“I think there must be something about this outfit that says ‘Bellhop’,” Fallon complained lightly, easing past her aunt and crooking a finger at Ari and her companions to follow.
You did good, Jai told her softly.
They’re scared of me.
They’ll come around.
Not so sure and feeling more upset being around two people who knew her so well as to know how upsetting she’d find people not liking her before they even knew her, Ari was glad when Fallon dropped Charlie and Jai off at the room they’d be sharing with the twins and led her to a smaller room right at the back of the house. The room was small, but it had a gorgeous patio door that led right out to the pool.
“You’re sharing with me.” Fallon collapsed back onto one of the twin beds. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s good.” Eyeing the pale walls and colorless bare room, it was any wonder that the collection of jewels and silver on the whitewashed dresser caught Ari’s attention. “You have a lot of jewelry.”
Fallon bounced up off the bed and strode over to the necklaces and bracelets, fingering them lovingly. “They’re talismans. The metals and stones fuel my energy, my magic.”
“Oh. That makes sense.”
Fallon grinned wryly at her as Ari dumped her bag on the spare bed. “You’re not at all what I was expecting.”
“Question mark?” It was something Rachel used to say in the tenth grade when she didn’t quite understand something. Ari had no idea what made her say it then. Homesickness maybe.
Chuckling, Fallon shook her head, spikes of dark hair flying around her oval face. “When we were told about you, we were like whoa… so don’t mind the scaredy-cats out in the sitting room. I thought you’d be like… I don’t know… freaky-looking. Then you and those guys turn up looking like the cast of a hit vampire TV show and blew my preconceptions all to hell. You’re eighteen, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Me too. Is the guy?”
Ari frowned. “What guy?”
“Silversuns t-shirt guy. He’s hot. I mean, so is the other guy — if you’re into that stern-faced, bad-ass reputation, outrageously good-looking type. I prefer the unkempt hottie with the tattoo.”
At the thought of Fallon and Charlie hooking up, Ari’s stomach clenched. She didn’t know if it was just that her body was so used to reacting like that, or if a part of her was still jealous at the thought of Charlie being with another girl. Surely not.
Her continued silence made Fallon frown. “Is there a thing there? Between you two?”
“Not anymore. No.” Ari shook her head and at Fallon’s disbelieving look, she shrugged weakly. “It’s complicated.”
“So I should back off?”
If Ari told the girl to back off and that got back to Charlie, he’d surely get the wrong message. No. It was time to finally let him go. “No. Charlie’s free to date whoever he wants. He’s just going through something right now so tread carefully.”
“The sorcerer thing?”
Ari’s mouth fell open. “The Red King told you?”
Fallon shrugged. “It’s no big deal. We’re just keeping an eye on him. Actually, when you think about it, he’s in the best place he can be. Here he can learn to control his abilities.”
“I’m not sure that was the idea,” Ari argued, worry eating at her despite her promise not to care what Charlie did with his life. “It’s better if he doesn’t use his magic too much.”
“Well, you’re the boss I guess, but I would have thought you’d want him controlling it not it controlling him.”
Feeling annoyed at being questioned, Ari turned away to look out at the tranquil pool. It looked so inviting. “He’s learning to control his defensive magic. That should do for now.”
“He should learn how to use talismans, Ari. Magic within someone who’s got human blood is a powerful thing. It can be a like a drug if you don’t learn to control the psychological effects of having it in your system.”
“You don’t understand what he wants it for. If you did, you’d agree with me.”
“Does he want to use his magic?”