Burn Bright

Retra found the petite nuit rooms running off one end of the gallery. Suki was already lying in one wearing a black satin shift. Rollo was on the next bed in red silky boxers. Both had their eyes open but unfocused, telling Retra that they were deep in petite nuit.

She found an empty bed on the other side of the room, kicked off her shoes and slipped under the covers, not bothering to change.

Her drowse was uneasy, filled with whispers and unwanted touches, and arguments with Joel. Demons appeared then vanished to the beat of Markes’s music. She searched for Markes in the dark but could only find Cal. The white-haired girl kept talking to her but Retra couldn’t understand the language she spoke. Then Ripers’ faces crowded in close and she came out of petite nuit with a start. Blinking, she looked around.

Suki was sitting cross-legged on her bed with Rollo. They were playing a finger game, trying to grab each other’s first. Suki was winning easily.

Rollo noticed Retra and poked Suki. ‘She’s back with us.’

Suki bounced up off her bed. ‘We’ve been waiting for you. We’re starving. Let’s get changed.’

Retra stretched and quickly got to her feet. Now she was refreshed, a strong sense of unease had beset her. ‘I’m going to bathe.’

‘Rollo said we should go to Blissed to eat.’

‘Where’s that?’

‘Outside Bella Death,’ said Rollo. ‘They’ve got wicked sausages.’

‘Wait for us while we get dressed.’

Rollo clutched his stomach. ‘Wait for you? I’m surely gonna starve to death.’