If it weren’t for the chronically kidnapped penguin and all of Bertie’s community events, Ordinary wouldn’t even be on the map.
“Ground rules.” I held up my finger. “You live with me, you follow my rules.”
“Harsh.”
“You can pick a different host, but you’ll have to follow the rules they set.”
She glanced at Delaney, Ryder, and Bathin. “Fine. Rather you than any of those. What are your rules? Bear in mind unicorns are not known for liking rules. At best I’ll try to follow your top three.”
“Top twenty.”
“Two.”
“Ten.”
“One. Really, Myra, it’s just not in my nature to behave. Two is stretching my limits.”
“Three,” I said since she’d offered that to begin with.
“Fine.” The pout was back. “What are your rules?”
“If I ask you to do something, even if you don’t understand why, you will do it. Without complaining.”
“I—that’sverypresumptuous of you.” Her eyes narrowed and little sparks of red flickered there. “To think you can order me around like a dog.”
There was something more to her voice. Something deep and old and powerful. This thing was what had put so much fear into Bathin. This thing, this power churning behind that little horsey face, that little horsey mind, was somethingdangerous.
“I’m not ordering. I’m explaining that when I ask you to do something, I want you to do it. These things will involve your safety or the safety of others.”
She held very still, and I waited for the dangerous crackle I felt, like heat over my skin, to subside.
“Understood.”
“You agree?”
“I agree.”
I’d never seen a horse snarl through clenched teeth. Her ears flicked back and she swished her tail hard enough it made a little whip crack sound. But the heat crackle was gone.
“Rule two, you do not reveal your true nature to anyone in Ordinary unless you clear it with me.”
“Fine.” Still ground out between clenched teeth. “And the third rule?”
“No magic of any kind.” Bathin’s voice startled me, and I jerked. He’d somehow come up behind me silently.
The unicorn scoffed. “It’s amusing how you think I’d follow even one rule you set.”
“You agreed to three rules,” he went on like I wasn’t even there, like I wasn’t standing so close to him, I could feel the warm puff of his breath on the back of my neck. “That’s the third.”
“It’s not Myra’s rule.”
“It should be.” He brushed his fingers across my bent elbow. I knew he was a demon. I knew he liked to manipulate me and my sisters more than most people. But there was something to the tone of his voice.
It sounded like he was warning me.
“Mind your own,” the unicorn growled. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Oh, Xtelle, we both know that’s not true at all. Everything about you is concerning.”
