Present Day, London

I spent the next several days acting like a tourist. I went to the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the British Museum. I sat in a park created from the ruins of an old church and watched models pose for a fashion shoot while searching on my phone for cheap flats to rent in the area, but nothing I found was quite right. Even though I had enough money to keep staying at the hotel, I’d moved to a cheap hostel instead while I looked for something longer-term, knowing I could stay there as long as I needed – or move on from the city entirely if nothing ever came together. I had learned to surrender myself to fate in this way as I traveled, keeping myself open to possibilities and waiting for my moment instead of trying to force a moment to happen simply to feel more secure.

As the second day stretched on toward evening, I boarded a tour boat at Westminster and found a spot at the edge of the rooftop viewing platform while the guide shared facts about the city through a crackly speaker. Propping my chin in my palm, I leaned my elbow against the railing and looked out at the vista of buildings as we floated down the Thames. London looked much like any other city I had visited so far. The skyline had its own mix of history with modern marvels, but all cities of this scale and age seemed similar to me. Had I already been traveling long enough to be this disenchanted? Or had I simply lost the ability to notice the details that mattered?

“Hey! Good to see you again.”

The voice was blunt with American vowels and demanded such attention that I turned to look at the speaker even though I was confident he was talking to someone else. But when I turned to look, I discovered he was staring directly right at me, dark eyes wide with delight as he flopped onto the bench right next to me as if we were friends.

“I keep seeing you everywhere I go today. It’s like we’re on a tour together!”

Blinking in confusion, I tried to remember his unremarkable but kind features from any of the places I had gone, but he hadn’t separated himself from the crowd of tourists with his backpack, cargo pants and sneakers, not to mention the prosumer camera hanging heavily around his neck.

“I’m Mason,” he said with a grin, offering me a hand to shake. I stared at it for a moment too long and he retracted his hand with a little wave as if he hadn’t actually been offering a handshake and wasn’t reading anything into my lack of reaction. “How long have you been in the UK?”

I bristled a little at the suggestion that I stood out so much that I wouldn’t seem like a native, but then I remembered that we were on a tour boat and I had apparently encountered Mason at several other tourist locations. “A few days,” I admitted.

Mason slapped me on the shoulder hard enough for me to recoil, but his enthusiasm and good will was so infectious that I was having hard time finding the gesture irritating in spite of my usual dislike for casual contact with strangers. “Welcome to Great Britain, man! I’ve been here six months but there’s still so much I haven’t seen yet. How’re you liking it?”

I shrugged, trying to think of anything from what I’d experienced so far that left enough of an impact to be shared. When nothing but my encounter with the banshee came to mind, I said, “I’m still getting a feel for the place.”

“I hear ya. How long do you plan to stay? I could give you some tips if you’re interested.”

“Thanks, but I’m good at finding my own way.”

“Understood. You gotta do you.” Balancing on the bench with his palms on either side of his hips, he leaned back and looked up at the dreary overcast sky. “What a day.” Mason sucked in a deep breath through his nose and then slowly released it through his mouth with a sound of contentment as if they were experiencing cheery sunshine rather than more of the usual drizzly London weather. “I thought the Tower of London was going to be a waste of time, but it was actually pretty cool, don’t you think?”

“You said you’ve been here six months?” I asked, hoping to redirect him.

“Yup. I’ve been staying with a friend and taking in the local culture, but I need to get back home soon for my mom’s birthday before I move on to my next destination.”

I perked up, realizing that he must be a bit of a nomad like myself. “Your next destination?” I echoed.

“Always something new to see, you know? I’ve been traveling the world for a few years now. I make most of my income online through how-to videos with a little licensing money on the side.” He tapped the side of his camera. “Stock photography.” Tilting his head to the side when I remained silent, he asked, “What about you?”

Feeling a little bad for considering Mason a typical tourist because of his camera when photography was obviously more than a way to fill a social media feed with photos to make friends and family jealous, I realized that Mason had actually found a way to make a living off his travels while I was still trying to figure out what to do with my time. “I’m looking for a job, actually. Something to offset expenses.”

“In between gigs?”

I nodded but didn’t offer any details.

“Been there, man. I used to be an accountant, if you can believe it. Pushing papers and playing human calculator. It paid well, but the job had no soul.”

Thinking about my work for Yun Seo and the ways I’d thought I was making a difference before I finally realized everything I’d been doing was in service of a single man’s revenge. “Is that why you quit?”

His smile faded a little bit around the edges, going hard with determination. “No. My sister got really sick and nearly died a few years back. Made me realize that there’s more to life than spreadsheets and sitting at a desk all day. Anyway, I’d always wanted to travel but thought that was what I’d do when I retired. When Madison got better, she and I decided not to live our lives that way. We want to see the world now while we still have the energy and freedom to put up with long-haul flights and stay in a place more than a couple weeks.”

