The Changeling's Ghost (Thirteen Gates #1)

The Mountain Troll

     So, Gus Washington. Scourge of my life. Human embodiment of nobody asked. First impressions were going very poorly. I kept giving him chances but I really only got the same content everytime, and I was ready to tear my hair out. Living with him was a nightmare, literally, I wasn't used to sleeping in a room with someone that was... him. I felt like I was constantly aware of very movement he made and every time it was like metal clamped between my teeth, buzzing uncomfortably.
   
     Yesterday had been a catastrophe. I had never in my life met someone with the audacity to wheelie through a cairn. Every time I reminisced on the incident I gained another grey hair, I could feel myself physically age another year, and this theory was only further sustained as I felt my limbs crackle when I rose the next morning. Signs of physical exhaustion and mental, I can't wait for the day when it's normal to wake up near Gus Washington. Wait no, that came out wrong. I mean I just want to be at ease with the fact that he's present in the same room, not- shut up. Whatever. Moving on.

   
     I was fully aware that it was Aitamah's job to upkeep the house and garden, but I had miraculously woken up before Gus (time change probably, though his internal clock was impeccable yesterday so I'm half convinced he's doing it just to mess with me). After sitting at our dining table for twenty minutes with a cup of tea that I should have probably had decaffeinated, I found I couldn't sit still. I had cleaned and dried all of our dishes when I realized Gus' partner Sheryl had sat down and trained her eyes on me. It effectively scared off all of my wits.

     "How long have you been there?" I asked, with as much respect as possible. "M'am."

     She took a long sip from a mug of what looked like pure black coffee and drummed her sharp red fingernails on the antique wooden table. "That's irrelevant. I thought you had a housekeeper. Does this family normally enslave fae for chores?"

     "Aitamah? She's more like a family friend, well her family owes us but-"

     Her eyebrows rose. "'Owing you'. Can you elaborate on that for me?"

     I gripped the marble counter to steady myself because I could the sweat droplets on my forehead. "Uh, I really don't think I should."

     "No, I insist." Sheryl pushed, leaning back in her chair.

     I opened and close my mouth like a goldfish, gasping for words like they were oxygen, when to my dismay and sweet relief, Gus walked in. His pyjamas had stars and stripes and I immediately wanted to punch him again. Did he own anything the wasn't emblazed with the flag of his country?

     He grinned upon surveying the situation, as if we were having a good chat here. "Good morning! I see you've met Sheryl, and you've met Asher. Isn't she awesome, Asher? You should see her in action. Once, she killed a minotaur just by--"

     That's it. "I'm going out."

     "I thought you didn't go out until nine?" Gus asked, throwing on a jacket and tailing me down the hall like a naturally condescending puppy.

     "I'll leave this house whenever I please. Why are you following me?" I demanded, glancing back at him.

     He closed his eyes to shrug, like a fool. "You're heading to the gates, right? I'm not missing out on anything. You know. Now that we're partners?"

     I shot him another glare. "You're not my partner."

     He smiled, eyes flicking between the two of us with this stupid, incredulous smirk. "Kind of looks like it."

     "I don't have a partner, nor do I want one."

     "C'mon, everyone has one. It's too dangerous to swashbuckle fae alone."