Claus

Six

Faryn awoke not knowing where she was.

Though the overhead lights were off, it wasn't completely dark. To her left, a faint alarm rang, and water was running somewhere. The bed beside her was made without the slightest wrinkle, and the bed she laid on was not her own, the mattress firmer, the comforter softer.

Images of her cousin attacking her flashed through her mind's eye. A dream. It had to have been a dream. There were other images too. Of Aurelius visiting her. Being told Nick was missing.

Her eyes widened.

Nick.

As reality crashed down over her like a bucket filled with ice chunks, she shut off the alarm.

She wouldn't occupy her bed in Oxford for a long time. She had no memories of ever sleeping in another bed until now.

Sitting up, she rubbed her face before pulling her knees to her chest, struggling to keep her eyes open. Two hours weren't nearly enough.

From the bathroom, the shower clicked off, and the sounds of water trickled way. A few minutes later the bathroom door unlatched, and Cassian stepped out. He flicked a switch, and the two crystal lamps between their beds turned on. He wore different clothes: gray jeans and a long sleeve button up, and when his scent hit her, it didn't immediately smell unpleasant: aftershave masking his underlying scent. He walked past her bed, stopping at one of the chairs where a white cardstock bag sat. He handed it to her without a word. She threw him a questioning look before reaching into it.

Inside, was a tight long-sleeved gray dress, a different shade than his pants. There was a possibility it could reach her knees, but it had been about fifty degrees in Fahrenheit earlier when they had walked through the city, and at that time the sun was still out. Almost any other Acurial, would freeze in this dress, and though the temperature would hardly bother her, she didn't want others to know that.

Or maybe she'd get lucky and there would be those who chose to brace the cold in the name of wearing their favorite dress and she'd blend right in.

"It should be about your size. You'll have to make it work."

"Where did this come from?"

He pointed at a pamphlet on the table. "It's a catalog for their store." Her eyebrows rose. The clothes must have been expensive then. "The hotel sent them up."

She slipped her hand under the pillow where she left her dagger so Cassian wouldn't take it while she slept. He was surely waiting for an opportunity to do so.

"I'm going to shower and then we can go."

She locked herself in the bathroom before he could make a comment about her smell and set the dagger on top of her bag, which she placed on the counter, before peeling off her clothes. The shallow cut Jack gave her with his icicle was an angry red line on her arm. She'd cleaned off the blood in the airport bathroom the best she could, which wasn't much. Her hair was still only black. The magic in it hadn't decided to be a prick yet but it was only a matter of time. When the white did appear, she wouldn't be able to stand the sight of it, not after the reception she received from her cousin with whom she shared the color.

After Faryn showered and tugged on the bodycon dress, she converted the holster of her dagger to wrap around her thigh. The shape of the dagger was visible underneath her dress, but It wasn't uncommon for Acurials to be armed. Especially when it came to Fae and Elves.

If Faryn hadn't been as tired as she was, she probably wouldn't have managed to fall asleep alone in the same room as Cassian.

When she exited the bathroom, she reached for her boots and grimaced. They were meant for the snow not form-fitting dresses. She put them on anyway and faced Cassian.