“Makes sense to me.”

His grin widened again and he gave me another slap on the arm. “I knew you were going to be a kindred spirit from the first time I saw you, man. You’ve got that aura.”

I wasn’t sure I knew what that meant, but Mason was pleasant enough company and he pointed out the sights with more colorful commentary than our bored tour guide.

“Where are you staying in the city?” Mason asked as we disembarked at the last stop on the line.

“Just some hostel while I look for something more permanent.”

Straightening, Mason gave me a wide-eyed look as if I’d just said something amazing. “No shit! I’m looking for someone to take over my sublease. Are you interested?”

“Maybe,” I said cautiously. “What’s the rent?”

We discussed details and I was shocked to discover that the flat was not only easily within my budget, it was also located in Shoreditch, the place I’d identified as a good place for me to stay.

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Mason was someone who didn’t like to take no for an answer, regardless. “I’m actually meeting up with my roommate after this. You should join and I’ll introduce you.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose.”

Mason laughed and slapped me again on the shoulder. “ What are you talking about, man? We’re just meeting up at a pub.”

I felt uneasy for no good reason. Then I realized I was resisting getting to know him better, not because I didn’t want to know him, but because I didn’t want to be known. Fighting that self-destructive instinct, I said. “Okay.”

We walked a few blocks to a busy pub that looked like it had survived a century or more sandwiched in between equally old buildings along the cramped street. Feeling very out of my element, I followed Mason’s lead and settled into a booth with a pint of beer while I watched him sift through the items in his backpack in search of another memory card.

“I know it’s in here somewhere,” he muttered, stacking junk on the table, half of which looked like trash that should have been thrown away.

When he pulled out a familiar book, I stopped paying attention to anything else, reaching out to pick up the hardback before I realized what I was doing, my mouth going dry at the sight of the man on the cover. Jang Yun Seo stood tall with arms crossed over his chest and a smug smile, looking larger than life as if the book jacket could hardly contain him, his suit cut to fit his frame to perfection, every strand of hair expertly arranged.

“Found it!” Shooting me a grin as he lifted the tiny card aloft in victory, Mason’s expression shifted when he noticed me holding the book. “Oh. That’s a good one. Have you read it?”

I appreciated that he didn’t assume I knew who Yun Seo was simply because we were both from the same country. “No,” I admitted. “But I recognize him.” I offered him the book, trying to ignore the way Yun Seo’s eyes seemed to follow me all the way.

Brushing invisible dust from the jacket, Mason gave Yun Seo a reverent look before shoving him back into his bag. “This guy is a genius. He built a company from the ground up in record time and now his app is on every phone from here to Zimbabwe. His advice is what made me decide to take the risk of building my own business. You want to borrow it? It’s a great read.”

“I’m not much of a reader,” I replied, hoping Mason would let me leave it at that.

Mason looked like he was going to say something more, but he got distracted when the bell on the door jangled to admit a tall, handsome man. Hurrying to clear the table, Mason gave the man a shout and a wave, oblivious to the irritated glances he earned from the other patrons. “Thom! Over here.”

A chill raced down my spine as soon as I met Thom’s eyes and I knew immediately that despite his seemingly human appearance, he was not human. Was Britain saturated with Unseen? Or was I developing a knack for attracting them? Although I knew he was from the world of myth, I had no idea what he actually was, so I decided to play dumb. Tall and thin, Thom was dark in every sense of the word, skin, hair, clothing and an air of brooding that seemed darker than everything else combined. Other than a white streak in his hair that began at his left temple, his eyes were the only thing about him that was light, the irises a shade of hazel that shifted from green to gold in the light.

“Who’s this?” Thom demanded, bristling when he reached the table and saw me.

“Maybe your new roommate,” Mason said brightly, either unaware of Thom’s attitude or so accustomed to it that he had learned to ignore it. “Thom, meet Sang Kyu. Sang Kyu, Thom.”

Grimacing a little at how tone deaf Mason was to introduce a stranger as a possible roommate, I held out a hand toward Thom and summoned the charming smile Yun Seo had trained me to make when I was trying to win someone over. “Nice to meet you,” I said, bowing my head politely.

Thom glanced down at my hand and hesitated before reaching out to give it a firm but brief shake. His palm was cool and dry but his fingers were shockingly strong, his nails scraping slightly at my skin as we parted. Nudging Mason on the shoulder and taking a seat on the bench across from me, he looked as if he were positioning himself for a quick exit, his perch both uncomfortable and a little precarious. “Let me guess,” he said dryly. “You two just met, but Mason thinks you’ll be the perfect replacement for him.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I shifted my attention to Mason.

