Carlo comes out of the back of the shop with an envelope in his hand. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” I pause spraying down my chair after my last client.

He waves the envelope at me. “Taran asked me to run this across the street to Annika. Something from Nosko, I think. About a private showing later on next month?”

“Right. We’re all contributing something as well.” I set the spray bottle and paper towels aside. “I’ll come with you.”

“Are you making something for the show?” Carlo waits while I grab my wallet and he takes my hand.

“Eventually, yeah.”

He taps the signal button on the pole while we stand at the street corner to wait for the light. “Eventually? You haven’t started it?”

“I will. I have had other things on my mind.”

We trot across the street and duck into the Annika’s shop.

Rayne jumps up from the chair when we walk in. “Hey guys.”

“Hey, Rayne. Is Annika free? We have something for her.”

“Yeah, go on back.” She’s smiling at Carlo and gives him a friendly nod.

I’m amazed at how resilient she’s proven to be. If anyone has a reason to have something against Carlo, it’s her. He was responsible for her kidnapping and keeping her under control when those assholes had her.

Yet she found it in herself to forgive him. Her sister came around after that and they’ve gotten on very well. I don’t think they’ll ever be best friends, but the tension when the three are in the same room is very low key, if not completely nonexistent.

I asked Annika about it and she said that Goldie and Rayne believe the same way Varos did when we first met Carlo. That the Carlo who worked for those people is not the Carlo now and shouldn’t be judged on something he doesn’t remember doing.

It’s extremely generous of them and goes to show just how wonderful they both are. I don’t know many unicorn shifters but if these two are anything to judge by, they’re pretty awesome.

Annika is standing over Goldie as she works on a client. “Looking good, honey. Don’t forget after-care instruction when you’re done.”

She lifts her chin when she sees us. With a friendly pat on Goldie’s shoulder, she meets us halfway. “What’s up?”

Carlo hands her the envelope. “Taran said Nosko said to give that to you.”

Annika presses her lips together and opens the envelope. “Taran is a lazy bastard.”

“If you’re looking at me to defend him, you’ll be waiting a unicorn’s age.”

“Hey…” came the warning from the front of the shop. Goldie snickers.

“It’s the contract. If you have a few minutes to wait, I’ll read it, sign it if it looks good and send it back with you. Save you a trip.”

“Or you a trip.”

She snaps her gum at me, then turns on her heel to the front counter. “Is there a pen up here?”

“You’re gonna need to order a new box, Anni,” Rayne says as she ducks under the counter to look. “They’re considered souvenirs and the clients walk out with them.”

“That’s what they’re there for. You should tell Taran to looking into getting pens with the shop name and number on it, Sako. It’s great and cheap advertising.”

“It’s not Taran we have to sell on it. Bronaz is such a tight ass these days, wanting to see every expenditure. Want some help?”

“We got it.” Rayne holds them up in victory and then opens the box to hand one to Annika. She refills the pen holder.

Annika leans agains the counter as she reads over the contract. Every so often, she nods. When she’s done, she uncaps a pen and signs it, handing it and the envelope back to Carlo. “So how are you guys doing? Things jumping on your side of the street?”

“Not any more than usual. Now that we’ve been open a while, business has settled down to a steady pace. But not a lot of rush coming in the doors.”

“Panic tattooing is not a thing. Steady is good.”

Goldie walks up with the client. “Don’t leave yet, guys. I have some news.” She goes through the instructions that all good artists know by heart for the client to protect their investment.

After that’s done, Goldie jumps up to sit on the counter. “I meant to text Varos this but I lost my cell phone. And then I was going to come over and tell you and the client came in and Annika said I could do it. And now you’re here so I can tell you!”

“Goldie…” Rayne reaches across the counter to push on her sister’s shoulder. “What she’s going to tell you is that we’ve been talking up this thing you guys are doing, trying to get other shifters on board to band together against these loser haters. We’ve got the word out with our fellow unicorns and the griffins and a few other mythicals. They’re talking it up right now and we should hear something soon regarding whether we can count on their support. I gave them Varos’ number to coordinate through him. I hope that was okay.”

“That’s a great idea.” I’m thrilled and a little surprised. I wouldn’t blame Rayne or Goldie if they had decided to not help. They’re under no obligation, especially after everything they’ve been through.

