Page 30 of Failed State

Sebastian scoffs, pushing off the wall to walk over to one of the chairs. “I don’t think it will help anyone to have a misery pissing contest. We just need the demon to finish so we can order the damn food, swap info, eat, and fuck off to our own spaces for the night.”

Her eyes narrow and Sydney whips her head over to sniff at him. “Maybe you’ll have to fuck off because no one likes traitors, but some of us might actually end up hanging out for a bit.”

“What?”

She caught the bear unawares with that one, so it tells me social interaction is not normal for her, either. I find myself unable to avoid jumping in to help though I have no obligation to do so. “We might, indeed, little rebel.”

I might even look forward to it, even if I can never truly integrate with any of them because my only goal is getting the fuck out of this prison.

WASHING THOSE MEN OUT OF MY HAIR

SYDNEY

I hatethat the other clowns in this room realize that Huck was keeping shit from me. Revealing a weakness to people we don’t trust wasn’t on my bingo card, but then almost nothing that’s happened today was, so I guess it’s par for the course.

Fucking stupid men as far as the eye can see.

It takes longer than I expect for him to pull his weird magic tentacle things back into himself, and when he does, his handsome face splits into a satisfied grin. His voice is high-pitched and tinged with humor as he intones, “This place is clean.”

“Again with thePoltergeistreferences,” Thad mutters with an eye roll.

Huck gives him a squinty glare. “It’s a demon’s purview to relentlessly mock the humans’ ridiculous attempts to showcase the supernatural pre-Unveiling.”

“They’re much less cutesy since they imprisoned us, demon,” Elias rumbles. “But your efforts are appreciated.”

I nod, noting the strain he’s hiding at the corner of his eyes. “Agreed. However, I think we should get on with ordering dinner then we can take turns at cleaning up. I don’t know about youfools, but I haven’t had the pleasure of aprivate showerlong enough to debate whether I want that or food more.”

The mage and the vampire both watch me with unchanged expressions, but the surprised vibes emanating from their auras tell me they’ve had amuchnicer life than the rest of us. Rory clears his throat, then walks over to pick up the menu. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I think a metric fuck ton of pizza is in order. We can save the leftovers in the kitchenette out there, so we’ll have snacks later.”

Thad snorts. “Now Iknowyou’ve been coddled.”

“How the fuck would you know that, bear?”

“Because you think there will be leftovers of any kind,” the dragon says with a scoff. “Those of us living therealsector life would never leave a goddamn scrap of food to waste.”

He blinks, looking at the rest of us, and everyone but Sebastian shrugs. “Damn.”

Now the question is: where have these two been lounging while most supes are inches from starving in relative squalor?

The mystery of the two privileged dicks followed me throughout my shower, and as I finish giving my long hair the best wash it’s had in four years, I’m still frowning. I always assumed the vampires were given better accommodations than the rest of us to reward their betrayal, but how the hell did Rory manage it? Did he do the same shit the supes here do to get preferential treatment? My eyes widen as I work conditioner through my locks, imagining him sucking up to sugar daddies and mommies as vile as the ones in Tempest Seven to get what he wanted. A growl echoes off the tile and a small spark zings from my fingertips to the wall, bouncing like a pinball until it disappears.

What the everloving fuck was that?!

Swallowing hard, I suck in a deep breath to calm myself. My magic hasneverbeen that visible, not even before the Markers. My hands are shaking as I step closer to the wall of the stall, running my finger over the remnants of energy on the hard marble. “How the hell…”

A burning sensation on the back of my neck makes me wince, and I pull my hand away from the stone to rub it gingerly. Whatever that damn centaur did is finally manifesting and I have no fucking clue what that’s going to mean. I didn’t eventhinkabout shooting a magical firework; it just happened. What else can I do now that I’ve grown into powers I didn’t have access to during puberty? The thought frightens me because if I don’t mute the damn things, someone might figure out I’ve been un-Marked.

I’d prefer not to be executed for treason before the death matches, if possible.

“Get a grip, Syd,” I mutter to myself as I grab the loofah hanging from the hook on the wall and drizzle body soap onto it. Not only do we get to have a private wash area, but the shit in here smells like heaven—a fresh floral scent of jasmine, vanilla, ylang-ylang, and vetiver that makes my eyes water with an odd happiness. I was never very girly—a hazard of growing up with a single dad—but this damn body wash has me by the throat.

Once I’ve used every single product in this haven of cleanliness, I’ve been scrubbed, polished, buffed, shaved, and scented within an inch of my life. Stepping out into the steamy room, I use the towel to wipe the mirror off then dry myself. The reflection I see when I’m drying my hair is like a different person. My skin is glowy, my hair shines, and except for the pronounced bones, I appear to be a healthy young woman.

No wonder people are pimping themselves for access to this kind of shit; I feel like a new person.

“I couldn’t live with myself, though,” I say with a sigh. Picking up the brush on the counter, I pull it through my blond locks, then twist it into my signature braid quickly. “Even if this lifts some of the burden of being in these hellholes, I’m too stupidly proud to use myself as a bargaining tool.”

My moment of epiphany may not change me, but my brain suddenly accepts the desperate acts of those who choose that path. I shouldn’t have been judging them for doing what they had to in order to survive the depressing reality of supe life since Taterman took over. Happiness is more than fleeting here, and you can only use what you have. No one has money, so their bodies and service are all they have to barter, unlike me.

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