“Thom,” Mason said with a nervous laugh. “You don’t think I would try to match you up with just anyone, do you? Sang Kyu here is a good guy.”

“We did just meet,” I admitted, folding my hands on top of the table. “Why don’t we get to know each other a little bit before we talk about any possible living arrangements?”

Thom remained silent, and Mason, as I was learning, was unable to do the same. He filled the quiet with stories, relaying what he’d learned about me in our short time together with shocking accuracy. People who truly listened were hard to find, and I hadn’t expected someone as bubbly as Mason to be one of them. Thom, on the other hand, immediately struck me as someone who missed nothing. He watched me closely as Mason rambled, and I met his eyes without flinching.

“What about you?” I asked Thom when Mason stopped speaking long enough to take a long draft from his beer. “Mason mentioned you’re an artist.”

“Thom is working on a huge mural in Shoreditch right now,” Mason jumped in before Thom could reply. “It’s gonna be amazing, like you’re seeing right through the building. This absolutely fucking huge illusion the size of an apartment complex.” Shaking his head with a grin, Mason finished off his beer. “Anyone want a refill?”

I nodded at Mason, thinking that I could use any assistance I could get to make it through the rest of the conversation.

“Not for me,” Thom said. He had ordered some kind of exotic spirit on the rocks and he’d been nursing it slowly as if savoring every sip. I couldn’t read Thom’s expression. He didn’t say much, but his eyes were always watching, sharp and focused as if nothing passed his notice.

When Mason got up to fetch our drinks, Thom slid to the other side of the bench, staring at me all the way. I finished my pint off and decided to make an honest attempt to connect with him, but he spoke before I could think of anything to say.

“You know what I am, don’t you?”

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t. Not exactly. But I know you’re not human.”

A faint smile curved his lips, and the subtle nature of it reminded me of Yun Seo. Never one to waste emotion, Yun Seo was often sparing with his expressions, sharing only hints of what he was feeling without giving too much away. “But you are, aren’t you? Human, I mean.”

I nodded, afraid to say more for fear that he would jump to the wrong conclusions.

His smile softened. “Not many humans who can recognize the difference. Mason certainly can’t.” Gaze flicking toward the bar, he rolled his eyes when Mason waved enthusiastically back at him. “He’s dumb, but in a kind way. You? I can’t figure out what you’re after.” He took a sip of his drink.

“I don’t really know,” I said honestly. “You could say that figuring out what I want is actually the thing I’m after.”

Eyes narrowing, Thom studied me silently. “You’ve lost yourself, then. I know something about that.”

“I’m not sure I’ve ever found myself in the first place.” I took a shaky breath. “I’m good at supporting other people. At being what they need.”

“I don’t need anyone.”

“That’s not what I…” I began, unsure how to finish the sentence, but Mason returned with our drinks and saved me from finishing.

“Can you believe that line?” Mason asked as he slid a pint toward me. “This place is crazy busy for this time of day.”

Taking a few swallows to soothe my dry throat, I avoided Thom’s gaze and tried to think of a way to extricate myself from this situation. I wasn't interested in getting more involved in Unseen affairs than I was already, and Thom clearly saw me as a threat, someone from the outside who knew about the world of myth without being a part of it. When I returned my attention to the conversation, I realized Mason was sharing a joke he’d heard from the bartender, but he was the only one laughing. Thom was still staring unwaveringly at me like a predator who had identified its next prey.

“I should get going,” I said, fishing some bills from my wallet and tossing them on the table. “It was nice meeting you both, but I think we all know this was a bad idea.”

“Wait.” Thom’s hand darted out to cover my own, his head cocked curiously at me. “I actually think you might be perfect.”

“Yeah,” Mason agreed, but I couldn’t look away from Thom’s eyes and barely noticed what he was saying, my attention entirely focused on a gaze that almost glowed in the dim light of the pub. “We’ve got a couch you could crash on until I leave town. Just test things out for a few days if you’re afraid of commitment, but I think it’s all going to work out great. I’ve got a good feeling about you.”

I was hypnotized as I leaned back in my seat and took another drink. I didn’t know what Thom was, but he was compelling in a way I didn’t know how to defend against. And on some level I was curious. I wanted to know what he was even if it turned out to be dangerous. I had clearly been living my life too safely of late because the faintest hint of danger was making me feel more alive than I’d felt in months.

Remembering that this kind of feeling was what had first drawn me to Yun Seo, I tried to tell myself to refuse, but then I heard myself say, “Fine. I’ll give it a try.”