I understand perfectly. And even without looking at her I know Alice does too. Her face flushes a bright, angry red, but she says nothing. We’re in the middle-of-nowhere Georgia. There’s the war, and there are battles. Neither of us chooses this battle.

William, however…

“Excuse me?” William asks, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. “Nothing’s wrong with that bathroom.”

“ ’Cept there is now.” The man shrugs, but a low threat makes itself known in his voice, in the set of his mouth. “Simple as that.”

Fear winds its way around my throat, jerks my heart into a quick rhythm. William could probably take these men in a fight, but there’s no telling what could happen. They could have a gun on them or behind that counter; they could have a knife. If he wanted, this man could use that stained, nasty wooden rod like a weapon. I have the retractable sword, but we’re in tight quarters, and what am I gonna do, slice these men open? Sel’s outside—but anything he could do would expose him as someone not-quite-human. Too many unknowns. “Leave it, Will,” I urge. I tug on his shirtsleeve. “We’re fine.”

But something inside William has snapped. His eyes flash as he steps closer to face the other man. “Are you going to explain to me why you’re not letting my friends use your restroom?”

Alice’s eyes grow wide, bracing herself. But the older man just shakes his head, that smile spreading across his wide, wet-looking mouth. “Nope.”

The man behind the counter leans both hands on the sticky surface. “It’s our store,” he says with a shrug. “We don’t have to explain shit to you.”

The bell over the door dings. “Is there a problem?” Sel steps inside. He sizes the two men up, checks on us, all in the span of a heartbeat.

“What the hell are you supposed to be?” the man exclaims, looking Sel up and down. “Did Halloween come early? What’s wrong with your eyes, kid?”

“Hey!” I say, stepping forward.

Sel holds a hand up to stop me. He forces a flat, emotionless smile on his face. “Is there a problem?” he repeats.

“Not unless y’all want there to be one.” The brother comes around the cash register, and ever so casually leans on the counter, crossing his arms. He looks at Selwyn too, brows furrowed. “You one of them goth kids? What the hell is wrong with your—”

“Can I help you?” Sel asks, voice tight. “If not…”

The man pulls back, looks at us all. “I think y’all need to g’on and leave. Get to your rave or… whatever.”

The only sign that Sel is agitated is the jump in the pulse in his neck. He grits his teeth, glances to William. “We should go, William.”