But Rayne is a hardass if there ever was one. The complete opposite of her sister in every way that it’s weird to consider them family at all.

“Thanks, guys. We really will need all the help we can get.”

“You will,” Annika says. “That’s why I’ve started to spread the word among my people. The feedback I’ve gotten so far is positive. So when Taran’s a little closer to a plan and needing us to mobilize, let me know and I’ll contact them.”

Goldie and Rayne exchange glances, their eyes growing wide. “Oooh.” There’s a weird sort of reverence in their voice.

“Who’s—”

I cut Carlo’s question off. “That’s amazing, Annika, thank you. One of us will let you know as soon as we have something for you.”

Carlo closes his mouth. Confusion furrows his brow but he doesn’t say any more.

“We should get back.” I tug on Carlo to follow. He stumbles behind me as he catches up.

There’s a collision at the front door as a young man tries to push in as I try to push out. Carlo runs into me from behind and we both quick step it back to open the door for the guy.

“Whoops!” He steps in and to the side. “Sorry about that. Traffic jam at Immortal Ink.”

He’s short, standing not much taller than Annika. His hair is striped orange, pink and yellow, but it’s muted like a sunset, almost natural. Like Annika, he has rings on every finger and many piercings along each ear. His billowy red silk shirt is held in place by painfully tight black slacks, the legs of which disappear into heavy combat boots with chrome toes.

If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were brother and sister. In fact, I’m not really sure they’re not. Annika is so mercurial when it comes to information about herself. We’ve been neighbors, competition, and friends for months now and we still know very little about her.

Annika swoops in and drags the guy in to a hug. “You always have that affect on people.”

We’re all left standing there staring at Annika. She is the sort of woman who is very particular about who touches her.

“Yes I do,” he says, not so humbly. “It’s part of my seductive charm.”

“Never sure why it doesn’t work on me.” Annika hooks her arm in his and draws him forward. “Pharos, let me introduce you. This is Goldie, my apprentice.”

Goldie waves energetically. “Hi! It’s nice to meet you, whoever you are.”

“Goldie!” Rayne flaps hand out to slap her sister on the arm.

“Apprentice? My darling, you’re not thinking of retiring, you?”

“No, but it never helps to start encouraging new talent. And that is her sister, Rayne.”

“Ah! You’re the poor little bird who was taken by those beasts.”

Rayne shrugs. “That’s me. But I’m back, no worse for wear.”

“Good thing, too.” Pharos turns to me and gives me the once over. Did he just inspect me? “You’re from the competition, am I right? I must be right.” He leans in and whispers loudly. “The arms gave it away.”

“Sako.” I’m not sure if I should shake hands. If he’s anything like Annika in that regard, he’s not fond of being touched unless it’s by someone he knows and trusts. “And this is my mate, Carlo.”

“Carlo. Sako. Rayne. Goldie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Come back in the office, we have a lot to catch up on.” To me and Carlo, she nods. “I’ll be in touch later. Rayne, can you watch the front for a little while longer?”

Rayne waves at them and shoves her sister off the counter. “Go get the Windex so we can clean the glass door.”

I use that as my opportunity to leave.

Once we’re at the corner, Carlo turns to me, hand on hip. “Why did you cut me off? You never cut me off.”

“You were going to ask her what kind of shifter she was, right?”

“Yeah. Well actually, I was going to ask who’s your people. How did you know I would?”

“Because it’s a natural question a non- mythical shifter would ask. Mythicals shifters don’t ask. It’s considered rude.”

“Why?”

The crosswalk light turns and we head back across before the time runs out. “It goes back to what I told you about why mythical shifters feel the necessity to maintain their anonymity. It’s hard to trust when you feel like a target is on your back.”

To his credit, Carlo falls silent to consider what I told him. “I get it. Thanks for stopping me from making a huge mistake.”

I hook my arm around his neck and pull him in for a sloppy kiss. “Now, that’s not to say that we don’t have a betting pool on what kind of shifter she turns out to be. There’s great fun in speculating. But until then, we leave it alone and wait for her. If she trusts us to share, she will. If not, the pot grows.”

Carlo’s laughter rings out and a warm feeling spreads through my chest. That level of carefree happiness is what I want for him. For all my friends.

Even mysterious ones who work across the street from us.

Now we have another mysterious shifter to add to our list.