“Is Fang even alive? I only got mixed up with him because I owe him money.”
“I wasn’t exactly looking for Fang when I was trapped between stages,” she replied. “If he is still alive, I’m sure he’s got bigger things to worry about than your pocket change.”
“Five grand actually,” Loch coughed. “You were stuck between forms? Did it hurt?”
“My body couldn’t figure out what species it was. Of course, it fucking hurt. Five grand?”
“Yikes.” Loch shuddered. “Yeah, I needed the money. Fang offered a loan. I didn’t know he was mixed up in all this dark shifter bullshit with your brother.”
“My brother isn’t a dark shifter,” Elise snapped.
“Maybe you can convince me he’s not a murderous sociopath, but you can’t convince me he’s not for the shifters going savage.”
“I’m not having this conversation.”
“Because you can’t prove he has another angle.”
“I know my brother,” she said. “At least, I know the person he used to be.”
“We don’t need to deal with whoever he used to be. We need to deal with the person he is now. Whoever that person is has Holly somewhere. Maybe he’s hiding in plain sight. Maybe they’re orbiting the planet on a spaceship.”
“Will you drop the alien abduction theory?”
“I let you have fun. Now it’s my turn.”
“God, you’re annoying.”
“And you’re a real ray of sunshine.”
Elise snorted out a laugh. “You might be the closest thing I have to a friend right now.”
“That’s sad.”
“Really? Who’s your current BFF?”
Loch opened his mouth to answer but couldn’t think of anyone.
He was on civil terms with everyone in the house for the most part, but it wasn’t like they invited him to their card games or whatever it was that they did. The only time he had conversations that extended past pleasantries or battle plans was when he talked to Holly.
This walk with Elise was the closest thing he’d had to a normal conversation in days.
“You, I guess.”
“Now, that’s sad.”
“That’s your friendship pitch?”
“Did you expect me to bake cookies? You want to kill my brother.”
“Only because he tried to kill me. He locked me in a cage too, remember that?”
“Do you remember who let you out of said cage?” She placed a hand on her hip and arched her brow.
“Right.” He chuckled. “I guess you really are my friend, huh?”
“Friends help friends escape from cages.”
“Holly’s going to be pleased with this turn of events,” he said.
“I hope so. We got off to a rocky start, but I like Holly. I’m glad someone like her is the Maiden’s vessel. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.”
“Yeah.” He smiled softly. “She does.”
“Do you miss her?”
“Constantly,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to feel sane until I have her back.”
“I get that.” Elise nodded. “Obviously, it’s different with my brother, but he’s the only family I have left. He always looked after me when we were kids. I feel horrible that I can’t return the favor now.”
“He’s not making it easy for you to do so.”
“True.”
“Why haven’t you given up on him?” Loch asked. “Familial attachment aside. Do you know something we don’t?”
“I’m not sure.” Elise frowned. “It’s more of a feeling. I know there’s more going on.”
They approached the porch.
Loch retrieved his key from his bag and opened the door. “I hope you’re right about this feeling. Not just for Holly’s sake but for yours too.”
“You mean that?” Elise smirked.
“We’re besties now, apparently. You hope good things for your bestie.”
Elise laughed. “I’m getting us matching shirts.”
“Do it.”
Once inside the living room, Loch flicked on the lights. Unsurprisingly, no one was downstairs.
“Wake up, assholes!” Loch shouted at the top of his lungs. “I have some news for you!”
CHAPTER SIX—HOLLY
When Trevor next knocked, she answered right away.
“Come in!”
She felt terrible about what she said the other day. Maybe Trevor was beyond help; maybe he deserved to be told as much, but she didn’t have to bring herself down to that level.
Besides, one of the first things the Maiden told her to do was to destroy the dark shifters from the inside. She couldn’t do that if Trevor hated her.
Trevor opened the door slowly and poked his head in.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“Excuse me?”
“Holly would never welcome me in. In fact, she’d probably find something to throw at me.”
Holly glanced at the antique tray from yesterday, stacked with shards of ceramic. “Not my finest moment,” she said.
“And what was your finest moment?” Trevor demanded.
“Don’t flip our conversation,” Holly said. “You don’t have a leg to stand on here.”
“Fine.” He nodded. “If I come in, are you going to throw something at me?”
“I don’t have anything to throw.”
“You have books.”
“I like the books too much to risk damaging them,” she replied.
Trevor stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Holly waited for him to speak, but he remained silent.
“Are you trying out your living statue act?” she asked. “It needs work.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were making a joke.”
“Maybe I am.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“Because I have no idea how long I’ve been stuck here. The isolation is getting to me. Humans are social creatures, Trevor. I’m going to go insane eventually. How many things do you think I’ll find to throw at you once that happens?”
Technically, none of what she said was untrue. Hopefully, her words would take the desired effect.
“There was something I wanted to ask you, actually,” Trevor said. “I wanted to ask on day one, but you weren’t very receptive.”
“Gee, I wonder why.” She rolled her eyes but offered a small smile. “What did you want to ask?”
“If you’d like
