Hell, you even named me.” Unbothered wasn’t even the right word. He seemedpleasedto show me his home. Like he was happy he’d found someone as lost and confused as I was.
His face spread into a frustrated grin, and he threw his head back with an dry laugh.I hadn’t been imagining the fangs.
“I’m just trying to keep you safe,” he hoarsely chuckled, his voice reverberating off the walls. “Try stepping out of this house with your pretty golden locks and see what happens.” His eyes blinked back at me. They seemed to glow alongside the fire.
My lips pursed as I tried to think of a comeback. Maybe I will. But I couldn’t ignore the fact that no part of me wanted to take this risk. If I were to pursue independence, I needed to set myself up for success. Assuming he wasn’t lying about my hair color being an issue, it could be devastating for me to out myself as unusual to the masses. I may only have one chance to secure my safety in this predatory world.
