Page 6 of Outcast Fae
“And rule number four: we may add new rules at any time. Got it?”
No one responded. We knew there was no room for discussion.
“Now,” she continued pleasantly, “let’s go around the group and introduce ourselves. You?”
She pointed at Wallace. He cleared his throat and introduced himself even though we knew his first name already. He’d since settled down after throwing the chair. I guessed a man turning into a huge bear might do that to someone’s resolve. Wallace’s upper lip twitched as I watched him closely. His hair was styled in a strange way, shaved on the sides and with a very tall and slender strip in the middle, which stood up straight, defying all logic and gravity. It was the color of strawberries, though at the roots his natural color had pushed out of his scalp about two finger-lengths. A silver ring hung between his nostrils, and a row of smaller rings pierced his left eyebrow. He also wore earrings and had a series of small tattoos and rings on his fingers.
“Wallace Nelson? What a stupid name,” the clean-cut male muttered after Wallace introduced himself.
The clean-cut male sat to my right and didn’t seem able to seal his mouth, making comments at every turn. He was thin with pale blond hair and brown eyes. He wore a self-important expression like a mask and dark-rimmed glasses that he kept adjusting.
“Two first names. Sounds like it should be Nelson Wallace instead.” He laughed at what he thought was a funny joke.
Humans’ humor often escaped me, but I didn’t seem to be the only one who didn’t get it because no one else laughed.
Wallace ignored him. He’d seemed wild when he’d attacked Silver Bear, but now he just looked furiously at the old man.
“I go by Wally,” he added, his dark brown eyes fixed on Silver Bear. The shifter had changed back into his human shape, redressed, and sat next to Meadow Song, looking perfectly calm as if nothing had happened. Wally’s glare spewed hatred likeno one’s business—as humans liked to say.
“Thank you, Wally,” Meadow Song said, smiling sweetly at him despite the fact he’d tried to kill her companion with a metal chair or that this whole situation was insane. If this was her job, she was probably used to disruptive teens afterall.
“Why don’tyoutell us your name?” the dark-haired girl with the glasses asked the clean-cut guy. “I bet it’samazing.” She pronounced the word ‘amazing’ with exaggerated care, batting her eyelashes as if it were her special skill.
“It’syourturn,flim,” the clean-cut male said, peering at her from the end of his nose, pronouncing the last word with contempt. He laughed again.
This time Vaughn, who sat next to the clean-cut male, let a slight smile twist his lips.
“Now, now,” Meadow Song said, “we will not use derogatory insults here. We will respect each other. That is the first rule, actually.” She glanced toward the girl. “Go ahead and tell us your name, sweetheart.”
The girl was seething, her eyes set on the clean-cut male as if she could roast him like a pig over a fire. I nearly expected him to go up in flames. I’d seen my share of what Supers could do, and I wouldn’t have been surprised in the least.
Flim… Whatever that meant. I was sure it wasn’t anything nice.
It took the girl a moment to compose herself and tear her deep black eyes away from the male.
“My name is Daniella Estevez,” she said, then folded her hands over her lap and stared at the floor. She was tiny. Delicate. I worried she wouldn’t last long with the other rougher looking inmates.
Oh, sorry,campmates.
“Anything else you’d like to share with us right now?” Meadow Song asked.
Daniella shook her head. “Nope. I’ll save the girl talk for s’mores time around the campfire,” she said sarcastically.
“Fine. Now, it is your turn.” Meadow Song turned to the clean-cut male.
He seemed to preen like a bird doing its mating dance. His spine straightened. His nose rose even higher, and he ran a hand over his short hair.
“My name is Elon Jenkins,” he said, his eyebrows arching, his chest inflating like a frigatebird.
Meadow Song opened her mouth, possibly to encourage him to say more, but there was no need for it. He needed no encouragement.
“I am here voluntarily,” he said. “I made a deal with my parents because of…” He waved a hand. “Well, because of reasons. I’m no criminal like the lot of you. And I can leave whenever I want. All I have to do is call my parents, and they’ll take care of it.”
Over his crossed arms, Silver Bear rolled his eyes but said nothing. Meadow Song just gave Elon another of her overly-sweet smiles, then invited Vaughn to speak.
Vaughn crossed his arms to match Silver Bear’s, muscles twitching in his forearms to betray his restlessness, but refused to say anything.
“Okay,” Meadow Song said. “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk right now. I can introduce you. This is Vaughn Collins, and he goes by,” she checked his folder, “Vaughn,” she added with a giggle.
