He’s not a boy anymore. He hasn’t been for a long time.
“You’re my sister. Anything you have to say, I will listen to. I owe you far more than that.”
My chest squeezes, and I look down at my hands, fingers twisted together.
“You don’t owe me anything. But if it’s an explanation you want…perhaps we should find a place to sit.”
My tea’s grown cold by the time I finish explaining everything to Phillip. Even the tea is wrong here, my soul yearning for duskthorn. What was once the cure for my homesickness is now a cause for it.
I leave nothing out—the misleading deal with a demon, the magical world on the brink, the self-sacrificing king who showed me a hidden, tender side of himself, even Morwen and Brightstar get a mention. My tears have long since stopped, and as the silence stretches between us, I’m more certain than ever that Phillip is going to think me mad.
Phillip hasn’t touched his tea either, and now he just stares at me, his face inscrutable. He sighs, then shakes his head.
“You can’t keep doing things like this, Ingrid,” he says.
“I— What?” When have I ever done anything evenremotelysimilar to disappearing to another world?
“I have always appreciated the way you step in to save me from problems of my own making, and maybe I’ve taken that for granted for too long. This is the last time.”
“The last…? I don’t understand.”
Phillip sighs again, then reaches across the table to take my hand in his.
“You are the best sister anyone could ever ask for. You’ve been there for me more times than I can count—more times than you should’ve been, if we’re honest—”
“Phil—”
“I’m gettingmarried, Ingrid. I’ll no doubt have a family of my own before long. I cannot keep relying on my big sister to save me.”
“But—”
He squeezes my hand and the lump of emotion that rises in my throat cuts off the rest of my argument.
“Whatever you’re trying to make up for, whatever amends you think have to be made on our parents’ behalf, you’ve done enough. More than enough, in fact.”
Tears spill over again, splashing on the tabletop, keeping me from having any response.
“It’s past time for me to be the selfless one,” Phillip says.
I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”
Phillip takes a deep breath. “Well, it’s clear to me that you have feelings for this demon king, and if he’s half the man you’ve described, it’s no wonder why.”
What good does admitting that do me now ?
What good is it when I’ll never be able to tell Xandril to his face?
“Go back,” Phillip says, leaning back in his chair.
“What?I can’t… I—”
“Why not?”
“For one thing, it’s anotherworld. How would I even get there?”
He shrugs, completely unbothered. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out. That didn’t stand in your way when it came to diving into the unknown for my sake, did it? You’re always so willing to throw yourself into the fire for others, but when’s the last time you went after something you wanted? Hells, when’s the last time youwantedsomething?”
“I—” I hate when he’s right. But one good point does not an argument make.
