Page 29 of Unmasked Prophecy

I laugh. Space. It’s something I am learning to love, that’s for sure.

Mera sits beside me, a smile on her face as she waves a small bottle of red nail polish in my face. “You ever done your hair and nails before?”

I shake my head. “No. Sad, I know, but red nails meant...”

Mera’s brows go up. “What?”

I lean closer, whispering. “Whore.”

She bursts out laughing. “Well, girlfriend, let’s whore you up.”

I giggle. It’s hard not to fall in love with Mera. Her personality is warm and strong. I could learn a lot from her, and I’m quite certain with time, she will become a friend I won’t ever want to leave. I have never had a friend like it, and I’m incredibly grateful the universe placed us together.

I watch as she gathers supplies—nail polish, a curling iron, hair ties. I’m not sure what to expect, but the anticipation is a welcome distraction from the chaos in my mind, and the sickness in my body. Hopefully, it fades soon, because it is a yucky feeling that I don’t particularly like.

Mera points to a chair, and I stand, going over to it, keeping the blanket. It doesn’t bother her, and she gets right to work. She starts with my hair, sectioning it and wrapping pieces around the iron. “This might be a little hot,” she tells me, but it doesn’t bother me.

I’m too busy watching her work, amazed at the way each strand falls into perfect, soft waves. As she moves, I can’t help but ask the question that’s been burning in my mind. “What’s a sweetbutt?”

Her hand pauses. She glances at me, and I see the hint of a smile. “It’s basically a club whore. The girls that just come in andhang around, hooking up with the guys. Most of them love the lifestyle and don’t want anything more than to party hard.”

My eyes widen. “Oh. Why would they want that?”

Mera shrugs. “Status? I honestly don’t know, but it’s a thing. Most men go through them until they find their own old lady and then they stop touching them.”

My brows go up. “I still don’t get why they call their women old ladies.”

Mera giggles. “I know, it makes us sound old as hell, but it is a term of endearment, if that means anything.”

“Has Talon ever had an old lady?”

I bite my lip, anticipating an answer I might not like.

Mera shrugs. “I honestly don’t know. I have never asked. Speaking of Talon, are you going to tell me what happened between you two?”

I hesitate, only for a second. “I tried to have sex with him, and it was so amazing, until it wasn’t. He stopped me and then proceeded to tell me he wasn’t going to be the man I wanted. He said he was going to help me, but only because he thinks I deserve it. Not because he wants to fuck me. Apparently, I’m too fragile.”

She gives me a look that’s part pity, part amusement. “What a dick. What do you think about it?”

“I think he doesn’t want me the way I want him.”

Mera smiles softly. “He’s a complicated one, that’s for sure. But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Trust me, he wants you.”

I let out a long breath. “It’s just all so confusing. I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Have you been with a man before?” she asks, her voice careful, as if she’s nervous to ask the question.

I hesitate, the words catching in my throat, but I force them out. “I have. But not because I wanted to. The cult thought I’d bring a chosen child into the world, so they basically set me upwith a man of their choosing, and we were meant to create the next leader.”

Mera’s eyes widen with a mix of horror and empathy. “Nia...”

“It’s fine,” I say quickly. “It’s not like it was rape, not really. I gave consent. I thought I had no choice.”

“Honey, that’s basically the same thing.”

Maybe it is, but it wasn’t horrible, not at the time. Cyrus did try and make me comfortable, and he was never cruel to me. It was only after I ran that he got mean. Before that, he was quite happy to be the man chosen for me.

“It was what I’ve always known,” I say, my voice calm even though inside I want to scream at how bad it sounds.

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