Elwin didn’t even know what time it was, even what day it was if he was being honest, though that seemed less important. So he didn’t know if it was right or not for 613 to be so quiet, so dark.

  Not knowing what else to do, he raised his fist and knocked timidly on the room’s door. It swung open of its own accord.

  Elwin took a step back automatically, fearing what might jump out at him. Nothing did. He cautiously stepped over the threshold.

  The room was messy, and he stared around, squinting in the dark but ultimately was not quite sure what kind of messy he was looking at. Struggle messy? Or just not picking up after yourself messy? Nothing was knocked over or spilled, so not fight for your life messy, surely.

  “Hello-oo?” he called softly. Elwin wasn’t sure if he was doing the right thing or not. If it was too late it was too late . . . there wasn’t much he could do about that. Although he felt a stab of guilt that, but for him, Prin would have never crossed paths with the poor boy. Probably.

  Elwin continued through the room, he bent down and looked under the bed, and behind the door he closed as best he could behind him. “I’m sorry to just barge in . . .” He went to the bathroom and just as he was almost upon it, Prin’s face popped out from behind the slightly open door.

  “Boo,” Prin said. His eyes glowed in the dimly lit room like swamp lanterns. He smiled.

  “Oh! You scared me!” Elwin had expected he might be here but for some reason it still made him gasp and choke on the bigness of his sucked in breath. “What are you doing here?” He asked when he could get it out.

  “I was wondering that about you.” Prin said.

  “I was looking for you . . . all day.” Elwin felt tears gather in the back of his eyes, threatening to overflow. “I just guessed you might be here.” He went toward Prin, reaching out to him, but something stayed his hand. He didn’t touch. Couldn’t just touch this Prin. He guessed he had the barest shred of survival instinct left after all. Fat lot of good it did him.

  “I have been waiting and waiting and waiting.” Prin said. He didn’t break the intense eye contact he had started with the only other living being in this room. His hungry eyes.

  “Maybe he’s not coming back.” Elwin said.

  “Did you tell him not to come back?” Prin tilted his head slightly, almost imperceptibly to the side.

  “Maybe I did.” Elwin lied.

  The silence could have filled the cargo hold of the enormous ship. Then, he laughed. “No, you didn’t.” Prin said.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Elwin urged. “This boy . . . he didn’t do anything wrong. Remember what you said about wanting me to find you a bad person? This kid isn’t it.”

  “That was the other me.” Prin said.

  “Who are you?” Elwin could feel his soul being sucked away by those calm blue pools of light. Somehow the pupils were as black and wide as an empty planet, while the blue of them was still ever expanding. He wrenched his eyes away, focusing instead on the sweet pink bow of a mouth, the black ringlet curl that fell by the side of his face, the line of his pale cheekbone. All things Elwin loved. Familiar things. Things that belonged to Prin, and always had.

  “I’m Prin.” Prin said. “You named me that.”

  “I . . .” Elwin’s mind struggled to come up with the right words. “I named HIM that.” He said simply.

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  Prin laughed again. “Silly boy.” He reached out and took ahold of Elwin’s shirt, pulling him close enough for their lips to graze.

  Elwin didn’t resist. He may be kissed, or he may be bitten but it wasn’t in him to try and get away. Whatever would be, would be. He felt Prin’s hot breath on his face.

  Prin suddenly pulled him into the bathroom, behind the door. He pinched Elwin’s lips together, hissing softly. “Shhh.”

  The door to the room slammed open with undo force, and from the cracked open edge of the bathroom door, Elwin could see two people tumble inside with their arms wrapped around each other.

  It was Kit and another man, possibly the one who had been asking him for money to gamble.

  Elwin was relieved for a split second that Kit had not come home alone, as Prin would surely hesitate to attack two of them at once. He was also relieved they didn’t turn on the light.

  But Prin’s eyes, would surely be visible watching them intently through the crack in the bathroom door. Did panthers ever have blue eyes?

