Chapter 1

1

" T hat's all for today! Keep your bows taut, and may your arrows fly true." I made sure my voice came out extra sultry and swished my hair over my shoulders like a shampoo ad. That move always got both positive and negative reactions—something I'd had to get used to on my Only Fae channel.

At first, I'd tried to block the trolls, but I'd finally accepted that after my fall from grace, I was always going to have someone who enjoyed kicking me while I was down. And since they didn't get to do it for free and they helped pay my rent, I could ignore their horribleness. I had the option to block them if it got too out of hand. The kinder viewers—a growing number—left nice comments about my performance and a chorus of "Bye, Teremie!"

Yeah, Teremie is my real name. Not Jeremie. T-eremie. Yes, it's weird. My mom liked unique names. Whatevs. I blew a kiss at my laptop screen, turned off my camera, and closed the Only Fae site. My channel was finally gaining traction, and for the first time in months, I felt like I'd be okay. It had been a lifeline when I'd been drowning, and despite the trolls I had nothing except good things to say about the experience.

Grabbing a damp washcloth I'd placed on my desk earlier, I cleaned up my belly, chest, and swiped it over my half-moon birthmark on my collarbone that everyone thought looked like a tattoo because its lines were so distinct. I tried to keep my open linen shirt out of the mess. Pulling up my trousers, I tucked myself away, leaving them unlaced. I loved cosplay, but it took effort, and I had to be careful not to ruin my outfits now that I had almost no money and laundering the outfits wasn't simple.

How the mighty had fallen.

I tugged off a pair of ornate gold elf ears that matched my nose and nipple rings and gave a relieved sigh. The accessories displayed beautifully on camera but were not so comfortable to wear for long periods. This session had run overtime. The tips had been so good, I'd, heh, milked it a little.

I rubbed the top of my ears, easing the ache. Unbuckling my bracers came next, and I threw them on my desk near the laptop and ears. I finger-combed my long hair, leaving my side braids in for another day since they took more time and effort than I wanted to spend to remove them.

That little performance would make sure we made rent this month. Gotta love Only Fae. Why so many patrons obsessed over elves and fairies was beyond my understanding. I mean, we already had real wolf shifters and vampires. Who needed to add mythological creatures to the mix? Then again, as a human, cosplaying an elf for money seemed to be the only way I'd get to experience the thrill of the supernatural. Even if it was only pretend. And not what I'd originally planned for my life.

Once I showered, changed into a pair of jeans, and a long-sleeved tee, I left the small bedroom and almost banged into Rory, my roommate and best friend. We'd grown up together in Kankakee, Illinois, and moved to L.A. together along with our ex-friend, Matt. Well, Rory's ex-friend, my ex-boyfriend.

Rory was the definition of the red-headed twink next door—adorable, tiny, and as loyal as they came.

"Damn, sorry. Filming ran long and—"

"'Bout time you finished! I need you to come with me right now." He gripped my arm, and his Adam's apple bobbed erratically. Oddly, he held a lute in his other hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Sheila called."

Sheila Levy was Rory's and—technically—my agent, and she knew everyone in the business. My bestie was a phenomenal talent. He'd done lots of smaller theater productions and even had some returning bits in two streaming series. He was getting a solid reputation as a character actor. He just hadn't yet had his big break. Sheila said it was just a matter of time. I really hoped she was right.

Matt, Rory, and I had moved here for our Hollywood dream, and so far only Matt came close. Of course, he'd stolen it. Then again, since he was currently living in Calabasas with his big producer boyfriend and dining with A-listers, and we were in a rundown one-bedroom apartment with cockroaches the size of my thumb, I'd say his theft paid off.

"That's a good thing, right?" I said, keeping my voice neutral.

"You know how they're casting for ‘The Elves' Cursed Coin'?"

Rory had been obsessed with this book as a teen and kept more than one dog-eared copy lying around the apartment. He'd read the book to me since the audio hadn't come out until years later, and because I . . . basically couldn't read. And I'd tried. Rory thought I was dyslexic, though my school's initial tests didn't seem to support that theory, and everyone mostly assumed that I was pretty but not very bright. The dumb blonde stereotype wasn't just for women.

Rory had practically wet himself when he found out they were turning his favorite book into a film. Though they were calling it "The Prince's Cursed Coin," which drove the purist in Rory crazy. I'd been pretty stoked about the movie, too, and even hoped I'd get to audition for the part of a background elf, but Sheila told me those roles required expert horsemanship. So, yeah, no.

I'd barely nodded before he continued.

"Tom Holland dropped out. Clashing commitments! Isn't that great?" He bounced on the balls of his feet, reminding me of a golden retriever puppy. If he had a tail, he'd be wagging it.

"Uh, sure, I guess. He's a good actor, though."

"Don't you get it? She got me an audition! For the part of Bardholomew Stubbins. You know, the squire who really wants to be a bard? He's my favorite character!"

As if I didn't know. "That's great—"

"It's like right now. We need to go."

"We? I don't think—"

"Please, Teremie." His big brown eyes practically welled with tears. Like I said, phenomenal actor; he could cry on command.

Didn't mean I was immune to it.

"You get that this is a terrible idea, right?" I wasn't exactly Mister Popularity in this town. Being seen with me would only be a liability for Rory, and he didn't deserve that. He'd already sacrificed so much for me.

His chin tilted upward in that stubborn way I knew so well. Ah, hell.

"It is not a terrible idea. You don't have to come in with me. Just stay in the waiting area. I really need someone in my corner."

"I'm a bad luck charm. Like the anti-rabbit's foot."

Rory winced. Actors, like athletes, tended to be superstitious.

Now to pull out the big guns.

"Plus, last I checked, the video was at 367 million views." The one where Matt had broken up with me on camera during a live feed on our gaming channel. And accused me of cheating. Also, the video that took our channel from the nineteenth most popular YouTuber slot to the number nine. And he only had to set me up and break my heart to do it. Oh, and make me the most recognizable "cheater" pretty much anywhere I went.

But as I said, Rory was loyal and determined. He aimed his best puppy dog eyes in my direction.

"You're all I've got." He even said it with a hitch in his voice.

Dammit. Set and match.

"Fine." I sighed. "Let me grab a hoodie and my earbuds, at least. Are you really bringing a lute for the part?"

Rory scoffed. "What? No. That's what they'll be expecting. I want to stand out from the crowd, not blend in. I'm taking my hurdy gurdy. Much cooler."

Of course.

This was going to be a disaster. I could feel it.