AN HOUR PASSED BEFORE Rhiannon knocked at the door of the hotel room. The sky was darker than ever and rain was a relentless presence for most of the day.
Caia’s heart was in her throat as she opened the door and gestured to her friend to enter. Archai was standing on the other side of the room by a green arm chair in the corner, and Rhiannon froze when she saw him. Caia smiled reassuringly. “It’s all right,” she said as she locked the bolt. “Rhiannon, this is Archai.”
“Yeah, I remember him from the beach,” Rhiannon said, flicking her attention between her friend and the strange man in the corner. "What’s going on? And why is your head being swallowed by an ugly crocheted monstrosity?”
Caia touched her hat with a frown. She knew it wasn’t pretty, but it was necessary. Her hair was far f
