Page 5 of Fated to Monsters

Wren runs her hand through her hair and sighs. “If we knew anything of this world, I would say yes, but we don’t, Bo. We don’t know what’s out there.”

“I’m with Wren,” Wes chimes in.

Of course, he and his stupid mutt are with her.

Dash scoots in closer. “He’s lying about something, isn’t he?”

“Definitely,” Everest adds. “But I agree about staying until morning. We’re in no shape to go wandering around a new realm right now.”

Jade reaches across the table and places her hand on top of mine. “Promise me we’ll stick together this time?”

I clench my jaw. “Fine.”

“We’ll figure this out tomorrow, okay?” Wren stands from the table. “In the meantime, I think we could all use some rest.” She extends her arm toward me. “Come on, grumpy.”

I roll my eyes but rise to my feet, too. “I’m picking the room.” Plucking a candle from the table, I go in the direction Tremont went, turn, and go up the winding staircase to the upper level of this large house.

The floorboards creak under my steps despite doing what I can to be quiet.

The landing opens up to a long corridor that seems to go on and on. Six doors are easily visible, and given that Tremont has chosen the first one on the right, I select the first one on the left. That way, we can be near if he tries to pull anything while we’re waiting out the night.

I grip the cold metal door handle and open the door, shoving the candle through to illuminate the space.

It’s large, like one would expect considering the size of the rest of the house.

Dust particles float around the flickering flame, and a chill drifts out to greet me.

"Don't go too far," I tell Jade as she and Everest pass us in search of another room.

“I missed this overprotective brother thing.” She stops at the door just past the bedroom I chose and disappears inside without another word.

I step fully into the bedroom and peruse the contents, noting the squeak of a faucet being shut off in the near distance. Tremont must have finished washing up.

“This is nice,” Wren says as she plops onto the bed with four giant wooden things coming out of each end.

“What are these for?” I grip one of them and shake it.

“Decoration, I think.” She pokes the intricate design and reclines onto her back. “I wonder what it’s like to be this wealthy.”

I raise a brow at her. “You weren’t exactly living in squalor, Birdie.”

Wren props herself up onto her elbows. “This is different and you know it.”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a bathroom through this door.” Dash clears his throat. “It’s equally extravagant.”

Wes opens another door. “There’s a closet here.” He goes in, his entire body vanishing into the space. “Looks like it’s men’s clothing,” he calls out from inside.

I spot a lounge chair near the front of the room when I do a full circle. That will do for keeping post while the others rest their little heads. No fucking way I’m getting a second of sleep when Mr. Secrets is just across the hall, scheming Angels know what.

Wren hops off the bed and fumbles with the fasteners on her top. She pulls and yanks and tugs until she breaks free of its confines and discards it onto the floor.

Wes walks over like an obedient puppy and picks her shirt off the floor, folds it neatly, and sets it on top of the nearby dresser.

I lean against the bedpost and watch her performance.

"What?" She looks up at me as she leans down to drag her bottoms over her bare body.

---