  Then, as the sound of kissing and clothing shuffling filled the small room, and the feeling of Prin’s body pressed close against his made him feel like he was running a temperature, all Elwin could think was . . . we’re trapped. We’re trapped in this bathroom and will absolutely be discovered.

  “Wait. I said wait!” Kit pulled away from the other young man. “What’s wrong with my door?”

  “Who cares?” the other one groaned.

  Kit turned on the light and looked around the room. He peeked in his jewelry box and the night stand drawer. “Doesn’t look like anything was taken.” He scratched his disheveled black hair.

  The other young man was indeed the tall blond from before. He looked more irritated than anything. Annoyed at the delay, but perhaps annoyed at his own desires to even be there at all.

  “It’s just the salt air, humidity, probably made the wood expand or some shit.” The blond reached for Kit. “Don’t worry about it, babe, come here.”

  “No, I think I’ve changed my mind.” Kit said.

  The other man sat down on the bed and patted it, shoving the clothes off onto the floor. “Too late for that. Come here, kitten.”

  Kit snorted, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You aren’t winning me over.”

  “Why?”

  “The way you act toward me in public . . . I don’t expect lovey dovey, but open contempt is a bit much.” Kit said. “You’re making me feel like I have no self-respect.”

  “What? You know I don’t mean any of that. You are the respectingest – self-respect – Aww, you know what I mean.” The blond took a flask from his pocket and took a swig.

  “I’m asking you to leave. You can come back when you like me as a person.” Kit took the larger man’s arm and pulled on him until he relented and stood up. Kit then pushed him to the door.

  “I do like you.”

  Kit snorted. “Prove it.” He took the flask from the other man and took a healthy swig from it. “Prove it, or die for all I care. I can find another one.”

  As the young man sputtered a protest, Kit shoved him out the door and slammed it behind him.

  Well, he attempted to slam it but since it was broken it just swing forward and bumped against the young man as he made his ignominious exit. Grumbling all the while.

  Kit sat down on the edge of his bed and sighed.

  The light in the room was still on all this while, and Elwin could feel the lump in his guts rise up to his throat, sure they were about to be discovered any second. And once discovered, despite the unlockable door . . . it didn’t seem like something Kit would survive.

  He didn’t have Aster’s unpredictable fairy friend to protect him.

  Kit’s eyes scanned the room.

  Elwin could feel Prin’s breathing speed up beside him. His heart was racing. He was excited.

  Kit stood up and smoothed his hair down. He checked his watch.

  Then, much to Elwin’s surprise, he left the room.

  Prin let out a little squeak of disappointment. It was almost cute.

  Elwin rubbed Prin’s head, playing with the curls between his fingers. If he could just get him away from the baby faced, sweet, Kit, he would try not to complain about who he got ahold of next.

  He thought of something that might work. “We have to get out of here, Prin.” It pained Elwin to even call him that. “He’s probably gone to get maintenance to fix the door. If we don’t leave the workman will find us and throw us in ship jail.” It was probably even true, which would surely work in Elwin’s favor.

  “We will be outnumbered.” Prin said.

  “Yes.”

  They waited a minute more, Elwin trying to make sure Kit had time to get well away so they wouldn’t run into him.

  “Okay, lets go.” Elwin took his hand. Prin’s hand, whoever this was’s hand. He would have to come up with a name for the other-Prin creature.

  Prin allowed himself to be led to the door.

  “We’ll find someone, I’ll help you.” Elwin assured. He felt massive relief as they left the room. He knew the ordeal wasn’t over, but at least Prin’s attention could focus on someone el—

  “It was you in my room!?” Kit stood outside the door, laying in wait in the hallway. “The both of you?” Kit’s arms were crossed over his chest. He already looked well put together again, calm and collected in his dark blue velvet suit with a gold and diamond snake coiled on his lapel, like he had never been disheveled at all.