Page 27 of A Dream of Stars and Curses

‘Huh? You heard about it?’

Sunitha gives a small nervous laugh. ‘Yeah. I think the entire Veiled community has heard about it by now, though I’ve no idea how it spread. I thought it was a hoax, you know?’ She blinks like she’s really seeing us for the first time. ‘That explains what I smelled when I entered.’

I remember her crinkled nose. ‘You mean it wasn’t the decor?’

I probably shouldn’t have said that, but she laughs again.

‘No. I think you have a lovely home. No, there was... something else. Something not human.’

Bonnie and I exchange a glance, and I nod. We’ve come this far now and Sunitha is one of the Veiled herself, so I deem it safe to say a little more.

‘The Dreamcatcher and the Mara were in this room,’ Bonnie says. ‘There was a vampire, too.’

‘And a witch,’ I add, ‘though she probably smells human to you.’

It does make me curious how Bonnie and I smell to her, if anything about our scent changed when we gained our super sight. I don’t suppose I’ll ever know; I’m a little sad about that.

Sunitha sniffs the air and shakes her head. ‘No, it’s not that.’ She shrugs. ‘Anyway, that’s why you left?’ she asks Bonnie.

My sister nods. ‘I didn’t— I should have reacted better. We want to help the Veiled, not—’ She sighs. ‘It was different when I met the others in person. I knew it was coming. Seeing your scales and tail... I had no idea. I’m really sorry I ran.’

Sunitha smiles. ‘And here I thought you didn’t like me in a bikini.’

I give Bonnie another nudge to say I told you so.

‘No, that’s not...’ Bonnie blushes. ‘I think you’re beautiful.’

I clear my throat and get up. Sounds like it’s time I excused myself. I have something to ask Kate, anyway:

Sunitha clearly smelled something in our house, but it’s not the Dreamcatcher, the Mara, or Leverett? What the hell is it, then? She expected the smell of humans—whatever that is—so it’s not me, my sister, or Kate. She expected Lady, too, so it’s not her. A shiver runs over my arms and down my back.

If it’s none of us... what is it?

I feel lighter as soon as I step outside, like a blanket has slipped off my shoulders. I guess I was more awkward with Sunitha in the living room than I thought. It’s really Bonnie’s conversation to have, so I’m more than happy to clear out. Maybe I’ll go for a nice long walk once I’ve talked to Kate, just in case they get up to anything while I’m out.

I couldn’t stop thinking about what Sunitha said when I was still at home, but now that I’m standing in front of Kate’s door, I’m ninety-eight percent sure I overreacted. Of course she sensed something that isn’t human. She said it’s none of the Veiled we listed, but what makes me think she can be so sure? Sunitha is only... well, not human, obviously, but I’m sure mermaids are capable of making mistakes, too. Maybe she hasn’t smelled many Dreamcatchers before and got it wrong. In fact, she probably hasn’t. How many of them can there be? I shiver at the thought of a whole army’s worth. Frankly, two would be too many.

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