With everything fixed between us all again, I gathered my bag – a large black duffle which had been stored in my closest for emergencies but never used – and followed Mischa into the second door past Grace’s. I had no idea what the hell sort of clothes Louis would have packed for me. It didn’t much matter anyway, I didn’t care as long as it wasn’t ruffled or lacey. Once we stepped into the surprisingly large room, decked out with two double beds and a full length mirrored-door closest, I threw my stuff down and crashed onto the soft bed.

Mischa stood over me, hands on her hips. “You doing okay? I can’t even imagine how you’re still going after the last few days.”

I scooted forward, placing my elbows down on the bed so I could prop myself up. “I’ve never understood why people say things like that. It isn’t as if I had a choice. Trust me, I would much rather be lying bikini clad on a beach getting my tan on.”

Mischa laughed. “You’ve never even been to the beach.”

Rub it in why don’t you.

I shrugged. “We have to keep moving forward, there’s no other option.”

My bluntness didn’t seem to offend her. Instead she smiled. “You are so literal, I was really just sympathizing with everything you’ve been through.”

Oh, right. Humans were weird with that “say one thing and mean another” crap. Mischa had zero actual human in her, but some of their tendencies rubbed off on her while she’d been hidden in their world.

“You want to shower first?” she asked.

I dropped myself back onto the comfy bed. “Nah, you go ahead.”

She turned away to riffle through her bag. “So do you think this place is just a sanctuary for dragon marked?”

I’d been running the possibilities through my mind since we’d entered the mountain. I had many theories. “I do get the feeling there is more to it than a simple sanctuary.” It was pretty ironic that a world which had been allegedly created to shelter supes from the wrath of the dragon king, was now used to protect his “marked” supernaturals. Someone, at some point in time, had manufactured a genius switcheroo.

Mischa continued to chatter about the different zones, leaving the bathroom door open. I mumbled and nodded, but truth be told I think I might have fallen asleep for a bit.

“Gah!” I yelled as hands shook me, bolting upright. “What? What happened?” My head swiveled left and right, but there seemed to be nothing in the room except my clean, soapy-scented sister. Her hair was damp and she had on new jeans and a long-sleeved tank.

“Your turn.” Her grin was a little wicked, as if she’d enjoyed shocking the shit out of me. Nasty. Probably payback for falling asleep on her.