Page 32 of Of Monsters Of Kings

Toil, Sigil, and Hex. Men in threes, I steer clear of thee. But I hadn’t then, and I wouldn’t be allowed to now. Another skeleton crew was before me, and they possessed that special eerie quality that I’d noticed in See’s princes—the quality I’d never noticed in a normal, human skeleton crew in my entire life. These weren’t the run-of-the-mill thugs in Vitale that engaged in petty crime per the orders of their skull.

This crew was of the monstrous kind.

“Good evening, Hex,” I said, glancing back. “Like I said, the new owner doesn’t know his plans. Would you like me to pass on your names when I next see his crew?”

Three identical smirks widened their mouths.

“That would be lovely, fair maiden.” Toil swept a bow.

My skin began to itch as dawn sank down into its darker cousin. “Then I will bid you a good night for now.” I stole a peek at the dying sun.

The three exchanged a look, and then each executed a graceful bow made eerie by their extreme likeness to one another. Unlike See’s princes who each appeared different aside from their shared owlish demeanor, I could believe these new monsters to be triplets.

“We bid you good night. Until another time,” said Sigil.

The three men walked away, whispering. Toil stopped to hook the rope barrier up again.

My skin itched a second time.

I turned from the skeleton crew and strode to the stairwell. I’d chosen the most concealing outfit from the guest’s suitcase this morning. The dress had sleeves that hugged tight and widened into trailing cuffs that could hide my entire hand. Though full-length in style, a long slit traveled to the middle of my right thigh. The cut of the neckline was square and lower than I’d ever worn, but in the suitcase, I’d also found a wide lace choker adorned on the bottom edge with jewels and thin, black chains. This managed to cover a terrible row of stitches across the base of my neck. All of this to say that while most of my body was covered, my face was not, and when I walked, some of my right leg was revealed with each step. If this skeleton crew looked hard enough, they could see what I was.

I’d go inside my room and watch to ensure they left.

I bowed my face and turned it to the wall while walking to my room. Once inside, I leaned against the door and blew out a breath.

“Fortifications,” I said. That’s what I had to work on. I’d make a rudimentary version of King See’s portcullis and gateway, and then wandering people wouldn’t see me beyond dusk. I had an inkling the citizens of Vitale would react to monsters much as they did to invalids. I didn’t wish to be thrown over the wall. That would be a sore change in fate after the sudden hotel riches that had fallen onto my unskilled lap.

I sat in the armchair by the window and toyed with a tear in the leather under my hand. Was the crew still here?

I pulled aside the yellowed drape covering the barred window. A shriek leaped into my head at the eye outside the window visible through the thick dust. I locked gazes with the eye with no option to do otherwise at such a shock.

The eye had no discernible color, but as the man pulled back a tiny bit, I saw through the clear patch in the dust that Toil had returned. The small square of his face appeared gray in the settling dusk. From that small glimpse, I could tell that Toil stared back in almost equal shock.

I flushed, realizing what he saw.

A monster.

What would he do now?

Toil lifted a finger, never blinking to break our locked stare, and drew a heart in the dust.

A heart. Whatever did he mean by that?

“My lady.” His voice was muffled through the glass. “You amaze, you inspire, you compel.”

My flush deepened, and I released the yellowed drape to block him from sight, but mostly to block his sight of me.

I called through the glass. “Kindly do not tell anyone what you’ve seen, Toil.”

“Will you not come out so that Hex and Sigil might see you?” he replied.

“Not tonight,” I warbled. Not any night. “Please do not tell anyone, and please do not return.”

I heard a thud on the door.

Whispers erupted outside.

“He’ll want to see her,” someone hushed. Hex, I thought.

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